Can you hear the music?
It’s Masters week, which means that numbing theme will be rattling in your head. So be it.
The great thing about the Masters is that it always produces great stories. One of the best is chronicled in an excellent new book: Two Roads to Augusta.
Written by Ben Crenshaw and Carl Jackson, with assistance from Melanie Hauser, it details perhaps the most unique relationship in golf.
In 1976, players had to use Augusta National caddies during the Masters. A young Crenshaw hooked up with Jackson, who started looping at the club in 1958.
They formed a tight bond. Even when the Masters allowed players to use their own caddies, Crenshaw stuck with Jackson. Jackson was on the bag when Crenshaw won in 1984 and then again in 1995. His second Green Jacket was straight out of Hollywood, occurring the week his coach and mentor, Harvey Penick, died.
In a Q/A, Hauser reflects on that unique relationship and recalls that memorable Masters:
How did this book come about?
It was always intriguing how two men from such different backgrounds had such a feel and a passion — and incredible knowledge — for Augusta National. They learned it apart and together when, on a hunch, Augusta National members Jack Stephens and John Griffith decided they would make a good team. Now, 42 years, 2 Masters wins and a half dozen close calls later, it was time to tell their stories. Ben and I both went to UT and have known each other our entire professional careers and I have known Carl since 1984 and covered all their Masters. In addition, I had collaborated with Ben on his autobiography — A Feel For The Game: To Brookline and Back — in 2000 and it was a natural.
For those with short memories, why was that tournament so memorable?
Oh my. It was an amazing magical week that was book-ended by two emotional tear-jerking moments. Frail as he was, Harvey Penick had given Ben a putting lesson the week before New Orleans. Harvey was failing and everyone always left wondering if it would be the last time they saw him. A week later, Ben and Julie were having dinner at Augusta National when Christy Kite, Tom’s wife, got a message to them the Harvey had died. Ben and Tom both flew to Austin and back the Wednesday of Masters week to attend the funeral and everyone wondered how Harvey’s death would affect them. Ben had come to Augusta, as he had so often, struggling with his game, but Carl saw something Monday afternoon and told him Tuesday on the range. That changed everything.
Ben had a different look in his eye after that, one his father and brother saw at Harvey’s funeral. The rest of the week? It was filled with Harvey bounces, incredible putts and an incredible focus. It was the best Ben ever struck the ball and he didn’t three-putt once on his way to a second green jacket. He collapsed, sobbing when the final putt fell and Carl steadied him. It’s become one of iconic photos from the majors. Ben felt Harvey guiding him all week and . . . well, you’ve have to read the book to find out everything else.
What struck you about the relationship between Crenshaw and Jackson? What makes Jackson so unique?
The best way to put it is they are soul mates at Augusta. They both know that course better than just about anyone this side of Bobby Jones and it’s almost like it’s a part of them. It sounds strange, but when there is such passion when they talk about the course. There’s an amazing love there too. One day when we were working, I talked to each one separately and they both cried when they talked about what they meant to each other and what they had accomplished together. That says it all.
And Carl? He grew up in abject poverty, dropped out of school and always said he was going to get his diploma at Augusta National. When he started caddying full time there at 13, he already knew and sensed more than a lot of the older caddies. So many caddies just did the job to earn money they frittered away. Carl listened and learned from the legendary Pappy Stokes and really does know that course — every inch of it. He made it a career and put five children through college. He really does have a PhD in Augusta National.
During the process of doing the book, did Crenshaw and Jackson discover/learn things they didn’t know before?
They did. Both of them surprised each other. Heck, Ben surprised his manager Scotty Sayers and I on a couple of things. But if I told you . . . .
Will we ever see this kind of player/caddie dynamic play out again at Augusta?
I can’t imagine we ever will. Carl grew up on that course and you can’t compare that the knowledge of to a caddie who spends one week a year at Augusta. That’s not to say there aren’t some incredibly great caddies and partnerships out there — Tiger and Joe LaCava come to mind. What’s amazing is Tiger is still learning the course. Joey won with Freddie Couples, but I think even he would say Carl knows that course better than anyone else in the caddie house. There just aren’t players and caddies who stay together for thirtysomething years anymore. And, honestly, I think Ben and Carl stayed a team because they were only together one week a year. But they were incredible weeks.
Anything else?
I just hope everyone enjoys reading behind the scenes of an incredible relationship and two special people. My first Masters was Ben’s first win and having seen them all . . . well, I feel blessed. I just hope I did their stories justice.