The greatest players on golf, all gathered at a dinner table? This happens once every year with the Masters Champions Dinner. All previous Masters Tournament Champions come together the Tuesday before the event and dine a menu chosen by the reigning Champion.
The Start Of A Tradition – Thanks To Ben Hogan
The tradition started with none other than Ben Hogan in 1952, when the Champion of the 1951’s edition first invited the other Masters Champions to a “stag dinner at the Augusta National” as quoted in the invitation posted on Hungry Fan. From burgers and fries (Tigers first Masters Dinner at just 22 years old) over haggis to a traditional Basque menu in this years Champions Dinner held by Jon Rahm, the food choices of the Major Champions are quite different each year.
But no worries for picky eaters, if you don’t like parts of the menu the Augusta National offers the normal menu to choose from instead. Altough, as Trevor Immelman stated in the Fore Play Podcast recently, it’s always best to try the options chosen by the Champions which are “always extraordinary”.
Who Pays For The Masters Tournament Champions Dinner?
Trevor Immelman not only spoke about his experience attending the Dinner as a guest but also what it is like hosting the iconic evening. The 2008 Masters Champion revealed that the host not only chooses the menu but also has to pay for the evening. “The defending champion does pay for the meal which is a really cool tradition”, Immelman said in the Fore Play Podcast. And for such a special night the Augusta National carries out some of the finest bourbons, so the Masters Champions – in this case Immelman and Adam Scott – get a taste and end the night on a high note (with a peaty flavor in the finish).