A tradition almost unlike any other
Hello friends. It’s that time of year again; Masters week.
The history and lore of the Masters is so heavily steeped in tradition that it is difficult to find anything new that hasn’t already been blogged, podcasted, or reported on a million times over.
We know Scotty is king, Rory has scar tissue and Ludvig and Bryson are lurking. Scotty’s barbecue Champion’s Dinner menu already made the rounds on social media. Everybody knows that spectators are called Patrons, and one could face a firing squad for running or stealing a blade of grass from Augusta. For years we’ve been force fed content on how cheap and delicious the food at the Masters is. (not complaining) However, something wild recently happened. Credit to Max Adler for his Golf Digest story on a scheme of stolen Masters merch and Green Jackets. It’s a fresh piece that is far more interesting than a recycled pimento cheese sandwich story. Masters treasures went missing, then the FBI showed up | Golf News and Tour Information | GolfDigest.com
Only a mile, yet a world away from the hallowed grounds of The Masters Tournament at Agusta National is another, albeit lesser-known “tradition unlike any other,” Hooters. It feels odd to utter the words The Masters and Hooters in the same breath. But every yin needs a yang. And Hooters has all yang on draft to be the devil opposite the angel on even the most traditional Patron’s shoulders.
The history between golf and Hooters goes back long before John Daly signed an autograph on a lady’s rear end in the Agusta Hooters parking lot. Masters: John Daly's cult fanbase was on full display in parking lot The restaurant chain famous for minimally dressed servers was once the sponsor of a professional golf tour. The Hooters Tour began in 1988 as the United States Golf Tournament. It started hooting in 1993 when the restaurant chain took over the sponsorship. Hooters brought the sauce and immediately bumped the total purse money for each tournament up to $100,000. In the pre-Tiger era that was big money for guys who couldn’t get starts on the Nike Tour. (Present day equivalent of the Korn Ferry Tour)
The “grip it and sip it” King, John Daly, signed a sponsorship deal with Hooters in 2022. Long before Daly and his son, Arkansas golf standout, John Jr, signed, Daly created a Masters week tradition of his own at the Augusta Hooters. Just as the azaleas bloom each spring, so does Daly at Hooters. Daly’s week consists of slugging drinks, ripping darts, slinging merch and hitting shots in his personal corner of the bar. The true JD Hooters experience is summed up in one Reditt post:
“In 2018 we had a epic putt bet going on and the cigarette never left his mouth once. Took my $20 with a smile.” Low-Professional7922 Can anyone speak to the John Daly Hooters experience? : r/masters
If you are fortunate enough to be in Agusta this week, it might be worth it to stop in at Hooters and mix it up with JD. As timeless and perpetual as the Masters is, Hooters isn’t. The future of the restaurant chain is uncertain as they recently filed for bankruptcy. This year could be the last chance to take a shot and hit a shot with the legend.
Happy Masters week.
-Marty Midian
