A Masters tradition unlike any other has come to an end.
The Hooters restaurant on Washington Road, just a short walk from the patron entrance to Augusta National Golf Club, has permanently closed. For decades, this location served as the epicenter of Masters week festivities, transforming into a sprawling party hub during golf’s first major of the year.
The Washington Road location is one of six Georgia Hooters restaurants shutting down following the parent company’s bankruptcy filing in March. The company filed to address $376 million in debt, and according to the Associated Press, 100 company-owned U.S. restaurants will be sold to a group of Hooters franchisees.
Calling the restaurant now gets you a pre-recorded message: “This location is permanently closed.”
What made this particular Hooters special wasn’t just its proximity to golf’s most hallowed grounds. It became a cultural institution during Masters week, attracting both everyday patrons and celebrities looking for a more relaxed atmosphere than the buttoned-up environment inside Augusta National.
Perhaps no one is more closely associated with the Washington Road Hooters than two-time major champion John Daly. For years, Daly parked his RV in the restaurant’s lot, setting up shop to sell branded merchandise during tournament week.
“I relate to the fans,” Daly told GolfChannel.com in 2016 from his makeshift headquarters in the Hooters parking lot. “You know I’ve made them happy and I’ve pissed them off a lot, but they’ve been good to me all over the world.”
The closure marks the end of an era for Masters week, leaving a void in the tournament’s unofficial party scene. It’s unclear what might replace this longtime gathering spot or where Daly might park his RV come next April.
