Augusta

The Augusta National Golf Club, founded in 1933 and home to the prestigious Masters Tournament, is an American icon shrouded in intrigue. Co-designed by legends Bobby Jones and Alister MacKenzie, Augusta boasts gorgeous fairways and perfectly manicured greens, set against a breathtaking backdrop of azaleas and pines. Behind the wondrous scenes and memorable tournament play resides a secretive and exclusive clan, marked with scandal and invested with the social power to make or break a man''s rise to glory.

Journalist and novelist Steve Eubanks has used all of his investigative and storytelling talents to get to the heart of Augusta''s turbulent history, including its 44-year rule under the iron fist of Cliff Roberts and his suicide on the club''s grounds; the Masters'' impetuous yet long-standing relationship with CBS; allegations of racism; and the club''s countless, rigid rules.

With 45 inspiring photographs, Eubanks''s balanced account also captures the historic moments that evoke deep affection for Augusta, from Dwight Eisenhower teeing off in the days before the Masters was televised to Jack Nicklaus''s emotional victory at age 46, 23 years after he won his first green jacket. With a new chapter on Tiger Woods''s 1997 triumph and published just in time for the 1998 Masters, Augusta is essential reading for anyone who wants the complete story of American golf''s most hallowed ground.