Men on the Bag: The Caddies of Augusta National

by Ward Clayton

From the Inside Flap:

They have nicknames like Stovepipe, Burnt Biscuits, Skillet, Skinny, and Marble Eye. They worked for Presidents of the United States, the greatest players in the world, and the captains of industry. Cemetery carried for President Eisenhower and was once left for dead in the morgue. Arnold Palmer's wife Winnie overpaid Iron Man, Arnie's caddie in 1958, with a check for $14,000 instead of $1,400 that the overjoyed bagman tried to cash at the clubhouse. And who can forget the stoic Carl Jackson comforting Ben Crenshaw after his emotional victory in 1995, shortly after the death of Crenshaw's mentor and friend Harvey Penick.

These colorful characters have witnessed every great moment, both private and public, at Augusta National, from Gene Sarazen's "shot heard 'round the world" to Nicklaus winning a record five of his six Masters. Then, in 1983, things changed forever when "Tour caddies" were allowed at the Masters for the first time. Memories of a better day live on as Ward Clayton documents a history as compelling as the game itself.

About the Author:

Ward Clayton has been in and around the game of golf since growing up blocks from Hillandale Golf Course, a public facility in Durham, North Carolina. He continued to pursue the game as a competitive amateur and newspaper writer. His passion for writing and athletics began in the early 1970s in Durham, a hotbed of collegiate sports not far from fabled Pinehurst. Ward covered golf for the Robesonian newspaper in Lumberton, North Carolina, after graduating from the University of North Carolina and later for the Durham Morning Herald. He was sports editor of the Augusta Chronicle from 1991 to 2000, and was responsible for what is considered "the best coverage of a golf tournament of any newspaper in the world" by Golf World magazine.

Ward has been the Director of Editorial Services for the PGA Tour since 2000.

Book Description:

They are some of golf's most colorful characters - the caddies of Augusta National. These men worked for Presidents, many of the world's most powerful men, and every Masters champion until 1983 when the regular "Tour caddies" took most of their jobs. Their stories reveal a side of golf few have seen and all will enjoy. Their lives, experiences, and contributions are as varied as their nicknames. In Men on the Bag, Ward Clayton delivers a story never-before-told with passion and candor.

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