There is far more to the adoration of The Masters than its place in the calendar as the first Major of the year and its iconic permanent home, Augusta National.
The tournament is also loved for its many traditions and the Champions Dinner is one of the most enduring. The dinner is hosted by the previous year’s victor and has been a tradition since 1952 following a suggestion from two-time winner Ben Hogan.
A tradition started in 1952, the Champions Dinner. #themasters pic.twitter.com/bXCECQDET1April 5, 2022
Considering the number of traditions, rituals and rules in evidence during Masters week, it would be easy to assume there is assigned seating at the Champions Dinner too, but is there? Well, yes and no.
The only attendee who is not a previous winner of the tournament is Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley, and he sits at the head of the table. Typically, the host will sit there too, flanked by the chairman and regular Master of Ceremonies Ben Crenshaw, with everyone else able to choose where to sit. Easy, right? Well, not quite. There is still etiquette to adhere to.
Some of the regular attendees are golf royalty and their places at the table tend to reflect that status. That means the likes of six-time Masters winner Jack Nicklaus, five-time winner Tiger Woods and eight-time Major winning veteran Tom Watson take up the same seats at the top half of the table each year.
After that, it’s up to the individual to find a spot, but that can apparently be a daunting prospect for players who are newer to the occasion. After all, over the years, other players have formed traditions of their own, and prefer a certain spot and player to sit next to. Because of that, those new to the dinner can usually draw on assistance from some of the elder statesman.
Adam Scott, who won The Masters in 2013, summarised the situation well, saying: “It’s not assigned seating, but a lot people sit in the same chairs. I like that, to be perfectly honest. I like the fact that you kind of feel like that’s your spot.”
Of course, 2023 promises to be even more delicate where it comes to choosing a seat. That’s because several former champions who will attend now play with the PGA Tour’s rival LIV Golf. Will the LIV rebels feel obliged to sit together and risk a them vs us vibe? Or will they integrate seamlessly into the wider group as everyone agrees to let bygones be bygones, for one evening at least? Only time will tell.
Possible awkwardness has certainly been…
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