Augusta National Golf Club: Here's a look inside golf's most famous clubhouse

The Augusta National clubhouse was built in 1854 to serve as the home of indigo plantation owner Dennis Redmond.

The three-story building is believed to be the first concrete house built in the South. The walls were 18 inches thick, but several cracks were evident after a large earthquake centered in Charleston, S.C., in the late 1800s.

From the veranda, you can peer down Magnolia Lane and overlook Founders Circle, which pays tribute to Masters Tournament co-founders Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts. On the inside, the permanent Masters Trophy and an oil painting by President Dwight D. Eisenhower are some of the golf treasures that fill the well-appointed rooms.

Several changes have been made to the structure in the eight decades since Jones bought the property. Those include the addition of the Trophy Room and kitchen in 1946, construction of the golf pro shop in 1953 and the addition of a Grill Room in 1962. The Grill Room and locker room were remodeled in 2003.

ALSO: Landmarks at Augusta National Golf Club

AND: 25 Fun Facts about the Masters Tournament

Here's a look inside:

The Library

Climb the spiral staircase from the entry and you’ll wind up in the library, which is filled with golf books and cases devoted to Jones, Roberts and Eisenhower.

A bronze sculpture of Jones (A) is one of the more prominent items in the room. The annual Champions Dinner is held here the Tuesday night of Masters Week. Double doors lead to the wrap-around veranda, which offers views of the golf course.

Eisenhower became an Augusta National member in 1948 at the urging of Roberts, and he made 45 visits to the club. A desk (B) that was once used by Eisenhower can be found in the library, and on it is a figure of a hand that is The Right Hand of Lincoln. The inscription says: "To Clifford Roberts, with deep appreciation, Pat and Dick Nixon, November 1960."

A hallway between the library and the Champions Locker Room contains a full-service bar and an unusual artifact: the Royal and Ancient Membership Ballot Box. A gift from St. Andrews, the box was designed as a voting device for prospective club members. Legend has it that it has never been used at Augusta National.

The Trophy Room

This is the place to be after the tournament is over: The Masters winner traditionally has dinner with club members Sunday night. Located to the right of the clubhouse entry (golf course side), the room contains some of golf's most unique artifacts.

The art collection Busts of Bobby Jones (A) and Clifford Roberts (E) and portraits of Jones (B), Roberts (D) and President Dwight D. Eisenhower (C) remind those who dine in the Trophy Room of the club’s history. Legend has it that no matter where you stand in the room, the eyes on the paintings follow you.

(1) One window display contains 11 clubs that Bobby Jones used to win the Grand Slam in 1930. The 12th club is Jones’ famous putter, Calamity Jane ( the one he used until 1924).

(2) A similar case on the other side of the marble fireplace holds clubs from a who’s who of Masters champions, including the 4-wood and ball that Gene Sarazen used to make his double eagle on No. 15 in 1935.

The Grill Room

Players often get a quick bite before hitting the course, particularly during the practice rounds. And why not? From burgers grilled to perfection with thick-cut fries to the club's signature dessert, peach cobbler, the food is always good.

(A) Winners' clubs: The room has views of the first fairway and a display of clubs that includes the wedge Larry Mize used for his chip-in in 1987, the driver Tiger Woods used in 1997, and the 8-iron Phil Mickelson used to set up his winning birdie in 2004.

(B) A huge bar, featuring a painting of the 13th hole, greets visitors as they enter the room from the locker area.

The Champions Locker Room

Perhaps the most famous room in the clubhouse, the Champions Locker Room is home to the most exclusive fraternity in golf: Masters winners. The centerpiece of the room is a display case (A) that shows off all the spoils received by a Masters winner including a green jacket and sterling replica of the Masters Trophy. The case also contains other awards competitors earn during the tournament.

A plaque on the door leading into the room says it all: Masters Club Room - Private.

The retreat was formed in 1978, and it offers its members a place to store their personal effects and also a place to get a bite to eat for breakfast or lunch.

Twenty-eight oak lockers with brass nameplates (typically two players share a locker; e.g., Tiger Woods and Jack Burke Jr.) line the room.

Three card tables with comfortable club chairs fill the room, but the view off the adjoining veranda can't be beat: Magnolia Lane and the Founders Circle.

The Crow's Nest

No one will ever confuse it with a luxury hotel, but for the amateurs who stay here during Masters Week, the experience is priceless. As one of the longest-running traditions at the tournament, the five amateurs who make the field can sleep at the top of the clubhouse and enjoy the close proximity to golf history because the 30-by-40-foot room sits above the Champions Locker Room and the library. Jack Nicklaus, Ben Crenshaw and Tiger Woods are among the players who stayed in the Crow's Nest as amateurs and went on to win the Masters.

(A) Partitions divide the room into four cubicles. Three have space for a single bed and one has two beds. One full bathroom and an extra sink round out the accommodations.

The spartan furnishings include a game table, sofa and chairs, and a television.

The room is named for its 11-foot-square cupola. The cupola provides views in any direction and can be reached only by ladder. Pictures of famous amateurs who have played in the Masters, including Jones, Arnold Palmer and Billy Joe Patton, line the walls. No amateur has ever won the Masters, but you can bet that plenty have dreamed of glory while sleeping in the Crow's Nest.