World’s 10th richest man is Augusta’s ‘worst’ member and rarely attends Masters | Golf | Sport
Warren Buffett is the world’s 10th richest man according to Forbes (Image: Getty)
Augusta National Golf Club stands as one of the most exclusive institutions on earth. With roughly 300 members, gaining entry requires a degree of wealth, influence and connections, placing it well beyond the grasp of virtually anyone alive. Warren Buffett, however, possesses all of those attributes in spades. What he does not possess, by his own cheerful acknowledgement, is any notable talent for playing golf, admitting he is in fact the “highest handicapped member” and consequently the poorest golfer there.
The 95-year-old, valued at an estimated $141.5 billion and the 10th wealthiest person on the planet according to Forbes, holds the unique distinction of being Augusta National’s most successful financial brain and its least successful golfer. Speaking on Dan Patrick’s Show back in 2018, Buffett made no attempt to embellish the reality. While he maintains membership, he also seldom attends the Masters.
“I actually have a membership, but I’m the highest handicapped member they’ve ever had,” he said.
Patrick pushed him for details. What was his finest round at Augusta? Buffett hesitated, as though trawling his memory for a figure that was never going to impress anybody.
“Not very good,” he replied. “I think it was probably an 89. That’s my best memory, but it’s a long time ago.”
Buffett appeared entirely unbothered by the contradiction. Indeed, he delivered what might stand as the most contemplative reflection on a declining golf game ever put on record.
“I was going to say I gave up golf,” he remarked, “but actually golf gave up me.”
His connection with the sport, he clarified, was stronger during his earlier years, although even at that stage it never amounted to anything approaching a competitive edge.
Buffett says he lost $5,500 when Bill Gates hit a hole-in-one (Image: Getty)
“I liked golf a lot, I played a lot of golf when I was younger, and it really wasn’t a factor in business for me,” he said. “I wasn’t good enough. Nobody wanted to play with me, actually.”
The discussion shifted when Patrick enquired whether fellow billionaire Bill Gates also possessed membership at Augusta. Buffett confirmed that he does, before launching into an anecdote that has evidently been troubling him ever since.
The pair were playing together in a club tournament when Gates, on the final stroke of the day at the par-three course that follows the standard 18 holes, sank a hole-in-one. The celebrations, as it transpired, came with a price tag.
“It cost me $5,500 (£4,093) because the foursome had to split buying the drinks,” Buffett said, the financial sting evidently still raw.
“I keep reminding him of it, but I don’t see any checks coming. If you could help me on this, I’d appreciate it.”
Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft and one of Buffett’s most trusted friends and philanthropic allies, reportedly has no plans whatsoever to settle the outstanding debt.
