The Masters Tournament opens Thursday in Augusta, Georgia, with competition running through Sunday. The four-day event carries significant economic weight for South Carolina businesses and industries along the I-20 corridor.
Duane Parrish, director of South Carolina Parks, Recreation & Tourism, says "our best estimate [is that] between 35% to 40% of all the economic impact surrounding the Masters takes place on the South Carolina side of the border."
Much of that activity flows through hotels and restaurants, but Parrish says state parks also see an increase. Hickory Knob State Park, roughly 40 minutes from Augusta, has a golf course and hotel on the property. During Masters Week, he says, it experiences its "busiest week of the year."
Biff Lathrop, director of the South Carolina Golf Association, says the tournament also has a large impact on the organization's member clubs.
"We have almost 300 member clubs in the state, [and] they see a boost this time of year in their daily play," Lathrop said.
Additionally, the uptick in revenue leads private golf courses to open their doors to national and international visitors for daily play.
Around 600 undergraduate students at the University of South Carolina will receive real-world working experience through USC Sports Administration’s partnership with the Masters Tournament.
"There is an education component [as well]...they go there and do a lot of prep work, everything from the famous sandwiches that Augusta National sells [to] helping out with merchandise sales," Parrish said.
South Carolina communities near Augusta stand to benefit from the Masters, both now and in the years ahead. In the short term, municipalities across the state can expect more visitors at golf courses, hotels, short-term rentals, state parks, and restaurants. Longer term, officials say the tournament is adding to the region's identity.
"It elevates places like Aiken [and] North Augusta," Parrish said.
Several new golf courses have opened in the Aiken area, drawn by its proximity to Augusta National. As a result, the area has developed into a golf destination that attracts visitors beyond Masters Week.
Parrish and Lathrop say the trends have been consistent year over year since the tournament’s inception, and 2026 is expected to be no different.