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It’s bottoms up for tee time.
In the grand tradition of Masters Week, the world’s top golfers converge in Augusta, Georgia, to compete in the first major of the season.
And sportsmen and spectators alike indulge in the Masters signature drink, The Azalea.
The iconic cocktail takes its name from the pink-hued flowers that punctuate the course of the Augusta National Golf Club, which has hosted the championship since 1934.
The azaleas are in full, glorious bloom in April, and rumor has it the drink is inspired by the course’s 13th hole, nicknamed “Azalea” because of the riot of blossoms surrounding it.
Tucked in the woods on a turn of the Back 9, Hole 13, AKA Azalea, is a par 5 hole that holds a distance of 545 yards.
The eponymous pastel drink has been called the “perfect accessory to a Lilly Pulitzer sundress.”
Fore… Christ.
Last year, in the weeks leading up to the Masters, Total Wine & More reported a 750% increase in transactions that included Azalea ingredients, reflecting consumer demand for getting into the spirit with spirits.
For the die-hard and utterly lazy, and in partnership with Goldbelly, the Masters website offers the “Limited Edition Azalea Kit,” which serves six and ships directly to your home for the bargain price of $99.99.
The kit also includes Master’s branded cups, coasters, a steel cocktail shaker, a cocktail jigger, and stirrers, along with a set of instructions.
For those brave enough to go it alone, see below.
Azalea Masters drink recipe
Per The Masters’ official website, here’s the classic Azalea recipe:
- Ice
- 1 1/4 oz vodka
- 5 oz lemonade
- 1/2 oz grenadine
- Cherry and Orange wheel slice garnish
Those looking for an effervescent NA option can substitute sparkling water for the vodka, moving the drink from Tom Daly to Arnold Palmer.
Food & Wine notes that while traditional recipes lean on sweetened lemonade and a generous splash of grenadine, unorthodox drinkers can trade lemonade for a mix of pineapple and lemon juices and reduce grenadine from 1/2 oz to a mere teaspoon.
Experts note that these tweaks create a tangy, less-sweet, vaguely tropical flavor profile.
Others suggest that adding cherry bitters in lieu of grenadine can really elevate the drink from general swill to absolutely sublime.
The Azalea is, of course (pun intended), on the menus during the Masters but only in the clubhouse and premium areas.
While tickets to the Masters on the secondary market can range in the thousands, concession prices are notoriously low.
“The humble beginnings of the Tournament are nowhere more evident than in the food. As much part of the mystique of the Masters as Amen Corner, the fare is often pointed to as the keystone piece of the patron experience,” maintains a statement on the Masters website.
Of the more than 30 items on the 2026 menu, not a one will set you back more than $6.
The event’s signature egg salad and pimento cheese sandwiches have famously resisted inflation.
Available for just $1.50, the staples have remained steady at that price since 2002, making them cheaper than a fresh-brewed iced tea ($2.00).
The fan favorite, however, seems to be the $3 Georgia Peach Ice Cream Sandwich, described by one acolyte as “The thing of the Gods.”
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