These are the best books about Augusta National and the Masters, according to GOLF.com and GOLF Magazine writers. This list covers nearly everything from the Masters’ historic beginnings to Jack Nicklaus’ 1986 win and more. Each one will certainly enlighten and entertain golf fans.
Making the Masters: Bobby Jones and the Birth of America’s Greatest Golf Tournament, by David Barrett
Author David Barrett embraces Jones, Roberts, the genesis of Augusta and the beginnings of the little golf gathering held there every April. Once again, his blend of narrative and research gives the past real presence.
America’s Gift to Golf: Herbert Warren Wind on The Masters, by Herbert Warren Wind
Stretching from 1954 to 1989, here, finally, are all of Wind’s essential words on the event he brought so much color to, including the two most associated with it: “Amen Corner,” which he coined.
One for the Ages: Jack Nicklaus and the 1986 Masters, Tom Clavin
Author Tom Clavin marks the anniversary of Jack’s 1986 win with a mix of Masters’ history and a re-creation of events, building his retelling of the Nicklaus ascension on contemporary reportage and the recollections of a few key players.
Two Roads to Augusta, by Ben Crenshaw and Carl Jackson
Jackson consoling a victorious Crenshaw at the 1995 Masters just days after the death of Crenshaw’s beloved mentor Harvey Penick is one of golf’s most iconic; so is the abiding relationship between Ben and his Augusta caddie.
Men in Green, by Michael Bamberger
GOLF staffer Michael Bamberger pulls back the curtain and captures golf and Masters legends — Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Hale Irwin and others — as they actually are. Men in Green is as authentic as the Masters itself.
Freddie & Me, by Tripp Bowden
This coming-of-age tale of the first full-time white caddie in the club’s history succeeds on many levels. It’s replete with always entertaining caddie yarns. It’s also a classic tale of a young man and his street-wise mentor.
The Making of the Masters, by David Owen
Author David Owen received access to Augusta National archives and records to tell the story of how the prestigious club, and tournament, came to be. An enlightening look at the club’s early years, founding and beyond.
The Masters: Golf, Money, and Power in Augusta, Georgia, by Curt Sampson
Founder Clifford Roberts, a New York stockbroker, still seems to run the place from his grave, says the author. An elusive and reclusive figure, Roberts pulled the strings that made the Masters the greatest golf tournament in the world.
