More Than 75 Years Later, Bobby Jones' On-Course Guide for Masters Patrons Is Still the Perfect Gameplan

AUGUSTA, GA — We all know about the best spots to watch The Masters. You can park yourself at Amen Corner; soak up the joy of the festivities behind 16 green; watch players filet draws from the tee box at 10.

For the 2026 edition of the tournament, I wanted to scout some less heralded perches, some places where you might be able to take in the beauty of Augusta National in a different way. To do so, I turned to the source himself: the late, great Bobby Jones, who needs no introduction at this point.

Armed with his Spectators Guide, I headed down to the course on Wednesday morning to see if there were any highlights noted by Jones that I could add to my list of favorite spots.

My first stop (after an energy drink to mitigate the effects of Tuesday night's Pro Shop party) via the Jones Spectators Guide was the back of the second hole, which shares space with the seventh green. As the great golfer notes, there are “five scenes” of action within 100 yards of this spot.

After taking in all of those different vantage points from the confluence of these two greens, Jones recommends heading to the third tee box to watch some golfers hit their drives. Meandering from there, you can easily make your way to the seventh green from the frontside, checking in on approach shots into the postage stamp green. After eyeing shots landing onto the diabolical putting surface, Jones sends us just a few paces away to the eighth tee box, the delightfully challenging uphill par 5 “Yellow Jasmine.”

After convincing myself I don't need a new driver after checking out some tee balls on eight, Jones recommends a quick walk to the left of 17 green, where you can see tee shots and approach shots coming onto the surface.

Following “Nandina,” Jones moves us along to the “star gallery location,” back right of the 10th green. It's one of my personal favorite parts of ANGC. You slowly traverse your way to Amen Corner, and it's the first time you really feel the pine trees for which the course is known. It's a change of character from the early portion of Jones’ tour.

John Keefer prepares to play a shot on the No. 10 hole during the first round.

From there, Mr. Jones takes us to the back of number 12 tee, which is perhaps the most obvious recommendation in his entire Spectators Guide. It's possibly the most famous place to watch a shot in golf. From 12 tee, you can also see approach shots into 11. From there, we head right of 13 green, the most famous par 5 in the world.

Keeping up a rapid pace, Jones then moves us to the left of 15 green to watch approaches. Obviously, once you're over there, you gotta go watch a few balls into 16 green, before marching your way to the 17th tee. From there, you follow a group back to the house, making for a delightful (and exhausting) walk across the property.

Jones first wrote these spectator guidelines in 1949. Over 75 years later, it's safe to say he nailed it.