May 13
Augusta National's “Secret” Origin Story
Augusta National's 18 hole names aren't branding. They're inventory codes from a Belgian nursery catalog planted on the same 365 acres from 1858 to 1918. Fruitland Nurseries — Louis Berckmans and his son Prosper — ran the largest commercial nursery in the southeastern United States before Bobby Jones ever set foot on the property. Tea Olive. Pink Dogwood. Azalea. Every hole maps directly to a species in the family catalog. When Jones bought the land in 1931, he hired two of Prosper's sons to assist Alister MacKenzie. Berckmans Place wasn't decorative. Full breakdown: youtu.be/JTREK7rfpAM
