9 Words And Phrases Broadcasters At The Masters Aren’t Allowed To Say

As Jim Nantz regularly reminds the viewers who tune in each year, The Masters is a tradition unlike any other thanks in no small part to the unrivaled atmosphere at Augusta National. That institution goes to great lengths to stand out from the pack, and it achieves that goal with the help of the restrictions placed on Nantz and the other broadcasters tasked with covering the tournament.

CBS has been the primary home of The Masters since 1956, and a number of legendary sportscasters—including Vin Scully, Pat Summerall, Verne Lundquist, and Jim Nantz—have contributed to the coverage of the major over the decades.

Those broadcasters have played a key role in setting the tone for a tournament that’s surrounded by an unparalleled air of reverence that partially stems from the rules they’re expected to abide by courtesy of Augusta National, which has famously gone out of its way to prevent them from uttering a number of words and phrases, including…

"Fans"

It goes without saying that the vast majority of people who make the pilgrimage to The Masters are golf fans, but you won’t hear them be referred to by that term during the broadcast.

“Patrons” is the preferred nomenclature, which seemingly stems from the fact that the word “fan” is derived from “fanatical”—a connotation Augusta National apparently wants to distance itself from when you consider spectators are expected to be on their best behavior.

"Rough"

Virtually every player will end up in the rough at some point during The Masters, but you won’t hear the deep grass referred to by that term if you’re watching on television.

Instead, broadcasters are instructed to use “second cut,” as the style guide they’re expected to abide by firmly states “there is no rough” at Augusta National.

"Sand Trap"

Augusta National features a grand total of 44 bunkers filled with Spruce Pine sand sourced from North Carolina; 12 of them line the fairway, while the other 32 guard its green.

Plenty of golfers refer to those obstacles as a “sand trap,” but you’ll never hear that phrase deployed while you’re watching The Masters.

"Back Nine"

The bulk of the most iconic holes at Augusta National come after the turn, and there’s nothing like getting to watch players battle it out on the back nine on Sunday.

“Back nine” may be a very common term at basically every golf course on the planet, but the powers that be at The Masters insist on referring to that particular nonet as the “second nine” (which allegedly stems from the notion that “back nine” sort of sounds the same as “backside”).

"Driving Range"

Any golf course that hosts a tournament featuring the best golfers on the planet is going to feature practice areas they can use to hone their skills, and Augusta National is certainly no exception.

The course features a standard driving range as well as other spaces reserved for working on short game, chipping, and putting, but broadcasters are instructed to refer to that section of the grounds as the “Tournament Practice Area.”

"Country Club" or "Golf Course"

Augusta National is one of the most exclusive country clubs on the planet, but you won’t hear anyone on television referring to it as one.

The hallowed institution is officially known as “Augusta National Golf Club,” and those last two words are the only ones broadcasters are permitted to use when talking about it.

"Twosome"

Golfers who make the cut only play with one other competitor during the weekend, and while many people would refer to that as a “twosome,” it’s known as a “pairing” at Augusta National.

“Groupings” is also the standard when it comes to the trios that tee off together on Thursday and Friday, and the rationale behind that decision is a bit more obvious when you consider the alternative.

"Fourth Round"

The “first round” (and the second and third) at The Masters is referred to as exactly that as opposed to “round one,” but things take a turn when Sunday rolls around; it is not the “fourth round” but rather the “final round.”

Sponsors Who Back PGA Tour Events

Golf’s four major tournaments are really the only events that are untarnished by the corporate sponsors that have attached their name to virtually every other showdown on the PGA Tour.

However, they won’t be getting any free publicity at The Masters, as Augusta National instructs broadcasters to omit them when referring to previous wins; if, for example, they were talking about Brian Harman’s victory at the Valero Texas Open earlier this year, it would simply be the ‘Texas Open.”