Every year at about this time, the world of golf converges on a sleepy Southern town for a tournament called The Masters. Many have wondered why the tournament was held in Augusta as well as how the event began drawing the world’s best golfers.
Stan Byrdy, longtime Augusta resident and historian, has written two books and a documentary on the subject. Currently, Byrdy’s documentary Augusta’s Master Plan: From Sherman’s March to Arnie’s Army is airing on Georgia Public Broadcasting just in time for the tournament this weekend.
Bruce Burkhardt, executive producer of the project, was shocked by how much more there was to the story.
"How did one of the world’s premier sporting events wind up in Augusta, Ga.?" Burkhardt asked. "The answer, it turns out, was much more complicated and fascinating than I ever dreamed."
In a recent interview with Score Atlanta, Byrdy discussed his motivation for making the documentary.
"I’ve lived in Augusta for 25 years and it’s just a labor of love," explained Byrdy. "For the past 10 years, I’ve done solid research and spent a lot of time just going through photographs and archives and bits of stories that I’ve heard over the years and getting touch with contacts that I’ve established for the quarter of a century that I’ve been in Augusta… I was smitten by the history of the project my first week in Augusta."
NORTHERN INFLUENCE IN SOUTHERN CITY …
The piece does not just talk about the actual tournament but the history of the city as well, going back to the Civil War when Union General William T. Sherman spared the city on his way to the coast. After the war, Augusta attempted to lure industry to the area with the Augusta National Exposition and was rewarded with Northern attention over the next few years.
Well off Northerners began travelling and even wintering in Augusta spawning ritzy hotels and resorts for travelers. From there, more prestigious guests began to arrive.
"We had grand hotels and presidents, the powerful, the film industry, the Rockefellers would vacation here in the wintertime and Ty Cobb had a home here and brought the Detroit Tigers to Spring Training there in 1925-26," said Byrdy.
Byrdy also mentioned how legendary golfer and Masters godfather Bobby Jones did not necessarily choose Augusta as being worthy of hosting the tournament instead of the city drawing Jones to her.
"Augusta picked Bobby Jones, Bobby Jones didn’t pick Augusta," said Byrdy. "Augusta had the framework already in place. The infrastructure was there. The most powerful people in the country, the richest people, were vacationing there."
"It was a natural transition for Bobby Jones. He came back to Augusta (after winning a tournament at Forest Hills, Augusta’s first golf course) and built his dream golf course."
MAKING THE MASTERS …
Before bringing a major tournament to Augusta, Jones and the townsfolk needed to erect a top-notch course. None other than Alister McKenizie, one of the greatest course architects of the time, was brought in to design the club’s golf course.
"Alister McKenzie was a tremendous visionary," explains Byrdy. "He built the course in 76 working days, a very short amount of time, and for just $100,000."
After erecting the course in 1933, the Masters was first held there the following year and has been ever since.
The documentary will air on GPB this Friday at 10 p.m. and then again on Saturday at 4 p.m.
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