To mark the start of the Masters Golf Tournament at Augusta today, we round-up the best places to tee off.

For golfers all over the world, the Masters Golf Tournament at Augusta (which begins today) marks the official opening of the season. As memories fade of winter golf with its muddy fairways and bitter temperatures, all eyes turn to Georgia, where the world’s best players assemble to take on a course that is manicured to perfection.

While the course at Augusta – with its lightning-fast greens, emerald fairways and exotic flora and fauna – will be instantly familiar to those who follow the tournament on television each April, it remains inaccessible to all but a very privileged few. The club has just 300 members and membership is by invitation-only, which means unless you are a good enough a player to qualify for the Masters or have some seriously powerful friends, you are extremely unlikely to ever play it.

Luckily, there are many other ways for golfing mortals to enjoy parts of the rich history of The Masters. Here are nine courses you can play, and that are all, in their own ways, woven into the tapestry of Augusta.

Leeds, UK

Augusta National, the home of the Masters, was designed by Dr Alister MacKenzie, although the British golf course architect died before seeing his work come to fruition, and before receiving payment in full. Mr MacKenzie was an expert in military camouflage, the principles of which he later adapted in his course design practice. Alwoodley Golf Club, a picturesque heathland course in his native Yorkshire, England, was one of his first creations.

St Andrews, UK

At first glance, the Old Course at St Andrews, aka The Home of Golf, and Augusta National could not be more different – one is flat, exposed and shaped by time and the elements; the other is hilly, tree-lined and has become a by-word for cosmetic enhancement. But the original vision of Augusta founder Mr Bobby Jones was for his course to share many of characteristics of the ancient Scottish links upon where he enjoyed some of his finest moments as a player.

Atlanta, Georgia, US

Augusta National may be the greatest legacy of Mr Bobby Jones, but East Lake is where the amateur golfer learnt to play the game, aged six – and where he played his last ever round in 1948. Mr Jones became the US’s most famous sportsman when he won an unprecedented Grand Slam (all the sport’s four major titles) in 1930, and today East Lake’s clubhouse is a shrine to the life and career of the golfer, while his original club locker is on display in the club shop.

Paarl, South Africa

No player has won the Masters more than Mr Jack Nicklaus, who famously donned the champion’s green jacket on six occasions. The most successful golfer in history has been involved in the design of no less than 365 courses worldwide, including this gem in the wine country of Franschoek Valley, a short drive from Cape Town. Pearl Valley is rated as one of the finest courses in South Africa, and is consistently one of its best maintained.

Pedreña, Spain

In 1980, Mr Severiano Ballesteros became the first European to win The Masters. Born in Pedreña, a fishing village on the outskirts of Santander, the dashing Spaniard was the youngest of five brothers, four of whom became professional golfers. Mr Ballesteros honed his skills on the local beach where he hit pebbles with a rusty head of a three iron tied to a stick before scaling the wall to this tree-lined course, and practising when the members were not looking.

Doonbeg, Ireland

The Masters is renowned for its drama and few players have generated more over the years than Mr Greg Norman, the swaggering Australian known as the Great White Shark. Mr Norman finished second on three occasions, and famously squandered numerous chances to win, including a six-shot lead going into the final round in 1996. The CEO of a multi-national conglomerate of companies, Mr Norman’s empire includes a golf course design business, which created Doonbeg, a stunning Irish links course now owned by President Donald Trump.

Long Beach, California, US

Although injury will again prevent him from playing in the Masters, Mr Tiger Woods, a four-time winner, remains synonymous with the event. This popular municipal par-three course might only stretch to 2,143 yards compared to the 7,435 yards of Augusta, but it does have one advantage: it’s floodlit, meaning it can be played at night. It is also where Mr Woods developed his considerable talent as a child: in the clubhouse hangs a framed scorecard from 27 August 1980, when the four-year-old phenom recorded his first ever birdie on the 91-yard third hole.

Ocala, Florida, US

Many courses across the world have copied holes from Augusta National, including those from its most celebrated stretch — 11, 12 and 13, known as Amen Corner. Golden Acala includes no less than eight “tribute” holes borrowed from some of the most famous courses in the world, including its par-3 11th, a faithful copy of Augusta’s 12th hole, where many famous players have come to grief over the years, and its par-5 12th, which is a facsimile of the 13th hole, complete with a creek running down the left side of the fairway and guarding the front of the green.

Black Rock, Australia

Dr Alister MacKenzie designed Augusta National and Cypress Point, California, both of which are guaranteed to be at the top of any golfer’s bucket list – and both of which are virtually impossible for the average golfer to play (unless you’re invited by a member). Fortunately, the West Course at Royal Melbourne Golf Club, which ranks as one of Dr Mackenzie’s other great masterpieces, is slightly more accessible. Built on rolling sand-belt land, it is consistently ranked in the top-100 courses in the world.

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