Augusta National’s $26 Million Purchase Could Mean Big Things for The Masters
Augusta National Golf Club is arguably the most famous golf course in the entire world. Located in the heart of Georgia, thousands flock to its hallowed grounds to take in the greatest tournament in golf, The Masters, every year.
Augusta National prides itself on tradition, but that isn’t stopping the course from extending its footprint. Over the past few years, Augusta National has purchased a strip mall, a Pep Boys, and even another golf course. The club also recently finished an underground tunnel connecting the course and the media village. When The Masters returns this fall, the host club will have a whole different look.
The 2020 Masters will be held in November
Professional sports were hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, and golf was no exception. The PGA Tour was forced to suspend the 2020 season in the middle of The Players in March. The Tour was unable to finish the iconic tournament, and every event since then has been canceled.
The Masters, which was scheduled to be played in April, was also postponed. It was a dark and empty month without the colorful azaleas lighting up our television screens as Tiger Woods defended his green jacket, but it’s not all bad news.
Augusta National Golf Club announced The Masters will return in November. The tournament will be held from November 12-15. Although it won’t look the same, it’s a relief the best players in the world will still be able to compete on golf’s biggest stage in 2020.
Augusta National recently finished an underground tunnel to the course
As dedicated as Augusta National Golf Course is to preserving its history, it’s always looking for ways to modernize the club. Last year, Augusta National turned an old shopping center into a Global Broadcast Village. The village is a state-of-the-art media hub that covers 40 acres.
The only problem with the compound is that media members had to cross busy Washington Road and walk through the front gate to reach the clubhouse. That was until earlier this year.
In February of 2020, Augusta National announced the addition of an underground tunnel connecting the media village with the golf course.
“This project is the first of its kind in the state of Georgia,” Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley said last year. “Thanks to modern engineering, we will be able to excavate under Washington Road without any impact to the flow of traffic above.”
Augusta National just spent $26 million on a shopping mall
Augusta National wasn’t finished after building a state-of-the-art media center and connecting tunnel, though. The club recently made its largest real estate purchase yet — $26 million for a nearby strip mall.
It remains to be seen what the club plans to do with the 15-acre space, but it’s been making a habit of buying nearby real estate. Over the past 20 years, Augusta National has acquired 110 new acres of land to increase its footprint.
The National Hills Shopping Center across the street is just the latest in Augusta National’s real estate splurge. With 15 new acres of land, a massive media village, and a large underground tunnel, The Masters will look completely different in 2020.
