AUGUSTA, Georgia — When rain closed Augusta National to the public on Monday, golf fans found another iconic spot to celebrate golf history.
Just a mile from Augusta National`s famous Magnolia Lane, fans of all ages and backgrounds waited in the rain, making a pilgrimage to see a different kind of golf legend.
It`s Masters week in Augusta, but as you drive east on Washington Road from I-20 towards Augusta National, you encounter a very different tradition.
A sign outside Hooters announces, “COME SEE JOHN DALY TODAY.” Since 1997, the larger-than-life, peanut M&M-loving, Diet Coke-drinking icon has set up shop here all week. He sells merchandise and takes photos with fans, often with a Marlboro cigarette dangling from his beard.
“John Daly is my hero,” said Bret Bowen, a local Augusta resident. “He`s the best, most fun-loving golfer ever.”
Daly, who hasn`t played in the Masters since 2006, returns every year, offering a contrast to the formal atmosphere of Augusta National. Inside the golf club, phones, cameras, and cigarettes are forbidden. But at Hooters, fans can meet the approachable icon and enjoy a more relaxed experience.
“Eat good food, smoke, sell some stuff,” Daly summarized his Hooters week.
And he sells a lot. Last year, his team reported sales of around $780,000 on the Hooters patio. This year might be even bigger due to Monday`s rain delay and long fan lines. Hats, some with Daly`s face or slogans like “grip it and rip it,” sell for $40. Boxes of his “Short Game” cigars, described as having “cinnamon earth and elegant floral notes,” are $250 and were sold out by Wednesday morning.
He`s considered the king of an alternative Augusta experience. Rental data shows that during Masters week, daily rental prices in the area are significantly higher than the rest of the year, with many private jets flying into Augusta. Daly`s fans, though not billionaires, are dedicated and often bring gifts. He received a box of Vidalia onions, a yearly gift from “Dale from Vidalia,” and cheese from a fan from Wisconsin.
“My Wisconsin guy always brings cheese,” Daly said. “I love cheese and onions. Vidalia onions are the best, no matter who you are.”
Larry Stelow, another Wisconsinite and retired pet portrait painter, gifted Daly a painting of him with a dog.
“That is badass,” Daly exclaimed, taking a photo with Stelow.
“All I wanted was a picture with John and the painting,” Stelow said. “It was special.”
Daly sells signed golf balls for $10, photos, shirts, and replica pin flags from his 1991 PGA Championship win for $100. He signs everything purchased and takes photos with every fan.
He even made Bret Bowen`s day by giving him a cigarette.
Daly`s legend began at the 1991 PGA Championship when he, as a relatively unknown player, won the tournament despite being a late entry and never having played the course before.
Golf fans loved his powerful, unrestrained style. In 1997, he was the first player to average over 300 yards off the tee and led the PGA Tour in driving distance 11 times between 1991 and 2002. He also won the 1995 Open Championship at St. Andrews. He was a refreshing change for golf.
Off the course, Daly was known for his unique personality, a mullet haircut, love for cigarettes and beer, Hooters being his favorite restaurant, and a casual attitude. His golf fashion was also unconventional, moving beyond traditional styles.
Rebecca Gaines from Athens, Georgia, has been visiting Daly at Hooters for five years, admiring his distinctive style, which often includes bright colors, skulls, American flags, and paint splatters.
Golf writer Dan Jenkins once joked about Daly`s pants at the Open Championship, comparing them to a Motel 6 shower curtain.
But Gaines disagrees. “I love him because of his clothes,” she said. “That`s why I started following him.”
Lance Odom, Daly`s caddie, met him through the Champions Tour. Odom helps manage the fan lines and take photos, amazed by Daly`s popularity, unlike anything he`s seen with other golfers.
“Being with him is like being at Disney World for the first time,” Odom said. “Everyone has a story. It`s like being with Michael Jordan; you can`t even go to a gas station unnoticed.”
Scott Grennell from Hinesville, Georgia, on his lunch break, came specifically to meet Daly.
“Growing up, my heroes were Pete Rose and John Daly,” he said. “And I met one today.”
Ed Burns, from England living in Toronto, appreciates Daly`s everyman appeal in golf.
“He changed the game, an ordinary guy like that,” Burns said. “He won the Open. I admire him.”
Jason Gamble and his golf group, “Drunk By the Turn” (DBT), visited Daly before heading to the Masters.
“He`s like the best guy in your golf group,” Gamble said. “We appreciate his talent because he makes golf look easy, and he`s relatable. He`s the guy you want to play with.”
For them, Daly is a role model.
“John resonates with us. DBT is our group, Drunk By the Turn. John is our mascot. He represents freedom, enjoying life, smoking, drinking, and playing golf.”
Pam Duvall, who had a Masters ticket mishap, found solace in meeting Daly.
“It was expensive and a disaster,” she said about her ticket situation.
“But we came to Hooters, and meeting John Daly and getting a picture will make it worth it,” Duvall said. “My kids wanted Masters souvenirs, but signed John Daly merchandise will be even better.”
Daly has faced health challenges, including bladder cancer in 2020 and numerous surgeries.
“I have more metal in me than the Bionic Man,” he joked. “But I`m still here. I keep coming back.”
Daly hopes to continue his Hooters tradition as long as he`s welcome. He`s not paid for appearances, but it`s a beneficial partnership. His son, John Daly II, a golfer at the University of Arkansas, recently won his first college tournament, making his father proud.
“How cool is that? Birdie, eagle, birdie, birdie, birdie finish,” Daly said about his son`s win.
But Little John will focus on golf, not merchandise sales.
Daly`s Hooters experience has evolved. Initially, he stayed in an RV in the parking lot, but now he`s on the patio. He recalls famous visitors like Michael Phelps stopping by.
The large tent party is gone as Augusta National now uses the area for parking. But Daly is content with his patio setup where fans can enjoy themselves.
“I might not make the Hall of Fame, but I`ll always have the fans,” Daly said. “I love them, and we connect. Blue-collar people connect.”
Alexis Davis, a Hooters waitress, enjoys Masters week because of the diverse fans Daly attracts.
“Golf fans bring a different energy,” she said. “They`re excited for the Masters or sharing their Masters stories.”
She sees Daly as a bridge between the formal and fun sides of golf. Even celebrities like Ken Griffey Jr., Matt Damon, and Joey Fatone have visited.
“You can have both,” she said. “Enjoy golf and Masters traditions, but also relax and have fun.”
Another fan, Karson Angell, summed it up: “If you`re at the Masters and not coming to Hooters after, where are you even at?”