2020 Masters: What You Need To Know

The 2020 Masters Tournament is just around the corner, but it will look very different this year. Due to COVID-19, the Masters were moved back to November, making it the first fall Masters in history. This year, the Masters Tournament is being held from Thursday, November 12 to Sunday, November 15. In addition to that, the Masters will be patronless, and there won’t be most of the usual exciting parties and concerts that come to Augusta with the tournament.

So, with these big changes, what can Masters patrons expect this year? To start, anyone with a ticket to the 2020 Masters will have that ticket honored in 2021. Another perk for ticket holders is that for the first time, an online Masters merchandise shop will be available to them, in lieu of getting to shop at the tournament. There will be a shopping limit though, so those lucky enough to get to shop will have to choose carefully! 

As for how Augusta locals will be affected by the changes, the Masters will be wrapping up early this year, said to be because it’s being played at the same time as college football, and due to an earlier sunset. In addition to that, typically each year, Augusta students are out of school for Masters week. But without the boom of tourists and visitors expected this year, that won’t be the case. Most students will have school as normal that week, except for those off on November 11 for Veterans Day. 

Many are also wondering how a Masters with no patrons will affect the players, along with different weather conditions than they’re used to. While the temperatures in April and November may not be that different, the seasons certainly are. The April Masters typically signals the beginning of spring, with plants and flowers in full bloom. This year, it’s coming at the time that trees start to change colors and many plants lose their petals and leaves. But the most notable difference from April to November is the sun. With Daylight Savings Time ending on November 1 this year, sunset will come significantly earlier in the day than in April. This may lead to earlier tee times, and earlier wrap-ups.  

While there are a lot of disappointing changes coming with the Masters Tournament this year, there is change that has everyone excited! For the first time ever, College GameDay will be held at the Masters on Saturday, November 14. This will give everyone watching from home an exciting peek behind the gate, that otherwise would have been missed this year with no patrons. 

Although this will be a Masters Tournament like no other, we can’t wait to welcome the golf community back to Augusta, and feel some sense of normalcy when we see the Masters Tournament back in action.