Can players sign autographs on Augusta National flags during the Masters? A look at the unwritten rule

When players look to give autographs to fans at the Augusta National during the Masters, there are certain unwritten rules they need to follow. Important to mention, Augusta National Golf Club has no role in setting these rules up.

One of the unwritten rules comes into consideration while signing the yellow Masters pin flag replicas, which are sold for $30 with the year name of the current masters written on them. The flag design consists of an outline map of the United States. Outside the map, the rest of the flag is empty.

Now, the 'unsaid' rule states that only the former champions at Augusta National can sign the center of the flag, precisely inside the outline map of the US. Other players can sign in with a blank space outside the map. No one made this rule, it was never announced but it is believed that this tradition started after 1993 when the flags started getting sold as merchandise.

In the Augusta National clubhouse's first-floor locker room, a table near the entrance has flags and a sharpie placed on it for players to sign. These flags are usually auctioned off to support a player's foundation or to support charity.

All players understand that the flags have to be left blank in the middle and only champions are allowed to sign there and they don't even come into that locker room as they have their separate locker rooms upstairs.

However, not every champion chooses to sign in the middle. Only famous names like Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and a few others do that.

Former Champion and now Masters Champions Dinner host Ben Crenshaw chose not to sign in the middle out of 'respect', in his own words.

The two-time Masters Champions told Golf week:

“Somebody’s going to sign there[in the middle of the flag] that needs to be there. Somebody like Jack(Nicklaus).”

Bernhard Langer and Mark O’Meara leave it to the fans where they want them to sign.

For any sports fan, an autograph from his favorite player will always remain close to his heart, however, these are the few things that make this tournament unique.

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The 2023 Masters details

The Masters will start on Thursday, April 6

The 2023 Masters will take place from Thursday, April 6 to April 9. The tournament is one of the smallest player fields for a major golf event with only 80-90 players featuring in the event.

Ahead of the main event, there will be a Champions Dinner to honor the defending champion by the former winners and ANGC chairman. The Champions Dinner is hosted by two-time tournament champion Ben Crenshaw.

Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion at Augusta National. He won the event by beating Rory McIlroy by a three-stroke margin. This year too, oddsmakers have kept the two at the top alongside Jon Rahm as tournament favorites.

With rankings shuffling from tournament to tournament, all three of them have been at the top of the world golf rankings this year.

It will be interesting to see if Rory completes his career grand slam, whether Rahm wins his first championship, or if Scheffler becomes the first player since Woods to defend his title at Augusta National.