Augusta, GA

Going to Augusta for the Masters just got easier. Here's how

Published

2 years ago

January 21, 2024

Press Room

Going to Augusta for the Masters just got easier. Here's how

By:

James Colgan

January 21, 2024

Delta Airlines will be bringing more flights than ever to Augusta, Ga. in 2024.

Darren Riehl/GOLF

Getting Masters tickets remains the most elusive act in golf. But for a long time, getting to Augusta, Ga. ranked a close second.

Not any longer, it seems. On Friday morning, Delta Airlines announced plans to “nearly double” its year-over-year offerings to the Augusta Regional Airport for Masters tournament week. The effort will see the addition of six brand-new routes to Augusta from a series of airports around the United States, tripling the number of available direct destinations from three to nine.

According to Delta, the new schedule features new routes from Washington D.C., Boston, Austin, New York-JFK, Palm Beach and Orlando — in addition to preexisting direct flights from New York-LaGuardia, Detroit and Atlanta. Those changes will result in over “200 one-stop connections to Augusta” from a host of airports around the United States, including through popular Delta hubs JFK (New York), Atlanta-Hartsfield, and Detroit Metro Airport.

“As an official partner again this year, customers can expect a Delta experience that goes beyond the flight, from takeoff to the greens in Augusta,” Delta SVP of network planning Joe Esposito said in a release.

For years, those who wanted to attend golf’s first major from out of state were faced with only three choices. The first, and by far most common: fly into Atlanta, a huge international transit hub welcoming millions of visitors per year, and drive the nearly 2.5 hours into Augusta. The second, and by far least common: fly private into Augusta, minimizing travel time but maximizing odds of running afoul of your climate-conscious friends. The third option, perhaps least convenient, was to fly commercially into Augusta — a tiny airport located on the outskirts of town with few flights that often cost a small fortune.

Now, with Delta’s increased partnership, there is reason for hope that reaching Augusta will not only be more time-efficient but also more cost-effective.

The business of reaching the Masters is, we should remind you, not cheap. Those who attend the Masters from out of state are forced to manage a travel schedule that can take a whole day just to navigate from other east coast cities to the course. With hotels and Airbnbs in town costing so much money the U.S. Tax Code created a provision just for tournament week, often just the cost of getting to the tournament represents an exorbitant expense — let alone earning access to the most expensive ticket in pro sports.

In theory, the Delta change most benefits those from big U.S. cities hoping to splurge for a life-changing day without incurring the time burden of reaching the tournament or the financial burden of staying in town. Under the new schedule, fans will have more access than ever to jet in and out of town in a jiffy, which is great news for those sitting on the brink of a bucket list trip.

In short, it might never be easy to get to the Masters, but thanks to Delta’s schedule shift, it’s getting easier than ever. Now about those tickets…

James Colgan

Golf.com Editor

James Colgan is a news and features editor at GOLF, writing stories for the website and magazine. He manages the Hot Mic, GOLF’s media vertical, and utilizes his on-camera experience across the brand’s platforms. Prior to joining GOLF, James graduated from Syracuse University, during which time he was a caddie scholarship recipient (and astute looper) on Long Island, where he is from. He can be reached at james.colgan@golf.com.

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Augusta, GA

Augusta’s Turpin neighborhood to get affordable homes with $1.85M federal grant

Published

2 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Augusta’s Turpin neighborhood to get affordable homes with .85M federal grant

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The historic Turpin neighborhood will soon welcome more affordable homes after Augusta Habitat for Humanity was awarded $1.85 million in federal funding this week.

The grant will fund the construction of at least 12 homes in the area.

“Habitat for Humanity applied for federal funding, and they were awarded the funding,” said District 2 Commissioner Stacy Pulliam.

Reviving a historic community

The Turpin neighborhood was once home to professionals, including educators, doctors, and lawyers.

“These big professionals that lived mostly over this way,” one resident said of the neighborhood’s history.

Pulliam described the area’s former prominence as “its grand days of glory, when it was the place.”

The project brings together city organizers and community partners through the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing, or GICH.

“We have so many partners. We have the Housing Authority on board. We have a representative from the Hub on board,” Pulliam said. “There’s so many great partners at the table that’s helping pull all of this together.”

Federal support and future plans

The project received backing from Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock.

Habitat for Humanity, with support from GICH, focused its application on Turpin Hill intentionally, as officials say the community had been needing to be addressed for years.

With Habitat for Humanity continuing to advocate for more funds, Pulliam said their motivation could lead to additional housing development in the future.

“We keep going and going and going,” she said. “Now we can do 20. Now we can do multifamily. So it’s fueling our fire to get more housing, but not just housing, to clean up the area.”

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Augusta, GA

Trump to sign emergency order to pay TSA agents as Augusta airport preps for golf week

Published

14 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Trump to sign emergency order to pay TSA agents as Augusta airport preps for golf week

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – President Donald Trump said he will sign an emergency declaration to pay TSA agents, as nearly 500 have quit since the shutdown began.

More than 40 percent of Atlanta’s TSA agents did not show up on Wednesday, leading to long lines at Atlanta’s airport and across the country. It is unclear when President Trump will sign the emergency order. TSA workers will miss their second paycheck Friday.

In a statement on Truth Social, President Trump said, “I am going to sign an Order instructing the Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, to immediately pay our TSA Agents in order to address this Emergency Situation.”

The president thanked TSA agents. The Department of Homeland Security as a whole will not be funded at this time. The Coast Guard and FEMA are among the agencies still impacted.

If senators do not reach a deal to fund the department on Friday, they are set for a two-week recess.

Augusta airport prepares for tournament week

TSA workers are a concern as tournament week approaches in Augusta. Security and safety are also concerns after a plane collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport.

Augusta Regional Airport and its fire department are working to keep visitors safe as they fly in for tournament week.

William Kovalchuk, a sergeant with the Augusta Airport Fire Department, operates an airport-specific fire truck.

“There’s a ton of traffic and a ton of congestion. This whole ramp area where I showed you guys a little bit ago, it’ll be completely filled with aircraft,” Kovalchuk said.

Tournament week sees the regional airport become a global hub, with flights in from 13 extra cities and more than 200 private planes parked on the tarmac.

Lauren Smith, deputy director of Augusta Regional Airport, said the airport works closely with the FAA during tournament week.

“During that time, we actually work very closely with the FAA to bring in additional controllers,” Smith said.

Extra controllers keep the airspace and runway safe. Enhanced safety measures are in place inside the terminal as well.

“Overall, everyone brings in more staff. The tenants, the rental car agencies, the airlines, the airport itself,” Smith said.

The fire department stages a second station across the airport to cover every flight.

“The manning will be stepped up quite a bit,” Kovalchuk said. “We don’t want to see anything happen, but we’re prepared for it.”

The airport said the average wait time is still less than an hour to get through security during tournament week.

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Augusta, GA

Jefferson County library director named Georgia Library Director of the Year

Published

1 day ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Jefferson County library director named Georgia Library Director of the Year

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Georgia Library Director of the Year was honored at a ceremony in Jefferson County.

Christina Shepherd received the award and a county proclamation. Jefferson County officials also honored the library board during the ceremony.

“I’m very thankful. I think it’s great for Jefferson County to have this award brought here and bringing light to us,” Shepherd said. “I don’t think I do anything extraordinary that any librarian wouldn’t do, but I just keep doing it. I appreciate it. I’m thankful.”

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