Masters Survey 2024: Pros dish on whether they are allowed to use their cell phone at Augusta National

It’s one of the great ironies: AT&T is one of the primary sponsors at the Masters and yet the club remains staunch in its no cell phone policy. Some love it – patrons actually watching shots at the Masters rather than film them with their phones, what a novel concept! – but others, not so much. It takes some planning and a dose of luck to do an old-school meetup under the famed tree shading the clubhouse rather than send a simple text, saying, “I’m here in front of the merchandise shop.” Whatever you do, don’t get busted sneaking in a phone because that’s a major no-no and grounds for removal and loss of a badge or being even able to enter the lottery again.

Media are permitted to bring their phones into the media center and use them inside (with some restrictions) but it can’t be used as a recorder or as a camera on property. Getting caught with a phone outside the media center is a punishable offense that will lead to a loss of privileges, including all those free peach ice-cream sandwiches.

But what about the players? There’s actually an assigned room in the locker room where players can use their phones and Will Zalatoris said it can get pretty busy during a rain delay. But several pros said that Green Jackets have loosened the policy in recent years and are more lax in allowing contestants to use their phones to film swings on the range and to take video of crossing the Hogan Bridge and skipping balls across the water at 16 during practice rounds. The key, Matt Kuchar says, is to be discrete.

“You’re a little more nervous and unsure what you can and can’t do,” he said of Augusta’s phone policy for the players.

Brian Harman made a great point in explaining why he doesn’t bother to sneak his phone around: Who’s he going to call?

“It doesn’t do you any good to have one because anyone I need to talk to that week like my coach, manager or wife already is at the course and they don’t have one,” he said.

Here’s what players had to say about their cell phone usage.