Money
Masters 2023: How to score a last-minute ticket and a place to stay
Harry How
It’s so true it has become cliché: A Masters ticket is the toughest one to get in sports. Even with a shaky weather forecast this week, you’re still going to spend four figures for a day on the Augusta National grounds.
But there are still (relatively) decent deals to be had if you’re willing to roll the dice on the weather and who you’ll be able to see. It might seem counter-intuitive, but the “easiest” get for actual competition-round tickets is Sunday. Many of the corporate attendees are already on the way home—and you aren’t paying the risk surcharge that comes from permanent four-day badge-holders needing to make sure you bring your ticket back so it can go to the next day’s purchaser.
Right now on Stubhub, a single ticket for Sunday is trading for about $1,200—and that comes with the advantage of that site guaranteeing the authenticity of what you’re buying. The housing market is even cooling off for last-minute visits, which means if you can actually get yourself to Augusta Saturday night, you can book a two-bedroom AirBnB like this one for two nights for $945. If you’re willing (and able) to share a bedroom, this one-bedroom apartment is just $654 for two nights and is five minutes from the course.
If you're willing to visit the Wild West of Craigslist and deal with a local seller, you might be able to dicker your way into the Wednesday practice round—and Par-3 Contest—for $1,000. Jimmy says he has four tickets available.
If you have a bit of Scottie Scheffler Office superfan in you—and some Friday badges already in hand—you can make like Dwight trading his way up from a thumbtack to some "magic" beans and turn four Friday tickets into up to eight Sunday badges and bring a posse.
Just don't expect to be able to get that many into TBonz later in the day.
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