Major champion Mark Calcavecchia was reportedly removed from Augusta National this week, just ahead of the Masters, after he was caught using his phone on the grounds. It’s a pretty wild story, especially considering Calcavecchia isn’t just any patron; he’s an 18-time Masters veteran and an Open Championship winner. His expulsion highlights the strict rules of this elite circle and the same exclusive club Donald Trump wanted to join for years.
Augusta National is famously strict, and their no-phone policy is probably one of their most well-known and, frankly, most archaic rules. They ban cell phones, tablets, and laptops from the grounds entirely. It doesn’t matter who you are, what your status is, or how many times you’ve played there; the rule applies to everyone. Security officials reportedly escorted the 65-year-old Calcavecchia off the premises after spotting him with his phone.
This policy isn’t new, and the club stands by it, believing that a ban on personal electronic devices is “part of what makes the Masters such a unique environment,” according to Daily Mail. I get the desire for a certain atmosphere, it feels incredibly out of touch. They do offer banks of “courtesy phones” for fans to use, which is a nice gesture, I guess, but it’s hardly a modern solution.
Getting kicked out over a phone still feels kind of wild
The Masters website is pretty clear about the consequences, too: “Violation of these policies will subject the ticket holder to removal from the grounds and the ticket purchaser to the permanent loss of credentials (tickets).” That’s a serious threat, and it shows they aren’t messing around.
Calcavecchia himself hasn’t denied the incident, telling Golfweek simply, “I’ve got nothing negative to say about Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters.” That’s a pretty classy response, all things considered, but it doesn’t change the fact that a golf legend was booted for something most of us do hundreds of times a day without a second thought.
Calcavecchia’s connection to the Masters runs deep. He played in the tournament 18 times between 1987 and 2008, which is an incredible run. His best finish came in 1988, when he impressively finished second, just one stroke behind Sandy Lyle. The following year, in 1989, he clinched his sole major victory at The Open Championship, beating Wayne Grady and Greg Norman in a four-hole playoff at Royal Troon in Scotland.
That win earned him the prestigious Claret Jug and the title of “honorary invitee” to the Masters, which is why he was even on the grounds in the first place. His Italian surname, Calcavecchia, translates to “old crowd,” which is a fun little bit of trivia. When he was awarded the Claret Jug, Calcavecchia famously quipped, “How’s my name going to fit on that thing?”
He later revealed that he initially hadn’t wanted to play in the Open Championship that year because his wife was expecting their first child, but she persuaded him to fly to Scotland to compete. He even admitted he didn’t know the Open Championship had a four-hole aggregate playoff format until just before he teed off in the playoff.
After turning professional in 1981, Calcavecchia overcame losing his tour card to secure 13 PGA Tour wins and 109 weeks in the world top 10. A consistent high-level player, he holds the record for the lowest back nine in Masters history with a 29 and once set a PGA Tour scoring record with 32 birdies in a single tournament. His three Phoenix Open victories were won by his largest career margins and remain signature highlights of his professional legacy.
Calcavecchia was also a member of the U.S. Ryder Cup team four times: in 1987, 1989, 1991, and 2002. His performance in the 1991 Ryder Cup is particularly memorable, though perhaps not for the best reasons. He famously lost a four-hole lead to Colin Montgomerie in the final four holes of his round. Believing he had cost his team the victory, he broke down in tears, unaware that the U.S. team would still go on to win.
Another impressive record came on July 25, 2009, when Calcavecchia set a PGA Tour record at the RBC Canadian Open with nine consecutive birdies, surpassing the previous record of eight. After joining the Champions Tour in 2010, he continued a limited PGA Tour schedule, specifically focusing on The Open Championship.
Though his eligibility normally would have expired at age 60, pandemic-related cancellations and surgery delays saw his exemption extended until 2022.
Published: Apr 9, 2026 01:00 pm