This spring, UGA Golf Course student employees Nora Anderson and Sophia Bradley took advantage of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to intern at Augusta National Golf Club during the Masters Tournament. They sat down with Auxiliary PR and Communications Director Rebecca Vander Plaats afterward to reflect on their experiences.
RVP: What were each of your roles during this iconic tournament?
Nora: I served as a Player Services Concierge Attendant in the Player Services Building, an entirely new building dedicated to players, their families, and their teams.
My job was to make the lives of players, families, and teams as easy as possible during one of the most important golf weeks of the season. My responsibilities included bag and tech check, escorting players and family to the golf shop, accepting will-call tickets, and other tasks as they arose.
Sophia: My role during the Masters was in Mezzanine Accessory Operations, where I helped keep product stocked and flowing in the North Golf Shop.
With thousands of guests moving through the store at all times, staying organized and adaptable was essential. It was fast-paced from the moment the doors opened, and every decision around product placement and restocking impacted the customer experience. I learned how to think ahead with what to replenish, where to move product, and how to keep the store running smoothly as stock levels constantly shifted.
RVP: What was one of the most interesting or surprising things about your internship?
Nora: Augusta National might be one of the rare places that is as perfect in real life as it appears on TV. Everything is in the right place, every problem has a solution, and everyone is at the top of their game — both players and employees. The Player Services Building itself is pristine, holding a gym and physio/recovery area, player locker room, and dining room, all adjacent to the driving range (or the Tournament Practice Area, as it’s known at Augusta National).
Sophia: One of the most interesting parts of the experience was working with the limited-edition merchandise. Since many items were highly sought-after and had limited quantities (like the 2026 garden gnome), I got to see how scarcity drives urgency and how quickly inventory moves in a high-demand retail environment. I never thought I would say the word “gnome” so many times in one week, but it quickly became part of the rhythm of the job.
RVP: How would you describe your experience at the Masters Tournament overall?
Nora: This internship not only offered first-hand interactions with players, families, and teams but also allowed me to gain experience in hospitality and player services at the highest level. Getting to work alongside and learn from other golf and hospitality professionals was incredibly rewarding (though getting to have pimiento cheese sandwiches for lunch was cool too). Being a part of the inaugural staff in the Player Services Building was one of the most amazing experiences of my college career, and I can’t wait to bring back everything I learned to the UGA Golf Course.
Sophia: The days were long with no phones and very few distractions, which at first felt challenging but ended up creating space for real conversations and teamwork. That environment made it easy to connect with people, and those relationships became one of the most meaningful parts of the experience. I left Augusta with a deep appreciation of its culture and some hard goodbyes to people I’m really grateful to have worked alongside.
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By Nora Anderson, Sophia Bradley, and Rebecca Vander Plaats