The room isn't that big, and the oak lockers are small. The furnishings are comfortable but modest.

The Champions Room - located on the second floor of Augusta National's Clubhouse - is unpretentious to most observers.

Only when you stop to look at the brass nameplates do you realize that the men who have entry - the winners of the Masters Tournament - make up one of the most exclusive fraternities in golf.

A plaque on the door leading into the room says it all: Masters Club Room - Private. A guard stands sentry during Masters Week, keeping visitors out.

The room offers the 29 living Masters winners a chance to store their personal effects and to get away from the bustle of the golf tournament. Three card tables, each containing bridge scorepads, fill the middle of the room.

There are only 28 lockers in the small room, so more recent champions share a locker with winners who no longer play or are deceased. For example, 2003 winner Mike Weir (Stats | Bio) shares a locker with 1957 champion Doug Ford.

A display cabinet in the room changes each year to reflect the current champion. The right side of the case contains a picture of the winner and a small placard that details his accomplishment.

The center of the display showcases all of the spoils a Masters winner receives, including a green jacket, a Masters Trophy replica, a gold medal and an inscribed gold locket in the form of the Augusta National emblem.

Other awards and trophies, including those given to the runner-up and the Par-3 Contest winner, also are displayed in the case.

A cushioned bench provides seating, and above it are three framed photographs. On another wall are pictures from past Champions Dinners.

The retreat, formed in 1978, is also a place where the champions can get breakfast or lunch.

Perhaps the best perk of being a champion is the view. A door from the room leads to the veranda and a prime view of Founders Circle and Magnolia Lane.

Reach John Boyette at (706) 823-3337 or john.boyette@augustachronicle.com.