The Most Exciting Week in Golf: Masters Week

Augusta National's famous Magnolia Lane, the driveway leading to the clubhouse. It is surrounded on both sides by sixty magnolia trees planted by the original owner of the property, Louis Berckmans, in the late 1850s.

This Monday kicks off what many in golf call "The Most Exciting Week in Golf." About a two-hour drive directly east of Atlanta and just outside of South Carolina lies arguably the most hollowed grounds in golf: Augusta National Golf Club, home of The Masters Tournament, one of golf's four major championships.

Masters week holds a very special place in my heart. My uncle, Eric Rebmann, having just graduated from the University of Tennessee, finished as the runner-up in the 1987 U.S. Amateur which gave him an invite to play in the 1988 Masters Tournament. My father took time off of school and caddied for him in both events. While Uncle Eric missed the cut by five strokes that year, the opportunity to play in such esteemed company and on such a historic golf course is the crown jewel of the Rebmann family golf story.

A Brief History

Augusta National Golf Club was founded by two men: Robert Tyre Jones Jr., a 13-time major champion and Atlanta lawyer better known as "Bobby" Jones, and Clifford Roberts, a Wall Street investment banker. The two bought the Fruitland Nursery in 1930 and called on renowned course designer Alister MacKenzie to assist Jones in the architecture of the golf course, which opened for play in 1933.

The first Masters Tournament, originally called the "Augusta National Invitational," was played in 1934, with Horton Smith being crowned champion. The Masters Tournament moniker was first used in 1939. The winner of the tournament has been awarded with the distinct green jacket since 1949.

The Masters event was not played from 1943 to 1945 due to World War II, and Jones gave the U.S. permission to raise livestock on course grounds while serving overseas in the Army Air Forces as a lieutenant colonel working in both intelligence and POW interrogation.

Traditions Abound

The greatest aspect of Augusta National Golf Club is its deep-rooted respect for its history and tradition. Much of this is owed to Bobby Jones, who had a widely-known reputation of being a champion of sportsmanship, etiquette, and the traditions of the game.

Augusta National has great admiration for the people who are a part of its history and helped to develop the lore of The Masters Tournament and the club itself.

The creek which runs in Amen Corner, the southeastern section of the course which houses the par-four 11th green, par-three 12th hole, and par-five 13th tee box, is called Rae's Creek after the name of the owner of the property in the late 1700s.

The Hogan Bridge on the 12th hole which goes over the creek is named after the 1951 and 1953 Masters champion Ben Hogan while the Nelson Bridge on the 13th hole is named after 1937 and 1942 champion Byron Nelson. A third bridge, the Sarazen bridge, crosses the pond in front of the par-five 15th green and is named after 1935 champion Gene Sarazen, who recorded a double eagle (scoring a two) in his famous "Shot Heard Around the World."

Dwight Eisenhower, the Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe during World War II and the 34th President of the United States, was a member of the club during his presidency and in his later life. The Eisenhower Tree, on the left side of the 17th hole and taken out in 2014 after damage from an ice storm, was named such because Eisenhower hit the tree frequently with his drive when playing the 17th hole. Ike's Pond was named after him when he proposed that the club put in a dam for a fishing pond. The pond is in the exact location that Eisenhower suggested.

Controversy

Augusta National's never-ending defense of history and tradition has generated a great deal of controversy over the years.

The quote "As long as I am alive, all of the golfers will be white and all of the caddies will be black" is often attributed to the club's co-founder Clifford Roberts. Indeed, this has been the case for most of the club's history.

The first white caddies arrived at Augusta National in 1959, although the first African-Americans were not admitted to the club until 1990, after racist comments were made by the founder of Shoal Creek Country Club in Alabama in the same year.

Women were not granted membership at the club either until 2012, although Augusta National defended this stance by saying that female guests and spouses of members were allowed to play. Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and businesswoman Darla Moore were invited to join as the first female members.

Augusta National has defended its policies over the years by stating its status as a private club gave it the right to establish its rules and parameters for membership. While their right to do so is undeniable, it is wonderful to see that the club is rectifying the mistakes of its past.



To follow live scoring for this year's Masters Tournament, visit masters.com.

For a list of past Masters Tournament winners, click here.