The problem with unwritten rules is, well, they’re unwritten. What is obvious for some needs to be spelled out for others, and without fine print things tend to go sideways. All of which is to say, you can’t blame Bryson DeChambeau on this one.
DeChambeau has always had a tendency to unintentionally offend the knowledgeable golf community. This is partly because he stands out in a sport that values tradition.
Sometimes, he rubs people the wrong way by comparing himself to George Washington and Albert Einstein before even earning a tour card or by calling Augusta National a “par 67” after winning the U.S. Open at Winged Foot. However, before Bryson became well-known, he may have unknowingly violated an unspoken rule at Augusta National.
When a player earns a spot in the Masters, they receive an invitation to practice at Augusta National in the months before the tournament.
In the past, there was no designated restriction on the number of visits to the prestigious property, but due to the tight schedules of professional players, most could only manage one or two visits before the Masters.
However, amateurs have more flexibility in their schedules, and DeChambeau, the 2015 U.S. Amateur champion, made the most of this chance by taking full advantage of the opportunity.
The number of times DeChambeau played before the 2016 Masters is a topic of speculation in the golf industry. Some sources claim he made more than 24 trips, but it is believed that the actual number is lower.
According to the Augusta Chronicle, DeChambeau made 12 trips in the eight months leading up to the Masters, excluding practice rounds during tournament week. DeChambeau himself stated that he played the course around 10 times before the tournament.
How many times DeChambeau actually played prior to the 2016 Masters is somewhat of a legend, with some corners of the golf industry asserting DeChambeau made over two dozen trips. The actual number is likely much lower—the Augusta Chronicle reported DeChambeau made 12 trips in the eight months before the Masters, not counting tournament week practice rounds—while DeChambeau himself said he played the course “10 times” prior to the tournament.
“Been very, very fortunate to do that and gained a lot of experience,” DeChambeau said that week. “I would say in preparation, I couldn’t tell you an exact number, but those 10 rounds definitely did help, and this week we’ve got a lot of great information, as well. Accumulated hours, let’s see, probably 50 hours, including all the practice rounds and the days that I’ve played.”
The practice clearly helped; at one point in the second round DeChambeau was just one off the lead as an amateur before suffering a triple-bogey at the 18th hole. Still, he made the cut and earned low amateur honors at the tournament and turned professional the very next week.
Several years later, U.S. Mid-Amateur champion Matt Parziale appeared on the Drop Zone podcast and shared that upon receiving his Masters invitation, he was sent a package by Augusta National containing details about the tournament.
Included in the package was a stipulation that Parziale would be allowed up to five visits before the Masters.
“It was previously unrestricted,” Parziale stated, “however, it was misused by someone.”
In DeChambeau’s favor, who wouldn’t take the opportunity to play at Augusta National as frequently as possible? Additionally, there has always been speculation that excessive play is frowned upon by members.
However, Bryson DeChambeau, who views himself as a rule breaker, is accustomed to making unwritten rules official.