Warren Buffett Named 'Worst' Member In Augusta National History

Originally posted on The Spun | By Tzvi Machlin | Last updated Apr 8, 2026 5:55 PM ET

This weekend the Masters will serve as a showcase of the greatest golfers in the world and even some of the sport's legends. One man who probably never had a chance at competing despite being a member of the Augusta National Golf Club is billionaire Warren Buffett.

By his own admission, Buffett is the worst golfer that the prestigious and exclusive golf club has EVER had. He once revealed on an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show that his best-ever score was a paltry 89 and that he boasts the highest handicap of member that the club has ever had.

"I actually have a membership, but I'm the highest handicapped member they've ever had," Buffett said in 2018.

"I think (my best round) was probably an 89. That's my best memory, but it's a long time ago."

There are only ~300 members of Augusta National Golf Club.

Warren Buffett is one. He doesn’t go to many Masters ans says he’s the “highest handicap member” at the course (his best round is 89).

Bill Gates is another member and Buffett lost $5,500 when Gates hit a hole-in-one. pic.twitter.com/yNaC8a4ACe
— Trung Phan (@TrungTPhan) April 7, 2026

To put that mark of 89 into perspective, his best round of golf is one stroke better than the absolute worst score that Nick Dunlap put up in the 2025 Masters. Dunlap was a 21-year-old amateur at the time and recovered from that brutal performance with a 19-stroke improvement the very next day.

Suffice it to say, Buffett is no pro.

Buffett Time

Warren Buffett is, however, one of the most respected businessmen of the 21st century. He began his career running investment partnerships in the 1950s before taking control of Berkshire Hathaway in the mid-1960s, transforming it into a diversified holding company. Buffett built Berkshire into a conglomerate with major holdings in insurance (including GEICO), railroads (BNSF), energy, manufacturing, and large equity stakes in companies such as Coca-Cola and Apple.

Often called the “Oracle of Omaha,” Buffett is known for his long-term investment approach, emphasis on strong management teams, and straightforward communication style in his annual shareholder letters. Under his leadership, Berkshire Hathaway delivered extraordinary long-term returns, dramatically outperforming the broader stock market over decades. Beyond investing, Buffett has also become one of the world’s most prominent philanthropists, pledging to give away the majority of his fortune and helping launch The Giving Pledge alongside Bill and Melinda Gates to encourage billionaires to commit most of their wealth to charitable causes.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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