Would you rather…
...play Augusta, or your local track?
Would you rather play Augusta National Golf Club for the very first time…but you’re paired with someone you don’t know, someone you actually dislike, and someone who takes forever?
—OR—
Would you rather play a far less exclusive track with three of your best friends in three hours?
Go ahead, be honest.
Your gut probably says Augusta, right? Of course it does, it’s Augusta.
When I posed this question at home, my husband didn’t even hesitate. “I’d play Augusta,” he said, immediately. Then he looked at me like I was an alien.
His take is simple: you always have golf in common, he couldn’t possibly dislike someone that much, and worst case, he’d just stay in his own little bubble and enjoy the course.
Honestly? Fair. And yet…take a longer second to really think about the hypothetical question. Because I’ve spent way too much time obsessing over it.
I’d take the less exclusive track with three besties in under three hours ten times out of ten. And that’s coming from someone who has never played Augusta.
When this hits your inbox, I’ll be driving down to Augusta for my 10th Masters Tournament. Ten years of walking those fairways, watching the best players in the world take on the most iconic course in golf, and noticing something new every single time.
It is, without question, one of the most special places in the game, and I’m just as giddy about this Masters experience as I was for my first, in 2013.
But here’s the thing I keep coming back to: the magic of golf isn’t just where you play, it’s who you play with.
I’ve had days on incredible courses that I barely remember, and I’ve had rounds on very average courses that I’ll never forget. The difference is almost never the architecture, the conditioning, or even the setting. It’s the people. Three or four hours of walking, talking, swinging, laughing…that’s the stuff that sticks.
If someone called tomorrow and said, “You’ve got a tee time at Augusta,” I’m not saying I’d immediately turn it down. (Let’s not get crazy!) But I also know myself well enough to admit this: I’m picky about who I share my golf with. Not in a snobby way, just in a protective way. Because those uninterrupted four or five hours are rare, and I need for my first Augusta experience to be with people I genuinely enjoy.
So yes, my husband is probably right. Most people would choose Augusta, and maybe a few would admit they’d tolerate just about anything for the chance to play it.
I just don’t think I’m one of them. There is absolutely a world where I’d say, “thanks, but no thanks.”
Am I nuts? Tell me, do you kind of agree with me or are you choosing Augusta every single time, no matter what?
Happy Masters Week to those who celebrate!
Monday R.E.P.O.R.T.
What I’m reading, loving, trying, and overthinking this week.
R: Reading — Bootstrap Empire by Natalie Holloway. It’s packed with super practical, no-fluff advice for building a brand from the ground up. I find myself underlining something on almost every page. I find that a ton of books in this genre are more inspirational, and love that Natalie offers very specific advice instead.
E: Excited about — Teaming up with Greyson Clothiers to celebrate the launch of their limited-edition Greyson x Saucony shoe (it’s gorgeous, and it’s part of Greyson’s “Frist Bloom” collection). We’re creating a little “Own the Morning” moment in Augusta with partners like AG1 and Hyperice—a private space designed to ease into the day. Think: light stretch, breakfast, AG1-Zalea drinks, a Greyson pop-up with a limited-edition capsule, and then a community walk over to the gates. Honestly, it feels like the best possible way to start a full day of spectating. If you’ll be at the Masters on Wednesday or Thursday, join us!
P: Playing — 21 Golf Club on Tuesday afternoon (10-hole preview). There’s been so much buzz around it that I’m excited to finally see it with my own eyes. Even more excited to experience it alongside a few favorite industry friends.
O: Overthinking — How good it feels to be without your phone. No phones allowed at Augusta National, as well all know, and somehow we all still find each other, manage to know what time it is, even manage to exist. The conversations you have when nothing is buzzing in your pocket or tapping your wrist are unreal. It makes you realize how rarely we’re fully there.
R: Recommending — Well, I need your recommendations for a 6–7 hour car ride. I’ll be in the car most of Monday and most of Friday, so if you’ve got go-to podcasts, audiobooks, snack strategies, or anything that makes a long drive feel shorter, I’m all ears.
T: Thought That Resonated — "Whatever anybody says or does, assume positive intent. You will be amazed at how your whole approach to a person or problem becomes very different.” —Indra Nooyi
Some housekeeping…
✉️ If you found this newsletter in the Promotions tab of your Gmail account, please drag the email from your Promotions tab to your Primary tab. You might have to do this for a few weeks, but Gmail will eventually learn to keep me in your Primary tab! And if you had to check your spam folder to find this email, please mark this address as “not spam.”
❤️ If you enjoyed this post, go ahead and give that like button a little tap—it’s a small thing that helps more people find my content. Thanks for the love!
🤙 Or, why not share it with someone who’d love it? You could even screenshot your favorite part and toss it up on Instagram—sharing is caring! Be sure to tag me, @ashleykmayo.
🔒 The archive of Mayo Monday posts is now available exclusively to Mayo Monday subscribers. Here’s how it works: free subscribers get access to all current posts, delivered fresh to your inbox every Monday morning. Paid subscribers? You get the full deal—current posts and the entire archive of articles.
My most cherished golf memories come every year with my 30-year-long friends on a vacation in the Appalachians at courses that cost less than a dozen ProV1s and would never be breathlessly reviewed in golf magazines or websites. We *could* mix it up and do Bandon or Sand Valley or Pinehurst but as the years roll on I'm not sure we ever will.
Local! Montauk Downs for the win....