THE famous stretch of holes Nos.11, 12 and 13 got the name of Amen Corner in 1958, the year a young Arnold Palmer won the first of his four Green Jackets, but it had been in existence for 25 years.
Herbert Warren Wind, the golf writer for Sports Illustrated who died in 2005 aged 88, came up with the catchy nickname.
He was also was a jazz buff and took the name from a jazz recording, Shoutin’ in That Amen Corner.
The nickname became part of the tournament’s lore.
There are no women members at Augusta National despite strong efforts to force a change.
Augusta’s 300 members are not accustomed to being told what to do. They are a ‘who’s who’ of corporate power and old money, average age 72, and are the guys who tell others what to do.
One member offered this explanation: “We have nothing against women. I love them all. I’ve got some myself. But we’re a private club, and I’m all for it staying that way.”
But women are allowed as guests and play an estimated 1,000 rounds a year.
It isn’t enough that an Augusta member be rich and famous. Better that he be rich and discreet. Membership fees are in the $25,000-$50,000 range and is said that there is a waiting list of about 300.
Augusta National did not admit its first African-American member until 1990, at a time when controversy was erupting over Shoal Creek, an all-white Alabama club where the PGA Championship took place only after it admitted its first black member.
Prize money at The Masters is not trumpeted aloud like at other major tournaments. While total purses invariably increase each year at many other events, it fluctuates at Augusta. In 2001 when Tiger Woods won it was 6,271,230 dollars and 70,000 less the following year. It dropped to €$4,783,274 in 2008 and last year went up to €$5,682,127.
