“I
shall never forget my first visit to the property which is now Augusta
National. The long lane of magnolias through which we approached was
beautiful. The old manor house with its cupola and walls of masonry two
feet thick was charming. The rare trees and shrubs of the old nursery
were enchanting. But when I walked out on the grass terrace under the
big trees behind the house and looked down over the property, the
experience was unforgettable. It seemed that this land had been lying
here for years just waiting for someone to lay a golf course upon it.”
— Bobby Jones from Golf Is My GameGlance
down the tight confines of Magnolia Lane today and you understand the
first view Bobby Jones had of the Clubhouse that rests at the far end, a
welcoming haven in bright white topped by gray.
Get closer and a
line of patrons waits adjacent to the Founders Circle lawn to have
their photo taken in front of the bed of pansies shaped like the Masters
Tournament logo, with the Clubhouse’s main entrance centered in the
background.
Go
farther to the back lawn, where Jones first viewed the vast potential
for a golf course in 1930, and stand under the large live oak trees that
offer cover for golf’s various players, leadership and media each
spring. The back porch sits just behind, providing an entryway to dining
spaces, resting places and famous locker rooms and accommodations.
So
dear is the iconic Clubhouse to the Masters aura that when a new
Masters champion is crowned next Sunday, he literally takes the
Clubhouse home with him. The permanent Masters Trophy, weighing 100
pounds and with the champion and runner-up’s name etched on a silver
band, remains here. A smaller version, weighing 20 pounds, goes home
with the champion as a permanent keepsake. Each trophy is handcrafted to
scale, from the structure’s shutters and window frames to the delicate
railings bordering the veranda.
“It’s
not the most elaborate clubhouse,” said three-time Masters champion
Gary Player, who first came to Augusta National in 1957, as he stood on
the back lawn this week. “But the ambiance and history attached to it is
unparalleled. I actually prefer a clubhouse of this nature, instead of
something that is much larger and grandiose. It has a tremendous amount
of character.
“I still get chills here and continue to get out of
my car when I first drive up Magnolia Lane and then take that walk to
the Clubhouse, cherishing that I’ve been here all these years.”
For
all of these reasons, Augusta National’s Clubhouse has long been
considered one of the most iconic in golf and possibly the most historic
piece on site that resembles its original look, even among the natural
growth of similarly aged trees. It is also one of the oldest,
originating as a home built in 1854 and surviving more than 160 years
that have included the Civil War, World Wars I and II, expansion around
its periphery, extreme weather occurrences and even a powerful movement
that on a few occasions called for a completely new structure to be
constructed.
The
house that 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 (thus neighboring Berckmans Road) and his
family.
The house is considered to be the first cement house
constructed in the South. The concrete, or “artificial rock,” with walls
18 inches thick, was made from lime obtained from a nearby source, with
the gravel and sand originating from the property. The walls were
durable enough to withstand the 1886 Charleston, S.C., earthquake, even
though there were some cracks. The house had three floors, including an
11-by-11 cupola with windows on all sides. The ground floor was used for
storage and lounging, while the upper floor was suitable for
accommodations. The building lacked a kitchen, but numerous fireplaces
were built for winter usage and porches completely encircled the first
and second floors.
A book called A Manual of the House
Architecture published in 1859 featured an extensive piece on “How to
Build Country Houses and Out-Buildings” with the “Fruitland Cottage”
detailed in a story and drawings. Redmond, who also served as the editor
of another publication, The Southern Cultivator, was instrumental in
developing the article. Two copies of the red-covered, small book are
owned by Augusta National, one of which is shown in a presentation in
the current Clubhouse.
Most
thought the Manor House wasn’t sufficient to work as the gathering spot
for initial Club members in the early 1930s. A display within the
Clubhouse alongside the book shows letters and the plans that founder
Clifford Roberts and architects were pursuing, with the focus on a
Southern-style architectural design that is stereotypical of larger
homes built around the South in the early 20th century with large
columns at the entrance point. Early maps of the grounds had an area
entitled, “Site for a Clubhouse.”
A decision was made to focus on
the perfection of the Alister MacKenzie golf course instead of other
parts of the Club. Still, there were thoughts of building a new
Clubhouse through the 1940s. However, before World War II, the original
Clubhouse was renovated.
Numerous changes and additions have been
made, most notably a bachelor wing, suites building, Trophy Room and
kitchen in 1946; a separate golf shop in 1953; the building of the Grill
Room in 1962; and the addition of the Founders Room in 2014. The attic
under the cupola was converted into sleeping quarters, called the Crow’s
Nest, to become the first overnight lodging available on the grounds
just after World War II.
Last
year, some work was completed on the Clubhouse that enhanced the
Champions Locker Room and revealed some of the original flooring and
fireplaces throughout.
One of the noteworthy upgrades included
replacing flooring from the 1930s, with the new surface taken from pines
that once stood on the grounds at Augusta National. The naked eye can’t
tell a difference, but for the cornerstone of the property, it was the
continuation of a historic legacy.
