How to sell 2015 Masters Practice tickets?

January 16, 2015 9:20 AM

What is the best way to sell 3 extra tickets to the 2015 Masters?

My father won four tickets at work for the Wednesday practice round. He'll be going, but now has three additional tickets that he doesn't know what to do with. I told him that I would help but I've never sold anything like this before.

Is there an online marketplace for this? Somewhere specific? Are you even allowed to resell the tickets?

Any advice or direction would be excellent. Thanks!

posted by amicamentis to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (7 answers total)

While I can't speak to what the official policy is, I can tell you that one way you can tell that springtime is around the corner in Augusta is when GoldenTickets.com has their big yellow bus set up camp at a gas-station just off of the Exit on Interstate 20 that takes you down Washington Road to the National.

(That and the "Golf Traffic" signs start going up.)

I don't even know if they'll get you the best price for your practice round passes, all I can attest to is their high visibility.
posted by radwolf76 at 10:18 AM on January 16, 2015

Use Stubhub. There are 441 tickets on sale there.

They are selling for $875 at the minimum there. I would throw them up there.

The tickets, if he has them in hand, are probably not linked to his name, so if they are transferrable, I doubt you will get any issues from the Masters.

Congrats to your dad! I entered the lottery and got nothing.
posted by sandmanwv at 10:19 AM on January 16, 2015 [1 favorite]

There are a bunch of 2015 Master's tickets on Stubhub, so I assume selling them is ok. I would think Craigslist in Atlanta would be a decent place to list them. I went two or 3 times back in the 90s when I lived in Atlanta. Practice day is always a lot of fun, and the beer is cheap. Somewhere I have pictures of Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer playing together from one of those practice sessions.
posted by COD at 10:20 AM on January 16, 2015

He didn't invite you? Even if not a golf fan, it is a great day in an amazing setting. They do not oversell, they do not charge an arm and leg for food or drink and they do not inflate prices other than on some of the merch.

I don't know the legalities or the rules, but I purchased a practice round ticket on stubhub last year. Easy, smooth transaction from buyer stand point.
posted by 724A at 11:39 AM on January 16, 2015

I live near Augusta and have been to the "tuna-mint" a few times. Any tickets are easy to sell, and practice round tickets are particularly nice as they don't have the risk of losing your lifetime subscription if you get caught. The official policy of the National is that they cannot be sold, but it happens all the time. Until recently scalping was illegal in GA, but now it is just illegal within a certain distance (a mile perhaps?) of the venue. This is strictly enforced by the sheriff's department during the Masters (the club carries a lot of clout in this town). The Golden Tickets bus mentioned above is carefully stationed just outside the limit.

Does he want to sell them where he lives? Is he looking to make the most money? Depending on his business giving them to clients or even selling them (at face value or for a reasonable profit) can garner a lot of goodwill in some circles. Selling them online is easiest but I don't have much personal experience with it. The National is known to set up stings where they pose as buyers in order to bust sellers with subsequent loss of their tickets, but once again that is more of an issue with patron's passes. There are numerous ways to sell them once you are in Augusta; the best money is to be made selling them to an individual for cash, but be alert for scams and outright theft as in any slightly shady transaction involving hundreds of dollars in cash.

He is fortunate that he got Wednesday tickets; they are the most desirable practice round tickets as that is the day of the par 3 contest.

Also be aware that ticket prices tend to go up as the tournament gets closer but then can suddenly drop in price if there is a bad weather forecast or Tiger Woods drops out. If you want I can make some inquiries and see what Wednesday tickets are going for right now. Feel free to contact me if you want more info.

(Also, he really ought to sell two and take a friend or family member; it is more fun if you share it with someone)

(And find a place to stay ASAP; hotels will be booked solid for an hour's drive all around)
posted by TedW at 12:44 PM on January 16, 2015 [2 favorites]

I just went to StubHub and those prices seem awfully high, even for Master's tickets. If he can actually get that much per ticket, that is worth doing!
posted by TedW at 12:55 PM on January 16, 2015

I second that you should go if you can.... Lived in Augusta for 10 years and always went when I had the chance. It's a blast.... I could care less about the golf but loved Masters week!!
posted by pearlybob at 8:33 PM on January 16, 2015