Augusta National Golf Club is known for its pristine beauty, rich history, and a set of traditions that players, coaches, and patrons must abide by.
One such tradition is the strict dress code, which prohibits all players and coaches from wearing shorts on the course or in practice areas.
Fans, or as they’re known at Augusta, “patrons,” have no such restrictions.
But this rule recently caught respected golf coach Matt Thurmond off guard, leading to an amusing situation.
Thurmond’s Shorts Incident at the Driving Range
This week, while working with Spanish amateur star Josele Ballester at the Masters, Thurmond made a simple yet embarrassing mistake.
On Monday, he was seen on the driving range, casually wearing shorts, unaware that it was a violation of Augusta’s golden rule.
As he caught up with Taiwanese golfer Kevin Yu, a player Thurmond had previously coached at Arizona State University, he was interrupted by a vigilant Augusta official.
The official kindly but firmly reminded Thurmond of the dress code and told him he needed to leave the practice area because of his attire.
The gaffe quickly turned into a humorous moment for Thurmond, who later took to social media to reflect on his mistake.
Thurmond’s Humorous Take on the Situation
Thurmond shared his experience on X, laughing off the mishap. “Strolled out onto the Augusta range today with my coach badge. Got removed for wearing shorts.
First bogey of the week. Celebrated with an egg salad sandwich.
Pants tomorrow,” he wrote. His lighthearted attitude toward the situation made it clear that he wasn’t too upset by the slip-up.
He further explained the incident, adding, “I went out on the range without thinking, gave [Yu] a hug.
After about one shot and one quick hello, they came out and said, ‘I’m sorry, sir, you can’t be on the range with your shorts.’”
Thurmond took full responsibility for the mistake, noting, “My bad, it was a mistake I made.
I want to follow the rules here when I’m at Augusta and do everything right.”
A Common Occurrence at Augusta
Thurmond wasn’t the first person to fall victim to the no-shorts rule at Augusta. In 2022, golfer Talor Gooch experienced a similar situation when he was spotted practicing his putting in shorts.
An official promptly approached him, and Gooch returned with a pair of trousers shortly after.
It’s a reminder that even the most seasoned professionals can make these small but significant errors when it comes to Augusta’s strict dress code.
Looking Forward to This Year’s Masters
Despite the minor slip-up, Thurmond’s lighthearted approach to the incident didn’t take away from the excitement surrounding the Masters, which officially kicks off on Thursday.
With favorites like Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy vying for the title, all eyes are set to be on the course—where everyone, coaches included, will be sure to follow the dress code to a T.