AUGUSTA, Ga. — When Augusta National closed to the public due to bad weather on Monday, golf enthusiasts still found a place to celebrate golf history.
Just a mile from Augusta`s famous Magnolia Lane, fans of all ages and backgrounds gathered in the rain. As the saying goes, they came seeking a piece of Americana.
It`s officially Masters week in Augusta. Driving east on Washington Road from I-20 towards Augusta National Golf Club, you`re immediately met by a different kind of tradition.
A sign outside Hooters proclaims, `COME SEE JOHN DALY TODAY.` Since 1997, the legendary, larger-than-life figure, known for his love of peanut M&Ms and Diet Coke, has set up shop here every Masters week. He sells merchandise and poses for photos with fans, often with a Marlboro Red cigarette in hand above his distinctive beard.
`John Daly is my hero,` declared Bret Bowen, a local Augusta resident. `He`s the ultimate, most entertaining golfer ever.`
Daly, despite not playing in the Masters since 2006, returns annually. He provides a striking contrast to the esteemed atmosphere of the world-renowned golf course nearby. Inside Augusta National, phones, cameras, and certainly cigarettes are prohibited. However, at Hooters, you find an alternative Augusta, a place where fans can connect with a relatable icon in a setting where he can be himself.
`Enjoy some good food, smoke, sell some stuff,` Daly summarized his activities.
And he does sell a significant amount of merchandise. Last year, his team reported sales of approximately $780,000 on the Hooters patio. This year, they anticipate exceeding that figure, boosted by Monday`s rain-induced Masters closure and the exceptionally long lines of customers. Hats, some featuring Daly`s image and others with the slogan `grip it and rip it,` are priced at $40 and sell steadily throughout the day. Boxes of his `Short Game` cigars, containing 20 four-and-a-half-inch cigars described as having `cinnamon earth and elegant floral notes,` are priced at $250 and were sold out by Wednesday morning.
He reigns as the king of Augusta`s alternative scene. AirDNA data reveals that during Masters week, daily rental prices in the area average $656 across nearly 4,000 listings, compared to $219 with about 1,500 listings for the rest of the year. On the Friday of last year`s tournament, 292 private jets landed at Augusta Regional Airport. While most of Daly`s fans aren`t billionaires, they are dedicated, and many bring him gifts. Behind his merchandise displays, a box of Vidalia onions, Georgia`s famous sweet variety, sat – an annual gift for the past decade from `Dale from Vidalia.` A fan from the Midwest also brought him their state`s renowned export.
`My Wisconsin guy always brings the cheese,` Daly mentioned. `I devour that cheese and those onions. Vidalia onions are unbeatable, no matter who you are.`
Larry Stelow, another Wisconsinite and a retired pet portrait painter, presented Daly with a 16×20 inch acrylic painting of Daly with a dog.
`That’s badass,` Daly exclaimed, taking a picture with Stelow.
`All I wanted was a photo with John and the painting,` Stelow said. `It was a special moment for me.`
Daly sells signed golf balls for $10 – `$1 for the ball, $9 for the signature,` as one staffer joked – along with photos, shirts, and replica pin flags from his 1991 PGA Championship victory at Crooked Stick in Carmel, Indiana, for $100. He signs anything purchased and poses for photos with every customer.
He even fulfilled Bowen`s wish.
`John Daly gave me a cigarette!` Bowen exclaimed.
Daly`s legend began at the 1991 PGA Championship at Crooked Stick. An unknown 25-year-old, and former University of Arkansas golfer, he entered as the ninth alternate and surprisingly won, despite never having played the course before.
Everyday golfers were captivated by his `grip it and rip it` style. He was the first player to average over 300 yards off the tee in 1997 and topped the PGA Tour in driving distance 11 times between 1991 and 2002. He also secured a second major victory at the 1995 Open Championship at St. Andrews. He was a revolutionary figure in the sport.
Off the course, Daly`s persona was more relatable than refined, an unconventional character with a mullet who enjoyed cigarettes, beer, Hooters (his favorite restaurant), and never took himself too seriously. On the course, he challenged golf fashion norms, moving from traditional argyle to more unconventional styles.
Rebecca Gaines from Athens, Georgia, has taken time off work to see Daly for the past five years, admiring his distinctive style, which often includes neon, skulls, American flags, paint splatters, or combinations of these elements.
Legendary golf writer Dan Jenkins once famously described Daly`s pants at an Open Championship as resembling `a Motel 6 shower curtain.`
Gaines disagrees. `I love him because of his clothes,` she stated. `That`s what initially drew me to him.`
Lance Odom, Daly`s caddie, met him while caddying for David Duval on the Champions Tour. They connected, and Odom, who assists Daly with crowd management and photos, is astounded by the attention Daly receives, especially compared to other golfers.
`Being with him here is like experiencing Disney for the first time,` Odom commented. `Every person has a story. It`s like being with Michael Jordan; you can`t even stop for gas without being recognized.`
And each fan has their own reason for being there.
Scott Grennell from Hinesville, Georgia, isn`t primarily there for golf. On his lunch break, he wanted to make it memorable.
`Growing up, I had two heroes: Pete Rose and John Daly,` he said. `And I got to meet one of them today.`
Ed Burns, from Liverpool, England, but now living in Toronto, admires the populist, American appeal Daly brought to the traditionally formal sport.
`He was one of the guys who changed the game, an ordinary guy achieving greatness,` Burns said. `He won the Open. He has my respect.`
Jason Gamble and his friends, part of a large golf group on WhatsApp, visited on Wednesday before heading to the Masters.
`He`s like the best guy in your regular golf group,` Gamble remarked, with his friend Malik Davis, from Augusta, adding, `We`re all former athletes, football, basketball, but it doesn`t always translate to golf. Seeing someone make the game look as effortless as John does, it’s easy to appreciate his talent, and he`s just a regular guy. He`s the one you want in your foursome.`
For them, Daly is an inspiration.
`John resonates with us. See the DBT?` Gamble asked, pointing to his hat. `That’s our golf group: Drunk By the Turn. John is our mascot. I admire what he represents. He`s just a relaxed, free spirit. Smoking, drinking, and playing golf.`
And in some cases, he even saved a potentially ruined Masters week.
Pam Duvall took time off, booked an Airbnb, and drove three hours to meet a friend who promised Masters passes. However, upon arriving in Augusta, her friend was nowhere to be found.
`It was as expensive as you can imagine,` she said. `Unbelievable.`
But she had a backup plan.
`We decided to go to Hooters, and seeing John Daly and getting a picture would make it worthwhile,` Duvall explained. `My kids had asked for Masters souvenirs. Instead, I got them signed merchandise from John Daly. That will make everything better.`
Daly has faced health challenges in recent years, including a bladder cancer diagnosis in September 2020. His treatment involved surgery, one of approximately 16 surgeries he estimates he’s had in the past eight years, including on his feet, knees, shoulder, elbow, and wrist.
`I have more metal in me than Lee Majors, the Bionic Man,` he joked. `But I`m still here. I`m like Lazarus, constantly coming back from the brink.`
Daly hopes to continue appearing at Hooters every year as long as they welcome him. He doesn`t receive an appearance fee, but it`s a mutually beneficial arrangement, reflecting a business partnership. Daly`s son, John Daly II, a golfer at his father`s alma mater, the University of Arkansas, recently won his first collegiate tournament, the Columbia Spring Invitational. The proud father boasted about `Little John`s` resilience.
`How amazing is that?` Daly exclaimed. `Birdie, eagle, birdie, birdie, birdie finish and into a playoff at 1-under. That shows how tough the course was.`
However, don`t expect to see Little John, who also has a NIL deal with Hooters, selling merchandise anytime soon.
`He’s going to focus on his golf,` Daly stated.
The atmosphere has shifted for Daly in Augusta in recent years. Initially, he would arrive in a bus or RV and stay in the parking lot all week, with fans visiting at all hours. Odom recalls an incident a few years ago when someone knocked on the door, only to realize it was Michael Phelps, who just wanted to spend time with him.
The large tent party in the parking lot is no longer, as Augusta National purchased the strip mall where Hooters is located and now uses it for fan parking. But Daly is content with his patio setup, his personal domain where fans can enjoy food, smoke, and buy merchandise.
`I might not make it to the Hall of Fame, but you know what? It seems I`ll always have the fans,` Daly reflected. `I appreciate them, and they know it. We just connect. Blue-collar folks are supposed to connect.`
Alexis Davis, an Augusta Hooters waitress, describes this week as her favorite due to the diverse range of fans Daly draws.
`The golf fans bring a unique energy,` she said. `They’re excited, heading to the Masters or returning from it, sharing their experiences.`
She believes Daly perfectly bridges the gap between the formal and fun aspects of golf. And his famous friends also visit, including Ken Griffey Jr., Matt Damon, and Joey Fatone of NSYNC, who joined the Wednesday crowds.
`You can have both,` she concluded. `Enjoy golf, dress properly for the Masters, but also relax and have a good time.`
Or, as another Daly fan, Karson Angell, put it:
`If you`re going to the Masters and you don`t come to Hooters afterward, where else would you be?`
