Augusta National Doesn’t Care Who You Are: Why a Former Masters Star Was Just Escorted From the Grounds

Mark Calcavecchia’s removal from Augusta National is a stark reminder that the Masters’ no-phone policy spares no one.

BY AMAYA NICHOLE, NEWS WRITER

Mark Calcavecchia. Illustration: Inc; Photo: Getty Images

A Masters invitation is one of golf’s highest honors. For a former golf champion, this year turned into an early exit over his phone.

According to Golfweek, 1989 Open champion Mark Calcavecchia was escorted from Augusta National by security after a phone-related incident at this year’s Masters.

As with most former top pros, Calcavecchia is invited back to Augusta National each year as an honorary invitee, reflecting both his Open Championship win and his 18 Masters appearances, the last of which came in 2008.

Held each April at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, the tournament marks the one time each year the famously private club opens its gates to the public, drawing an estimated 40,000 patrons who secure their spots through a lottery system to experience the pristine grounds.

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The Masters has long had a strict no-phone policy to preserve the atmosphere of the competition. “Part of what makes the Masters such a unique environment is the lack of cell phones on the grounds. Courtesy phones are available throughout the course,” the tournament’s website says.

Additionally, smart watches and fitness trackers used for “phone calls, emails, text message and other photo, video or data recording and/or transmission” are prohibited.

The Masters’ strict standards extend well beyond cellular devices. For example, the club enforces a detailed dress code with backward baseball caps being considered a breach of etiquette.

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