Green Jackets & Georgia Sunshine: Masters Moments Are Fueled by Natural Gas 

Augusta is warming up, the stage is set, and golf’s biggest stars are ready to chase glory as the Masters returns for its 90th historic year. Whether you are watching from your living room, a patron standing on the side of the fairways, or one of the 93 players participating in the tournament, natural gas is helping to fuel every moment.  

Close your eyes and picture what dominates your vision the most during the Masters. If you didn’t immediately see endless stretches of green fairways, you might be missing one of the most defining parts of the Augusta National Invitation Tournament. Turf management is just as essential as the golfers who compete in the Masters…without the iconic Georgia green, the tournament would be unrecognizable.  

Beneath the historic greens, the vibrant look and playability is all thanks to a SubAir system run on natural gas. This underground technology gives the grounds crews full control to remove excess moisture, deliver oxygen to the roots through aeration, and regulate root‑zone temperatures to protect turf during cold snaps or heat stress. Natural gas plays a key role with heating capability, as hydronic units often rely on natural gas–fired boilers to supply consistent underground warmth. 

These boilers are favored in golf and sports‑field applications because they deliver reliable, on‑demand heat efficiently across large subsurface areas at lower operating costs than electric alternatives. By powering root‑zone heating, natural gas helps maintain stable turf conditions, supporting healthy grass and tournament‑ready greens. Together, this hidden infrastructure ensures the Masters delivers its signature playing conditions year after year, no matter what the weather brings. 

Natural gas supports the Masters in ways that go unseen, but it also plays a role in the tournament’s world-famous appearance. Augusta National’s vivid green fairways use bentgrass, a turf grown for high-performance golf courses. Bentgrass relies on fertilization made from key feedstocks like ammonia, a core ingredient in nitrogenous fertilizers produced from natural gas. From what lies beneath the surface to the fairways patron admire above ground, natural gas delivers subtle influence with significant impact to the Masters experience. 

Being in-person at the Masters is an all-day affair for multiple days. This means that both the golfers participating and spectators need to be able to rely on the hospitality efforts of the venue and that’s where natural gas steps in. The U.S. hospitality sector consumes 387 Bcf of natural gas a year and that includes the clubhouses at the Masters. Whether fueling the kitchens behind iconic pimento cheese and egg salad sandwiches or keeping clubhouses comfortable when a Georgia storm roll in, natural gas plays a vital role in keeping operations running efficiently. So, this year when you are enjoying the Masters, remember how natural gas is keeping “a tradition like no other” thriving.