My Quest to play golf at Augusta National

November 2021 Update: This blog post was originally published in June 2009. It was one of the very first posts I ever wrote on Location Rebel. Since originally writing it I’ve played over 50 of the top 100 golf courses in the world.

I still haven’t played Augusta National. I’ve learned over the years that the best way to not play the course is to ask to play the course. So I don’t ask. I trust it will happen when the time is right.

But I left this post mostly unedited for posterity. Sometimes you set a goal and it happens right away. Other times? It takes a good portion of your life. But the important part is that you set those goals, and go after them.

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They say nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it. Well, I am going to test this theory.

Long regarded as one of the best and most exclusive golf courses in the world, Augusta National is a legend. Whether you’re a golfer or not, chances are, you have heard of this course, and a little tournament held there annually called The Masters.

Well, let me first make this clear. I am not a good golfer. There is no reason in the world as to why I should EVER be allowed anywhere near that course.

I mean I can hold my own, and not embarass myself (usually) on the local municpal or par 3 course, but I would not be someone you expect to find playing here.

So here is something I have realized quite recently:

What is the point of a goal if you aren’t actively trying to reach it?

The answer is, there isn’t much of one. So how on Earth can I conquer #27, undoubtedly one of the most difficult on “The List“.

Well for starters, I can write A LOT of letters. Thanks to the kind people at USA Today, I have in my possession a list of all 300 or so current members (well ok, as of five years ago, but honestly, how often can this list really change?) at Augusta National.

I am going to write a letter and an email for every single person on that list that I can find contact information for. I am going to write the club itself. I am going to contact every golf publication I can find, to tell them about my goal, all in hopes that ONE person will find it in their heart to allow me to play one 18 hole round.

I have no idea how long this will take. It could be days, months or most likely years before I get to take the storied drive down Magnolia Lane, but sooner or later I will reach my goal.

I plan to post updates here once a month (or however often something noteworthy happens) to keep everyone informed on the progress that I have made. At the very least I think it should provide for an entertaining social experiment!

Another Update from Future Sean: This would have been a horrible idea knowing what I now now about the golf industry and this course. In fact, if I were smart I’d just unpublish this entire post. But again, posterity. ha.

So anyone know Bill Gates personally?

Give him my number.

Does anyone have an extraordinarily wealthy grandfather from Alabama? Send him my way.

But seriously, if any of you out there have any thoughts, suggestions, or contacts you think could be useful, let me know. As soon as I have finalized a standard letter to send out, I will post it for everyone to see.

I never said “The List” would be easy, but you’ve gotta at least try right?

Sean Ogle

Sean Ogle is the Founder of Location Rebel where he has spent the last 12+ years teaching people how to build online businesses that give them the freedom to do more of the things they like to do in life. When he's not in the coffee shops of Portland, or the beaches of Bali, he's probably sneaking into some other high-class establishment where he most certainly doesn't belong.

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