Golf legend Gary Player speaks out over Augusta National snub: “They won't let me...”

Golf legend Gary Player has revealed Augusta National Golf Club has refused his request to play a fourball with three of his grandsons.

Speaking in an interview two months before The Masters, the 90-year-old South African admitted he feels saddened that he has not been granted the opportunity to share a round on Georgia's hallowed turf with members of his family.

Player, a nine-time major champion and three-time Masters winner (1961, 1974 and 1978), became the first non-American to claim the Green Jacket. 

His legacy at Augusta National is deeply woven into the tournament’s history, and he has served as an honorary starter since 2012.

Despite that connection, Player says his request for a single round with his grandsons has been denied.

“I have been an ambassador for Augusta for all these years, yet they won’t let me have one round of golf in my life with my three grandsons,” Player told Golf Monthly's Robin Barwick. 

It should be noted Player is not officially an ambassador for Augusta National, but his relationship with the club does date back seven decades. 

Player made 52 Masters appearances between 1957 and 2009 — more than any other golfer — but he is not a member at Augusta National. 

Only members can invite guests to play, and visiting tour professionals are typically accompanied by a member outside of Masters week.

“My grandsons are dying to know about their grandfather’s episodes on that golf course,” added Player, who has six children and 22 grandchildren.

“All the golf courses that have hosted The Open, the US Open and the PGA would oblige, but they won’t do it at Augusta.

"It is just this current management there, but these are the times we live in and I accept it, but I accept it with sadness.”

It is notoriously rare for professional golfers to become members at Augusta National. 

Late great Arnold Palmer was a member, and so too is Jack Nicklaus — meaning Player is the only one of golf’s iconic “Big Three” not to have joined what is widely regarded as the most exclusive club in the sport. 

LPGA legend Annika Sorenstam is among a small group of female members.

Player reflected on the pivotal role he, Palmer and Nicklaus played in shaping The Masters’ global appeal.

“There are a lot of things that have made Augusta what it is, but the part [the Big Three] played was a prevalent part of my career,” continued Player.

“When I go there I feel I am walking onto a golf course in Heaven. I tread very carefully and I love Augusta so much but I don’t like all the rules.

“Bobby Jones was a wonderful man and a wonderful asset to a wonderful tournament, as was [member] President Eisenhower, as was [co-founder] Clifford Roberts.

"Those three people, they basically made Augusta. Then Arnold, Jack and I came along and we fought it out every year, and then we made Augusta thanks to the coverage and publicity we generated around the Masters, whether the club likes to admit it or not. They won’t admit it, but we made Augusta.”

Between 1960 and 1966, The Masters was dominated by Palmer (three wins), Nicklaus (three wins) and Player (one win), cementing the era of the “Big Three” and elevating the tournament’s global stature.

Now, at 90, Player says he respects the club’s position — even if he disagrees with it.

“In conclusion, this is just my opinion,” reflects Player.

“One of the things I have learned, at the age of 90, is that just as I hope people can have respect for my opinions, I also respect the opinions of others.

"We have got to have respect for other people’s opinions.”