The first Major of the year at The Masters is one of the greatest events in sport and attending the iconic Augusta National during the tournament week is something high up on every golfer's bucket list.
Whether its the beautifully manicured course and its flowering azaleas that all golfers have grown to know and love, the famous food from the Masters concessions menu including the pimento cheese sandwich, or just the spectacle as a whole, a Masters badge is one of the best a sports fan can get their hands on - although getting Masters tickets is known to be extremely difficult.
So, how many spectators, or 'patrons' as they're known at The Masters, are usually in attendance for the first Major of the year?
How many fans attend The Masters?
Well, true to form, Augusta National doesn't actually share its attendance figures for the event.
However, it is believed that around 40,000 eager golf fans pass through the gates from Thursday to Sunday during the tournament rounds, with many arriving at the crack of dawn to secure a spot at Amen Corner for the day.
Incidentally, more fans are typically attend the practice days from Monday to Wednesday of tournament week, with Bleacher Report claiming that as many as 50,000 come out in force to watch the world's best go through their meticulous preparation. Some say the practice days are the best ones to attend, as it's a more relaxed atmosphere.
One of the many things you can't do at Augusta National is take your cell phone around with you, but one thing you can do on the practice days is bring a camera to capture your memories and get those shots of Amen Corner.
Wednesday also features the traditional Par 3 Contest on Augusta's short, nine-hole layout.
Once the tournament starts though, it's strictly no cameras and sneaking one in could get you escorted off the premises.
The total number of Masters patrons, thought to be around 90,000 for the week, are fairly small compared to a number of other tournaments, and that's probably just how Augusta likes it. That number is extremely low when you consider that around two million people enter the ballot for tickets each year.
Augusta National is a very exclusive club and The Masters is an exclusive tournament that is a real 'once in a lifetime' experience for many fans.
The WM Phoenix Open, for example, on the PGA Tour is golf's best attended event - by a very long way - with around 700,000 fans attending during the week at TPC Scottsdale every February.
When it comes to the other men's Majors, the 2024 Open Championship had 250,000 fans on-site during the week at Royal Troon, last year's US Open had 225,000 spectators at Pinehurst No.2 while the PGA Championship at Valhalla had around 200,000 fans.
So, while we don't know the exact figure of how many patrons stroll the Augusta fairways, we can estimate that it's less than 50% of the number seen in the other three men's Majors.
That might come as a surprise to some but it lends well with the event's exclusive feel and also ensures that the lucky patrons on-site enjoy the best experience possible.
