The four majors in golf are played over the course of an entire golfing season and include the following: The Masters, The PGA Championship, the U.S. Open, and The Open Championship. Each takes place around a month apart.
The Masters
Ask someone what the most “important” golf major is, and they often nod to this one. The Masters, dubbed “a tradition unlike any other” is just that — a breathtaking, stunning tournament that groups only the most high-level golfers to compete for one the greatest honors there is in the golf world.
The Masters takes place in the first week of April at Augusta National, the most exclusive golf course in the world. It’s so exclusive, in fact, that it didn’t let African Americans become members until 1990. Seven years later Tiger Woods won the tournament. The first women members were inaugurated in 2012 — Condoleeza Rice and Darla Moore.
Aside from its unparalleled exclusivity, Augusta National is also one of the most beautiful courses in all of golf. It features perhaps the most well-known par 3 in golf — #12’s Golden Bell. Holes 11, 12 and 13 are dubbed “Amen Corner” and are often the setting of some almost Shakespearean drama, tragedy and triumph. It was here, for instance, where Tiger Woods gained a foothold in the 2019 Masters to achieve his incredible comeback story.
Something else that makes The Masters so special is its commitment to tradition. So much of golf is about paying respect to the honor and tradition of the game, and The Masters does this beautifully. Cell phones are prohibited on the grounds. Power lines are buried underground to protect the beautiful vista. Caddies wear a classic white jumpsuit, tennis shoes and a green master’s cap.
The winner of the Masters gets lifetime exemption into the tournament, honorary member status of the course, eleven million dollars in prize money and the green jacket, which the winner keeps until awarded to the winner of the next Masters.
The PGA Championship
The PGA Championship takes place in May. As its name implies, the tournament is organized by the Professional Golfers Association of America and features the upper echelon of the golfing world. The PGA Championship is typically played on the east coast — in 2023, it will be played in Rochester, New York at Oak Hill Country Club.
The winner of the PGA Championship gets the million-dollar prize along with guaranteed membership to the PGA Tour for the next five years, an automatic invitation to all four majors for the next five years, PGA championship eligibility for life, and a replica of the Wanamaker Trophy.
U.S. Open
The U.S. Open is often considered to be one of the most challenging majors in the world. Courses are turned into essential death traps for golf balls — unbelievably thick rough, greens like glass and slanted at awkward angles, narrow fairways that stretch as far as the eye can see and marred by various obstacles.
It’s the kind of tournament that truly separates the good golfers from the great ones, and it tests every fabric of talent and focus one has in their body. Final scores for the U.S. Open winner will hover around par — in some cases, an above-par final score might even win.
The U.S. Open is held in June, with the final round usually being held on Father’s Day. The tournament is open to amateur and professional golfers alike, which adds another level of excitement as a relative nobody has the chance to step up and do the impossible. One of the most well-known examples of this occurred in 1913, when amateur Francis Ouimet took down British juggernauts Ted Ray and Harry Vardon to claim the grand prize for the U.S.
The Open Championship
The only major held outside of U.S. soil is The Open Championship. It’s the last major of the year, typically played in July and takes place on one of ten links golf courses in the United Kingdom. The Open is also the oldest of all the majors, dating back centuries.
The Open Championship is very unique because of its setting. Links courses are much different than polished, smooth American courses. They’re much flatter, characterized by windy, drizzly conditions and pot bunkers, thick, sprawling fescue and uneven fairways.
The winner of the Open claims the famous Claret Jug and the prize money.
What Is the Grand Slam in Golf?
The Grand Slam in golf refers to winning all four majors in a single season. A golfer would have to win The Masters, the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open and the Open Championship all in the same year. This has never been done before in the modern era.
In the old era, when the grand slam was comprised of The Open Championship, the U.S. Open, the U.S. Amateur and the British Amateur, Bobby Jones completed a grand slam — a feat that was thought to be impossible. Once The Masters was established in 1934, however, the definition changed.
Tiger Woods came closest to completing the grand slam. He even held the titles of all majors consecutively, just not in the same calendar year. Gene Sarazan, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods are the only ones who have completed the “career” grand slam — winning all four majors at least once during their career.
What Tournament Is Considered the “Fifth Major”?
The Players’ Championship is sometimes to referred to as the “fifth” major in golf. The Players’ has all of the talent and attention as a traditional major would, complete with elevated fanfare and a picturesque, often brutal 17th hole that looks as though golfers have to hit over a lake to get to the green. Still, the Players’ Championship is a relatively new tournament developed in the 80s, and it doesn’t quite hold the level of clout the other majors do. But the debate rages on.
What Is the Hardest Golf Major to Win?
Some say the PGA Championship is the hardest major to win, as it contains the strongest field of any other major. Others, however, may point to the nearly impossible conditions of the U.S. Open or the sheer pressure of a major like The Masters. The most challenging golf major to win is typically a personal designation and will rely on the strengths and weaknesses of any given player.
The Four Majors in Golf: Concluded
What makes golf so fun to watch is the drama that each of these four majors provides. Each one has its own unique characteristics and course layouts. Be sure to follow along this year to see who can claim the honor of winning one of the renowned tournaments.