Augusta National Golf Club
When Bob Jones decided to follow his dream of building a golf course in the early 1930s, his vision was clear. He was looking for a piece of land that would help him make a contribution to the game as well as give expression to his ideas about golf course design. Sever rough would not be incorporated in his course, and hopefully the property would have a natural creek to use as a water hazard.
Jones and an acquaintence, Clifford Roberts, decided the course would be built near Augusta, Ga., if a suitable piece of land could be found. The advice of a mutual friend sent the pair to a 365-acre property called Fruitland Nurseries. Upon seeing the property for the first time, Jones exclaimed, "Perfect! And to think this ground has been lying here all these years waiting for someone to come along and lay a golf course on it!"
Then, as now, the house had three floors, including an 11-foot-by-11-fot cupola with windows on all sides. The house had no kitchen, with cooking done in a separate small building at the southeast corner. Winter heat was provided by numerous fireplaces. Porches completely encircled the first and second floors. The walls of the house were 18 inches thick and were cracked in several places by the Charleston earthquake of 1886. Numerous changes and additions to the house have been made -- the addition of a bachelor wing, suites building, Trophy Room and kitchen in 1946, the construction of the golf shop in 1953 and the building of the grill room in 1962. The Crow's Nest consists of one room with partitions and dividers that create three cubicles with one bed each and one cubicle with two beds. There is also a full bathroom and an additional sink. Placed throughout the Crow's Nest are books on golf, and lining the walls are photos and sketches depicting past Masters and other golfing scenes.
Augusta National hole-by-hole guide Front Nine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Back Nine 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Amen Corner
The name Amen Corner refers to holes 11, 12 and 13. The name "Amen Corner" was coined in 1958 by sportswriter Herbert Warren Wind, who wrote that it was composed of the second half of hole No. 11, hole No. 12 and the first half of hole No. 13. Wind was searching for an appropriate name for the location where the critical action had taken place that year. He borrowed the name from an old jazz recording Shouting at Amen Corner. Rae's Creek
Named after John Rae, who died in 1789, Rae's Creek runs in front of the No. 12 green, has a tributary evident at the No. 13 tee and flows at the back of the 11th green. It was Rae's house which was the farthest fortress up the Savannah River from Fort Augusta. The house kept residents safe during Indian attacks when the fort was out of reach. The Clubhouse
The building which was to become the clubhouse was constructed in 1854 by the owner of the then indigo plantation, Dennis Redmond. It was later used as the home of Baron Berckmans, and is considered the first cement house constructed in the South. Ike's Pond
It was during his second visit to Augusta National that General Dwight D. Eisenhower walked through the woods on the eastern part of the club's property. Upon his return, he informed Clifford Roberts that he had found a perfect place to build a dam if the Club ever wanted to have a fish pond. Ike's Pond was promptly built and named, and the dam was located exactly where Ike suggested it should be placed after the construction engineer concurred on its location. The Pond occupies three acres and is fed by a spring. Crow's Nest
Available for amateurs wishing to be housed there during the Masters Tournament, the Crow's Nest provides living space for up to five people. Rising from the approximately 30-foot-by-40-foot room is an 11-foot-square cupola which features two windows on either side and can be reached only by ladder.
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