AUGUSTA, Ga. — Augusta National Golf Club announced Monday that Tiger Woods will design a short course in conjunction with the club at Augusta Municipal Golf Course.
In 2023, Augusta National revealed it was restoring the original 18-hole course, affectionally known as “the Patch,” along with working with local college programs and a nearby First Tee facility as part of its community outreach. In a special announcement to begin this week’s 89th Masters, Augusta National and Masters chairman Fred Ridley said Woods had been tapped to lead construction of an additional nine-hole par-3 course, which will he called “The Loop at The Patch.”
Ridley also announced that Augusta National and Woods’ TGR Foundation will construct a TGR learning lab for the area, providing access to science, technology, engineering, arts and math education services to upwards of 23,000 area students.
“Today’s announcements mark an important milestone for Augusta and deepen the connection our community has with one of our greatest Masters champions, Tiger Woods,” Ridley said. “We are thankful to partner with the TGR Foundation and jointly invest in the Augusta community. This partnership, in the TGR Learning Lab, reflects our shared interest in increasing access to high-quality programming and impacting the next generation in a tangible way.
“At the heart of our effort at The Patch is a commitment to create an affordable and inviting golf experience. Equal importance will be placed on creating opportunities to learn and fall in love with the game as well as developing a pipeline for employment in the golf industry. We are proud to add TGR Design to work alongside our project partners to bring this dynamic plan to fruition.”
Woods was not present for the announcement, although there was a taped message from the five-time Masters winner.
“Partnering with Augusta National Golf Club to serve its surrounding community is truly special,” Woods said. “My passion for education and golf dates back a long time, as does my relationship with Augusta National and the city of Augusta. This is a transformational opportunity to empower the next generation and deliver meaningful educational programming and access to fun and affordable golf. I am excited to work alongside Augusta National and see both projects become a reality.”
Augusta Municipal Golf Course opened in 1928 and was one of the only courses that provided access to Black and minority golfers. Many of Augusta National’s mostly Black caddie base called The Patch home. The original course is being redesigned by Tom Fazio and Beau Welling, and is expected to open in 2026 ahead of next year’s Masters.
Woods’ course is also expected to open in 2026, with the TGR Learning Lab opening in 2028.
Woods is not in this week’s Masters field after he ruptured the Achilles tendon in his left leg during training and subsequently underwent “minimally invasive” surgery to repair the damaged tissue.
