Tiger Woods partners with Augusta National to build a legacy beyond green jacket

Woods will design a nine-hole short course called The Loop at the Patch.

In addition to Woods designing the par-3 course, his TGR Foundation will partner with ANGC to create a TGR Learning Lab in Augusta to deliver STEAM education (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) to the more than 23,000 students in the city’s public schools. Pic: Rob Carr/Getty Images

Scottie Scheffler’s Champions Dinner on Tuesday night was missing a significant member of the club – Tiger Woods. The five-time Masters winner is still recovering from surgery in March to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon and didn’t travel to Augusta.

Despite his notable absence, Woods is still a big part of the story this week with significant plans to leave more of a mark on Augusta. During a special Masters-week Monday press conference by club chairman Fred Ridley that focused on two new community partnerships between Augusta National Golf Club and TGR enterprises, Woods taped a brief message while wearing his green jacket about how honored he is to be team up with ANGC for two legacy projects in the hometown of the Masters Tournament.

“What an honor to be here and to have this moment to be able to be part of Augusta National but just in a different way,” Woods said on the video. 

“To have the ability to be able to design something that’s going to impact the community, something that I truly believe in, in education … and giving back to the underserved, and to be able to do this with Augusta National, what an honor.” 

On Monday, Ridley announce a partnership to create a municipal short course as well as a new TGR Foundation Learning Lab to benefit underserved youth in Augusta. Woods joins ANGC’s previously announced recreation of the nearly 100-year-old Augusta Municipal Golf Course – known locally as the Patch – as the designer and builder of a nine-hole short course on the corner of the combined property where The First Tee Augusta practice facility currently is situated. The short course will be named The Loop at the Patch, a name that pays tribute to the Augusta National caddies (a.k.a. loopers) who grew up playing the Patch, which fostered the professional career of players such as Jim Dent.

“With the schedule completion a year from now, this nine-hole par-3 course will be great fun and serve all golfers, ranging from those being introduced to the game to the most avid players,” said Ridley.

In addition, Woods’ TGR Foundation will partner with ANGC to create a fourth TGR Learning Lab in Augusta to deliver STEAM education (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) to the more than 23,000 students in the city’s public schools.

“We also recognise the importance of deepening Tiger’s legacy in Augusta and with the Masters, and this we felt was an enduring way that we could be forever connected with Tiger and all he’s done at the Masters and now all that he’s going to be doing in this community,” Ridley said.

“Students at the lab will have access to The Loop to learn the game of golf as well as the values of the game that will positively influence them throughout their lives.” 

Ridley released a course map for the Patch redevelopment as well as a new course logo depicting a head of cabbage atop a golf tee. “We are leaning into the nickname the Patch, as the course was fondly referred to by local golfers,” Ridley said.

Augusta Municipal was first built in 1928 by Scotland native David Ogilvie, who more famously designed Augusta’s original 18-hole Hill Course for Augusta Country Club in 1908. Ogilvie’s ACC course – which sits above Augusta National’s Amen Corner – was redesigned by Donald Ross in 1927 and later renovated by Brian Silva. Augusta National first opened in 1933 after being co-designed by Alister MacKenzie and club co-founder Bobby Jones.

Meanwhile, the Patch evolved on a meager budget without any big-name course designers clambering to put their name and imprint on it. It came by its nickname honestly, originating from the late Red Douglas, who ran the course for decades and grew a vegetable garden left of the par-3 10th hole at the end of the Daniel Field runaway. Folks started calling it “The Cabbage Patch.” The nickname suited a golf course with its share of weeds covering the rest of the acreage as well in its many leaner years.

It took nearly two years for the renovation project to get started, with the Patch finally closing Dec. 29 for a comprehensive year-long “transformative overhaul” that broke ground on New Year’s Day with Augusta National’s preferred architects Tom Fazio and Beau Welling leading the redesign. It is expected to reopen before the 2026 Masters next April.

It will include a brand-new clubhouse and outdoor pavilion, new driving range as well as expansive practice areas for local schools and the general public. The completely new 18-hole routing – which Ridley said could extend to roughly 6,800 yards – will incorporate the existing corridors of 11 of the original holes that hug closest to Daniel Field Airport.

Despite the ambitious scope of the project. Ridley also promised that costs will remain reasonable despite the enhancements.

“I can promise you that the word ‘affordability’ will continue to be the watchword,” Ridley said. “We realize that this is an asset for the community and everyone in the community, and we have every intention and we will – I commit to you that we will continue to have it be an affordable place for people to play golf.”