After more than a year of putting dreams to work, the Augusta Municipal Golf Course – better known as The Patch – is almost ready for its close up.
The golf course, located just five miles from Augusta National, will open fully for public play on April 15 after a soft opening in March that will allow some of The Patch’s regular players along with local community groups and high school teams to get an early look at the completely renovated layout.
The Patch will also be made available for private hospitality events during the week of the Masters.
The renovation project was announced by Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley in April 2023 in partnership with Augusta Technical College, The First Tee of Augusta and Masters Tournament Charities. The project has been a major part of Augusta National’s commitment to the community, creating a top-tier public golf course for the city and its surroundings.
The Patch has been an integral part of the fabric of golf in the Augusta area for decades. It is where Jim Dent, a successful PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions player, got his start and where a group of Augusta National caddies learned the game.
In addition to significant upgrades to the golf course, The Patch will feature affordable green fees for area residents with walking rates for 18 holes just $25 Monday through Thursday and $35 Friday through Sunday.
Prior to the Masters last year, Ridley talked about the vision for The Patch.
“We are leaning into the nickname The Patch, as the course was fondly referred to by local golfers. You will see the primary and secondary logos pay homage to the course’s history with a nod to the cabbage garden that was tucked away behind the 14th green and later the 10th tee,” Ridley said last year.
“As you enter the property on the new Jim Dent Way, you will see a brand-new relocated clubhouse with an outdoor pavilion, a driving range, and expansive practice areas for local schools and the general public.
The Patch will be operated by Bobby Jones Links and will feature rates for active-duty military, seniors, juniors, local and non-resident golfers.
“The redesign of the third-oldest course in Augusta also recognizes the prior course routing on 11 holes by utilizing existing corridors of the original design.
“We know once this project is complete, it will strengthen this nearly 100-year-old public golf facility while keeping it affordable. This preservation will uplift those who have loved playing here while fostering opportunities for others to come enjoy the game.”
The course earned the nickname “the Cabbage Patch” after the late Red Douglas, who ran the course for many years, grew a nearby vegetable garden. The course, situated adjacent to the runway at Daniel Field Airport, also struggled with conditioning through the years, adding another element of authenticity to the nickname.
The Patch has been an integral part of the fabric of golf in the Augusta area for decades. It is where Jim Dent, a successful PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions player, got his start and where a group of Augusta National caddies learned the game.
“We know once this project is complete, it will strengthen this nearly 100-year-old public golf facility while keeping it affordable.” – Fred Ridley
Among the notable caddies who got their start at the Patch were: Willie Peterson Jr., who was on the bag for five of Jack Nicklaus’ six Masters victories; Carl Jackson, who worked 54 Masters including both of Ben Crenshaw’s victories; and Nathaniel “Iron Man” Avery, Arnold Palmer’s longtime Augusta caddie.
Dent, for whom the course’s new entry road is named, died last May at 85.
Course designers Tom Fazio and Beau Welling supervised the 16-month renovation of The Patch while Tiger Woods and his TGR Design group were hired to create a nine-hole short course called The Loop. The name of the short course is in recognition of the caddies who have gathered at The Patch through the years, Ridley said last year.
Woods and his TGR Foundation are also constructing a TGR Learning Lab in Augusta that is scheduled to open in 2028.
While playing a practice round together in 2024, Ridley broached the subject of creating a short course and Woods showed immediate interest, leading to the larger collaboration in the Augusta area.
Among the features at The Patch will be a 17-acre practice facility that includes a Trackman range with 20 covered hitting bays. There will also be a putting course with a 12-hole layout that will be free of charge to the general public.
The facility will be operated by Bobby Jones Links and will feature rates for active-duty military, seniors, juniors, local and non-resident golfers. The number of tee times will gradually increase with the goal of reaching full capacity in the summer. More information is available at GolfThePatch.com.