People watching The Masters have no doubt noticed the announcer on the first tee at Augusta National Golf Club saying “fore please.” Some people might not think anything of it, but it's undeniably different. On the PGA Tour and at the other three major championships, you'll hear some variation of "Now driving, [insert a list of accolades]," then the name of the player. But at the Masters, it's simply "fore please," then the player's name driving. Why is that, though?
As with many things at the Masters, we're talking about a tradition that's become engrained with the event itself. And as with any tradition, there are origins that we can trace all the way back to the 1940s and, just like keeping cell phones off the course at Augusta, the white coveralls for caddies and so much more, it's stuck around through the years of the Masters Tournament.
Why do they say fore please at The Masters?
The “fore please” phrasing and simple introduction is a tradition dating back to 1948. That’s when Phil Harison, an August National member, became to first-tee starter. He was the one who coined the phrase.
In golf, “fore” is used to draw attention to a player who is about to hit. So, Harison used “fore please” to get the attention of anyone in the vicinity. He then announced the name of the competitor with no frills or accolades accompanying it.
The tradition has now stuck with the tournament for well over a half century, and with a new first-tee announcer now making the "fore please" call.
That’s why he says, “Fore please, Tiger Woods now driving,” and leaves it at that instead of listing off accomplishments or accolades.
Now, instead of being a throw-away phrase, the introduction is a recognizable feature of The Masters. It sets the tone for a great day of competition for each golfer. This iconic introduction really sets the tone for perhaps the sternest test in the sport. Augusta National doesn't care who you are, where you come from, or what you've done before — it only cares how well you golf over the course of the next 72 holes at the Masters Tournament.
And "fore please" makes that clear right from the first tee shot.
Who is the first tee announcer at the Masters?
Toby Wilt, a member at Augusta National Golf Club, took over for Harrison in 2008 and became the first-tee announcer now saying "fore please" at the Masters. However, Wilt is more than just the man with the microphone ahead of the daunting test of major championship golf. He's actually quite an accomplished businessman and golfer in his own right.
In the business world, Wilt is on a multitude of corporate boards, but his primary role is as the president of the TSW Investment Company. He's also on the letterhead of Christie Cookie Company and CapStar Bank. But if you're talking about golf, he has his footprint there as well.
Wilt played on the Vanderbilt Commodores football and golf teams in the 1960s, and has stayed loyally tied to the program since. He has a scholarship offered to the university that is for football or golf, and that has been given to PGA Tour pros like Luke List and Brandt Snedeker in the past. He has also been inducted into the Tennessee Golf Hall of Fame, as well as Vanderbilt's hall for athletics as well.
And if that weren't enough, his grandson, also named Toby Wilt, won the Texas Amateur in 2025.
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