The Masters Theme Song and the Lyrics You Never Knew Existed

You know the Masters theme song, right? That's the instrumental music that plays at the start of every Masters Tournament TV broadcast on CBS. That song has a name — Augusta (surprise, surprise) — and it was composed by Dave Loggins. But the TV version every golf fan knows doesn't have any words:

The opening strains of that music send a tingle through many a golfer. Lots of golfers have even used the music in their weddings. (But, c'mon now, let's be honest: If this music wasn't so closely associated with The Masters, would you ever listen to it?)

But did you know that the song Augusta includes lyrics, too, and those lyrics tell of Augusta National as a holy shrine and include callouts to great golfers? Yes, it's on the sappy side, but sappy lyrics are a match for the music.

Here is Dave Loggins performing the song with lyrics:

Lyrics to the Masters Theme Song

Here are the Augusta lyrics spelled out:

Well, it’s springtime in the valley
On Magnolia Lane
It’s the Augusta National
And the master of the game

Who’ll wear that green coat
On Sunday afternoon
Who’ll walk that 18th fairway
Singin’ this tune

Oh, Augusta
Your dogwoods and pines
They play on my mind like a song
Oh, Augusta
It’s you that I love
It’s you that I miss when I’m gone

Well, it’s Watson and Byron Nelson
And Demaret, and Player, and Snead
And it’s Amen Corner
It’s Hogan’s perfect swing
It’s Sarazen’s double eagle
At the fifteenth In '35
And the spirit of Clifford Roberts
That keeps it alive

Oh, Augusta
Your dogwoods and pines
They play on my mind like a song
Oh, Augusta
It’s you that I love
It’s you that I miss when I’m gone

It’s the legions of Arnie’s Army
And the Golden Bear’s throne
The wooden-shafted legend of Bobby Jones

You can hear another version of the song with lyrics in our article The Hit Songs of Don Cherry, in which former pro golfer Cherry duets on the song with Willie Nelson.

Dave Loggins, Composer of Masters Theme Music

And who is Dave Loggins? Is he any relation to the more-famous Kenny Loggins? Dave and Kenny are second cousins. So in that way, you might say that the Masters theme song is a cousin to the Caddyshack theme song ("I'm All Right," written and performed by Kenny).

And Dave Loggins is more talented than his schmaltzy Masters theme song Augusta lets on. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1995. He's written for many country music legends, including Kenny Rogers, Wynonna Judd, Reba McIntire and the band Alabama. And, like cousin Kenny, Dave has experienced Top 40 pop success: He's best-known (outside of golf circles, anyway) for the 1974 Top 5 Billboard pop hit Please Come to Boston. You can check out more Dave Loggins music on Amazon.