[.ca] The Making of the Masters: Clifford Roberts, Augusta ... (ISBN 0684867516)

From Amazon.com:
Analyzing the legend and lore of golf's most celebrated tournament has become something of a cottage industry of late, but Owen, who displayed his personal golfing affections, frustrations, and obsessions so marvelously in My Usual Game, now goes where his competition hasn't gained access: to the source--via access to Augusta National's archives, records, and membership. The result is a sympathetic, yet still critical and complex portrait of the club and its founder, Clifford Roberts, to whom golf history has not been particularly kind. Indeed, for better--and for worse--Roberts and Augusta remain linked throughout what is essentially a volume that weaves biography with social history played against a sporting canvas. Naturally, finance, ego, Bobby Jones, television, and President Eisenhower figure into the tale, but Eisenhower's not the only leader of the free world to use the club's exclusivity to his benefit; Owen uncovers the delicious bit that Ronald Reagan and George Schultz helped finalize the invasion of Grenada there. Of course, there is also some great golf. Augusta National would be just another golf club with a fancy pedigree and history of exclusion were it not for the remarkable tournament that it hosts every year. Owen, a graceful writer, tees up plenty of detail and anecdote in a hole-by-hole tour of the track, lined with perspective. Owen explains, If the Masters seems older than it is, that's largely because the tournament, alone among the majors, is conducted year after year on the same course. Every important shot is played against a backdrop that consists of every other important shot, all the way back to 1934. Every key drive, approach, chip, and putt is footnoted and cross-referenced across decades of championship play. Every swing--good or bad--has a context. The context that Owen provides makes The Making of the Masters as indispensable as a hot putter. --Jeff Silverman

book:
This was a great book. I read it in record time for me, just under a week. The pictures are great. I thouroughly enjoyed it.

Well- researched and a pleasure to read:
This tells you all you need to know about the history of the club and the tournament. It is well-researched and easy to read. I recommend it highly.

The Fat Rich Guys At Augusta Can Buy Anything:
Apparently, when Curt Sampson, a highly-regarded and critically acclaimed author, penned his book about The Masters, it ticked off the members there even more so than did Martha Burk. David Owen is a journeyman writer who hacks a column for one of the golf magazines. He was paid by Augusta National to write a rebuttal to Sampson's book. A big deal was made of the fact that Owen was given "exclusive access" to club archives. All is sweetness, light and goodness among the azaleas and loblolly pines, heaven knows. Owen even goes so far as to negatively mention Sampson's work by name (tacky). If you don't smell the odor of rotten eggs by now, you probably think Hootie Johnson is an intellectual and a feminist at heart. (Hootie, if you had just thrown the letter away, you could have avoided this whole mess! That was flat-out dumb.) However, maybe Mr. Owen will get to write another book with exclusive access to Augusta's archives, regarding their valiant efforts to find a female member. Remember your integrity, David - that means once you're bought, you stay bought. Advice: unless you're a member at Augusta National, don't waste your time and money on this drivel.

Outstaning .....I could not put it down:
This is not a book about golf. It is the outstanding history of a national treasure it's people and how it almost went bankrupt, and was saved by the dedication and love of Clifford Roberts. The book is of history, business, caring, commitement and amazing dedication. If Clifford Roberts were alive today, people would beg him to give motivational talks, but he would turn down all offers. He was a very private man who influenced the lives U.S. Presidents. Clifford was a skin flint who for no reason would hire the poor friend or relative of a kitchen worker or on hearing that a greens keepers wife was ill, borrowed a members private jet to fly her to his doctor for tratment. He was a complex yet simple man. WARNING, if you start reading this book do so on a Friday night when you don't have anything planned on the weekend as you won't be able to put it down.

A great read:
This book is a must read for Masters' fans. The history of the area as well as to golf club itself adds to the enjoyment. I read it in 2000 when we first obtained Practice Round tickets. When we were lucky enough to get tickets again in 2004, I purchased a copy for the reading pleasure of the folks who went along on the trip. All enjoyed the read and it prompted a lot of discussion on the car trip to Augusta. Is it slanted in favor of the club? Maybe, but how many authors are truly unbiased?