After 18 years of failure, I finally won tickets through the lottery this year. Two tickets for the Monday practice round, super excited to see the course in person. I'm bringing my younger brother as a law school graduation present, so I want to make it a fun trip where we can also get a round or two in nearby.

Having never been before, I'm not sure where is the best place to stay, and what nearby courses (open to the public) would be fun to play. I've read that there are some good lodging options in Aiken, but I'm not opposed to having to drive a little more to give us more golf options. For those who are Masters veterans, where would you recommend we stay?

Also, I'm thinking of making it a Saturday to Wednesday trip, and trying to find our way in for the Tuesday practice round while we are there - how realistic/unrealistic is it to think we may be able to find tickets/badges while we're there (and hopefully not for thousands of dollars)? I appreciate any input y'all may have - thanks and Gig 'Em!

We stayed in an AirBnB 1.5-2 miles from ANCG. Nice, easy, comfortable. We were able to go out and eat the day of our arrival then chill on the patio and grill out after we got back from the Wed practice round.

We did not play golf due to schedules not lining up but we all agreed if we go back do golf BEFORE your day at The Masters.

We were all beat and wore out afterwards and a round of golf the next day or two would not have been enjoyable.

We got a great easy airBNB 2 bedroom townhome on hopetown dr. this year. Would recommend. Its between AGNC and Reinharts. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/757909325229341868?source_impression_id=p3_1725554590_P3pnHcaRK0VZSXbn

But honestly not a ton to do in Augusta. I'd fly into Columbia, SC and try and play your golf there. maybe spend a night there to hang out. If you want to try and go Tuesday, I'd go hangout by the entrace/gates after 12:00PM on tues and ask patrons leaving if theyd be willing to give up their badge.

Otherwise you can drive around town and theres guys selling tickets all over the place- not sure what they would charge but I bet the price goes down the further into Tuesday morning/afternoon it gets.

We went last year for the Par 3 competition on Wednesday. Four of us flew into Atlanta and drove over. We had an AirBnB booked well in advance, but they cancelled a couple of months out. We found another place that was nice on the river. There were plenty of options like that, but get them way in advance.

Congrats on hitting the lottery! The last time there, we stayed at a Hilton Garden Inn in Aiken SC, which was about a 30 minute drive away.

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Aiken this year and it was great. Our room was supposed to have a roll away bed for a third person and when it didn't, they comped a second room for us just down the hall.

I booked and paid for a reservation through Hotels.com in 2018 and they canceled the reservation less than two weeks before we went. I guess they figured that they could make 3-4x what I originally paid for an in demand week like the Masters.

Got to go this year for the 1st time. After looking at the tripled and quadrupled prices all corses within an hour of Augusta charge for masters week. We got in the car the day after our round, and drove 3ish hours to pinehurst. Stayed and played 4 top 100 courses for the cost of maybe playing 2 "nice courses" in the Augusta area

I would stay in Columbia, SC it has about 70 miles to Augusta and the hotels are significantly cheaper than Augusta. you can file into Columbia if you want or Charlotte which is about 90 minute drive. I stayed at the Hilton Columbia Center this year which is right next to the University of South Carolina. Lot's of restaurants within walking distance.

I left this year at 6:30 and the opened the gates earlier then 8 so it took me 90 minutes to get in to the parking lot. I would leave at 6 you should be pulling off the interstate August exit 1 at about 7AM.

Don't stay a million miles away. It's a small town that caters to Masters visitors. Basically anyone who can leaves for 2-3 weeks around the Masters and puts their house up for rent, and basically pays their mortgage for the entire year. We stayed in a rent house like 8 minutes from the course. Nothing spectacular, standard production builder type home, but it was 5 berm and everyone with us had a bed. I think it was $1,000/night total. And the place was decked for the Masters. Masters glasses, plates, pillows on the couch, everything. Little door hangers for us to take home. Every afternoon when we got to the house there was a box of Masters bakery items on the dining table. It was awesome. We ate out the first night (Sunday) then went to Monday practice, then stopped at the Kroger or Publix across from Augusta and got steaks and everything and grilled at the house the second night. We flew into Thompsons, GA and rented a car from them. Rental car is a totally different ballgame around the tournament. We found lodging a breeze, rental car was the nightmare.

And I got 4 tickets my first time ever entering the draw. Didn't get them for this next year though. But it was so worth it. One of the best trips ever. We spent more in the pro shop than we did on the total trip. It was unbelievable. Would do it again 100 years in a row.

I stayed in Columbia both times Ive been. Stress free

Thank you all, this has been helpful info.