( 6 reviews )
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Posted: Mar 16 2008
True, every event just like every person has to some degree a "dark side" this book however fails to truly reveal any concrete evidence and instead relies on the weakest of circumstantial evidence in an attempt to paint the golf tournament as a mirror to the past of the South. Rather than being a scholarly and well balanced approach, this reads more like something out of the National Enquirer. Sampson just goes out of his way to try to make anything associated with Augusta seem in some way wrong or evil. Really an atrociously terrible book, even the writing style couldn't salvage this one. I regret having the misfortune to have purchased and read this one.
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Posted: Oct 22 2005
Sampson doesn't pretend to write an objective history of Augusta National and the Masters. This book is all about the crabgrass and bare spots in the fairway. Picking and choosing his "facts" and with a colorful writing style, the author dumps on most everyone associated with Masters, Augusta National Golf (not Country) Club, and even the City of Augusta. Though most of his venom is directed toward Cliff Roberts, the club's founder and original czar, even Bobby Jones comes across as something less than the golfing saint he's often portrayed to be. Interestingly, the last chapter of the edition I read introduces Hootie Johnson as the new club president, in whom Sampson seems to see a ray of hope. Obviously, that chapter was written before Johnson's go-around with Martha Burke.
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( 1 of 1 found this review helpful ) Posted: Mar 24 2003
If Sampson's probe is anywhere near the truth, it surely smudges the high place we give to Augusta and The Masters.Certainly, it still revolves around Jones, and it always has. The legend of this amateur and supposed gentleman is tarnished by his association with Roberts and his seizure of power and control of what has become golfing legend.Without the champion's name and backing and tournament, The Masters and Augusta would be just another club and tour stop. But from the outset it was Bobby who kept it together. Then the illness and pulling away, and the inroads of Cliff and the rest is history, here well documented by one of the great golf writers. Sampson again weaves his literary magic with different piercing vignettes of the personalities and events which have led to Augusta lore and legend.Story upon story from various facets permeate this fluid read--from club caddie to townfolk to neglected member and player -- one is given much to contemplate.The tales are superb, sampling but a few: the caddie deliberately overclubbing Robert's opponent on a Par 3 course contest; Dave Marr's respone to Arnie that even his divot cleared Rae's Creek on 15; the asst. pro's wife being offered big money for the rope marker that only quandred off souvenir sales.Augusta appears to be the premier "ole boys" club. If you want scoop about it's past and insights possibly into its present, this read will begin that path.
