On St Patrick’s
Day, March 17, 2002 celebrities from all over the golfing globe gathered in
Atlanta, Georgia to honor the legendary golfer Robert Tyre "Bobby"
Jones. The occasion was the centennial anniversary of Jones’ birth. As an amateur
golfer in the 1920’s, Bobby Jones won 13 major championships in both amateur
and professional golf, securing his place in golfing history as one of the greatest
to ever play the game. " He never played for money, but no man ever left
a game more enriched by having played it," said Furman Bischer, a columnist
for the Atlanta Journal newspaper.
Jones was remembered
at an invitation only black tie dinner hosted by the Atlanta History Center
in the city’s Buckhead district. It was the only event in America to mark this
anniversary with a formal celebration of his accomplishments and contributions
to the game of golf. The Atlanta History Center, home of the largest public
exhibit on Jones life and career, "Down the Fairway with Bobby Jones"
hosted around 460 guests from the many institutions connected to Jones throughout
his life. "This event will be the first time all of the universities, clubs,
businesses associated with Jones have come together to celebrate his exemplary
life", said Catherine Lewis, Ph.D., exhibition curator and author of Considerable
Passions: Golf, The Masters and the Legacy of Bobby Jones.
Charles R. Yates,
1938 British Amateur Champion and close friend of Jones, chaired the evening’s
program. Each guest was taken through the life of Bobby Jones from his fourteen year playing
career to his academic achievements as a student to his successes as a corporate
lawyer following his retirement from golf at the age of 27. Bob Jones IV and
Anne Hood Laird, Jones’ grandchildren served as co-chairs. Peter Kessler, formerly
of the Golf Channel, was the Master of ceremonies for the evening.
Jones’ achievements
as a golfer have been written about exhaustively, yet the event celebrated all
facets of Jones’ life in which he became more renowned than any politician,
ambassador or journalist of his day. Arthur Howell, a partner at the event’s
leading sponsor Alston and Bird, the law firm Jones joined in 1928, emphasized
the incredible diversity in Jones’ character. "Playing as an amateur, he
also obtained a degree from Georgia Tech, a Masters degree from Harvard, and
attended Emory Law School long enough to pass the Georgia Bar exam and enter
his father’s law firm to culminate his golf career with the "Grand Slam",
retiring at the ripe old age of 27", said Howell, a keynote speaker at
the dinner.
Jones is regarded
as a man of great character who held exemplary standards of living. He inspired
some of golf’s greats such as Arnold Palmer. "In fact, at one point before
I turned Pro in 1954, I was planning to pattern my life after that of Bob Jones,
finding a vocation and position that would enable me to remain as an amateur
and play in the important national and international tournaments each year,"
Palmer said. Tributes like these have flooded in from around the golfing world
to commemorate Jones at this special event. Through the use of video and audio
clips recorded specially for the event, golf personalities Jack Nicklaus, Nancy
Lopez, Jim Nantz, Alistair Cooke and Ben Crenshaw shared their reflections on
Jones’ impact on their professional careers, the Masters and his continuing
presence in the game of golf, Dr. Lewis said.
The event received
support from the two governing bodies of golf, the United States Golf Association
and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews. The Captain of the R&A,
Graeme Simmers was present to speak about the congenial relationship Jones forged
with the townspeople of St Andrews. Bobby Jones won the British Open over the
famous Old Course at St Andrews in 1927 and the British Amateur there in the
"Grand Slam" year of 1930. The people of St. Andrews recognized his
special achievements by awarding him the "Freedom of the City and the Royal
Burgh" in 1958, an occasion when Jones said famously, " you could
take out of my life all of my experiences except those at St. Andrews and I
would still have had a rich and full life"
The Augusta National
Golf Club, built and designed by Jones in partnership with Alistair MacKenzie
in 1931 and home to the U.S Masters was also a major sponsor. Indeed, much of
Jones’ contribution to the game of golf can be found in his own unique vision
for the Masters, arguably the greatest tournament in the world. Jack Nicklaus,
a six time Masters Champion said of Jones,
"Augusta National
and the Masters Tournament have always been uniquely special to me, largely
due to the history and aura of Bob Jones". The spirit of Bob Jones lives
on at the Masters and the winner of the green jacket in April will join the
tradition started by an icon who represented mankind’s loftiest standards, said
Jim Nantz, golf broadcaster for CBS Sports.
The University
of St Andrews and Atlanta’s Emory were represented as the twin hosts of an international
student exchange program called the R.T Jones Memorial Scholarship, founded
in 1976. The prestigious scholarship symbolizes the transatlantic goodwill that
Jones fostered during his lifetime. The R.T Jones Memorial Trust were represented
by important figures from Atlanta society including Charlie Yates and developer
Tom Cousins, who restored the original East Lake course and surrounding neighborhood,
as well as the current Jones scholars from the University of St Andrews. The
Trust is also holding a reunion of all former Jones scholars and Trustees this
coming June in St. Andrews, "The Home of Golf". The occasion will
be marked by a dinner at the Old Course Hotel and golfing events over Jones’
beloved Old Course.
The East Lake Golf
Club, where Jones learned to play golf as a six-year-old under the watchful
eye of Scottish professional Stewart Maiden, was also a sponsor. The Atlanta
Athletic Club, where Jones was a member, also made a significant contribution
and hosted a golf day prior to the dinner on the 17th. Members from Merion Golf
Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania where Jones completed the final part of the Grand
Slam by winning the U.S Amateur in1930 were present. As were members of Royal
Liverpool G.C in Hoylake, England, where Jones won the British Open that same
year. A contingent from the Old Course in St Andrews, who hosted a dinner for
Jones' birthday on Friday, March 15th, then flew across the Atlantic
to join the celebration at the Atlanta History center in Jones’ hometown. 
Jones' grandson,
Bob Jones IV said he remains indebted to the Atlanta History Center for their
work in ensuring that the legacy of Bobby Jones continues to inspire people
of all ages. The donations made by the event’s sponsors will be used to further
expand the Bobby Jones exhibit. Dr Lewis said she hopes to do this by purchasing
key artifacts and photographs to enhance the current Bob Jones collection. As
part of the evening’s proceedings two artifacts to be added to the exhibition
were unveiled during the dinner. "The Atlanta History center remains committed
to keeping my grandfather’s legacy alive. Their exhibitions and programs continue
to introduce Bobby Jones’ story to scores of school children and golf enthusiasts",
said Bob Jones IV.
Bobby Jones died
in 1971 after having battled the debilitating spinal disease syringomyelia since
its diagnosis in 1948, when he played his last ever round of golf. He was brave
and generous in the face of this terrible disease. When friends expressed their
sympathy, he often replied "Just remember, son, you always play the ball
where it lies". "That was the kind of man he was", said Charlie
Yates, a lifelong friend.
Photos Courtesy of the Atlanta History Center:
Founded 75 years ago as the Atlanta
Historical Society, the Atlanta History Center includes permanent and
traveling exhibitions in the Atlanta History Museum, two historic homes,
library/archives and 33 acres of gardens. The Atlanta History Center offers
historical experiences for all ages, integrating history, education and
life-enrichment programs. For more information, visit
www.AtlantaHistoryCenter.com.
