You are in for an amazing time!  I went several years ago to a practice round - one of the best golf experiences ever.  To help your specific questions:

1) Get there around 6:00 AM or earlier to get a close spot in the parking lot and to "claim" your spot for the day.

2) Once you claim your spot, leave something there and that becomes your spot for the day.  You can walk around and see the course, and your seat will be there when you return.  Bring your best walking shoes - the course is VERY hilly.  

3) I am not sure about being able to get your photo in front of the clubhouse on Saturday.  No cameras are allowed on premises during the tournament.  Practice rounds, yes.  Tournament rounds, no.

4) The souvenir shop is incredible.  The prices are very reasonable and they will ship your goods back home to you so you do not have to carry them around the course.  You will be very pleased with what you will find.  Lots of jerseys, hats, and accessories.  

Have a great trip!

You will have an awesome time however the parking lots for the tournament part of the week you need a special pass to park on property.  The shops are amazing just very pricey but you can't buy most of the stuff off of grounds so take lots of money.  Cameras won't be alo your grounds for tournament days either.  They r very strict about there rules there, I have been 7 times I used to live in north Augusta which is only 15 min from the course.  It will be packed especially on a Sunday.  Having said all that enjoy it bc some people never get to experience that course, nobody understands how that course really is, TV does not do it justice.

Hi Kirk:

I got a chance to go last year for the first time and it was worth the wait.

I would make sure you get to the course by 7:30.  As you might imagine, it gets busy early

You should have plenty of room to walk around with the obvious issues with the popular groups being crowded

I was not able to get my picture taken in front of the clubhouse.  I tried twice and the line was well over 30 minutes

The souvenir prices are high.  Nice shirts will run you $100 or more but it was certainly worth it.  The funny part is the concession prices for food and drinks are ridiculously low.

I also stayed in Aiken at the Fairfield inn and it was very convenient.  Traffic even at high times was moving fairly well.

I cannot say enough about what a great experience it was.  Place is absolutely amazing.

Enjoy,

Hi Kirk,

While I have absolutely no advise for you I can say that I'm extremely jealous, and that I wish you the best.  I've known two people that have been, and one even brought me back a hat which I wear all the time (Thanks!).  The Masters is the coolest thing ever, and if I was in your shoes I'd never sell those tickets.  Congratulations and be sure to share your experience when you get back!

I have tickets to the Wednesday practice round and par3 contest and i cannot wait to go! I honestly do not understand why anybody would sell their tickets. I got mine from a guy i know that won them in the lottery and didn't want to use them.... Can you believe that???

Congrats on getting tickets! you are going to have a great day.  You should check out the masters website there is plenty of great info on there about times, parking and other patron info.  Walking around the course and checking out the different holes was one of the best parts, amen corner was amazing and as long as you aren't trying to follow the leaders, the crowds aren't too bad.  The souvenir prices aren't to bad, but the food and beverage prices are amazingly low.  You will have a great time! 

Ho-hummmmm...so jealous.  Hope you have a great time at the Masters.  How do you get to enter those drawings, can anyone enter?  

I hope to check that off my list some day - Have fun !

Just got word that we are skipping a day from our Myrtle Beach golfcation to head to the practice round on Monday for The Masters.  Never been so really looking forward to going.  I will be proudly sporting my Team Titleist polo I received a few weeks back.