‘Portal to an inner sanctum’ – The Masters has secret vault behind unmarked door with only members and champions allowed
THE MASTERS has a secret vault behind an unmarked door where only members and champions are allowed in.
Hailed as a “portal to an inner sanctum”, the mysterious entrance is located at the very back of the Augusta National pro shop.
The LA Times reports that it used to lead to a storage room underneath the surface.
But the area now contains an exclusive vault dubbed the “Green Jacket Experience.”
Built in 2021, it serves as a museum and storage space for the iconic Augusta green jackets.
Only members of the golf club and winners of the Masters are ever allowed to have one.
And each jacket must first be collected from behind an unmarked door at the back of the pro shop, with the vault located at the bottom of 24 steps.
Motion-sensitive lights gradually illuminate the room, which first reveals Byron Nelson’s green jacket behind a class cabinet.
Nelson, who died aged 94 in 2006, is regarded as one of golf’s best-ever players and won the Masters in 1937 and 1942.
Either side of the display are two touch screens which shed light on the history of the green jacket and Augusta.
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The vault then continues to another glass storefront containing the oldest green jacket around, which dates back to the 1930s.
It requires fingerprint entry to access and is made of heavy felt while also boasting a different logo.
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Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion and the man to beat at Augusta, as he is the bookies’ favourite to win it for a third time in four years.
Justin Rose is also among the favourites, while Rory McIlroy is seen as an outside bet.
LIV golfers such as Phil Mickelson are also back in the fold – meaning it could be one of the biggest for a while.
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Elsewhere, the vault also contains an in-house tailor on retainer.
They have their own mannequin in a deconstructed green jacket, allowing them to measure fits for the latest members and winners.
And to the side are around 100 green jackets ready to be made up for the next group of lucky members.
As for already-tailored green jackets, they are located at a different part of Augusta.
Members must buy their own jacket, with most owning more than one.
It’s believed each jacket costs around £190.
But membership itself goes anywhere from between £76,000 and £230,000.
New members meet with the tailor and club chairman Fred Ridley in the vault before being fitted for a jacket.
Two panels nearby hide secret cabinets containing Scotch and bourbon to toast the occasion.
But jackets are not allowed to leave Augusta – save for one person.
That honour belongs to the Masters champion, who for the past year has been Scottie Scheffler.