November is full of Masters history

A national pandemic might have moved this year's Masters Tournament from its usual April dates to November, but that doesn't mean many important events surrounding the club didn't happen this month.

It is the month in 1934 when they “switched the nines,” reversing holes 10-18 with 1-9, a move that actually returned the course to its original plan.

It is the month President Eisenhower – a member of the Augusta National Golf Club – enjoyed coming to town and celebrating Thanksgivings with his family. When they did, they stayed on the grounds in a residence they called “Mamie’s Cabin” – now the Eisenhower Cabin, which had been constructed for them with private donations.

It is a month that during the club’s last great disruption – its wartime closure during the 1940s –saw it raising beef cattle on its unused fairways, hiring German POWs to build a wooden bridge in Amen Corner, and helping Augustans celebrate Thanksgiving 1944 by offering turkeys for holiday meals.

Finally, November is birth month for the most Masters champions, matching January with seven. Among them is Gary Player, who turns 85 on Nov. 1. (Happy Birthday! Black Knight.) He is joined by Bubba Watson, Fuzzy Zoeller, Art Wall Jr., Ralph Guldahl, Henry Picard and Craig Wood.

This date in Masters history

NOVEMBER 1

1935: Gary Player is born. Player became the first foreign-born champion of the Masters when he won his first in 1961. He followed with victories in 1974 and 1978. He still holds the record for most Masters started.

The 5-foot-7, 147-pound Player, who has traveled more than an estimated 15 million miles and won the career Grand Slam on the PGA and Champions tours, credits exercise for part of his success.

Player grew up poor in Johannesburg, South Africa. His mother died when he was 8 and his father was a miner. He developed his golf game at a young age and turned professional at 17 and won several tournaments. His father wrote Augusta National Golf Club co-founder Clifford Roberts a letter of recommendation and Roberts invited him.

Player tied for 24th place in 1957, his first Masters, and continued to improve.

He would defeat reigning Masters champ Arnold Palmer in 1961, and return as tournament victor in 1974 and 1978. Only Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Palmer have won more green jackets.

1943: With World War II underway, the PGA reports that most of its popular members had signed up for military service. They include Horton Smith (Army); Sam Snead and Jimmy Demaret (Navy); and Ben Hogan (Army Air Force). Even an old amateur Bobby Jones was in uniform as an Air Corps intelligence officer.

1979: Mamie Eisenhower dies in Washington, D.C. The first lady from 1953-1961, she spent many vacations and trips at Augusta National in 'Mamie's Cabin.' It is known today as Eisenhower Cabin, and was built from private donations, many made by club members.