Family history brings Berckmans descendant to Masters

Bruce Berckmans III found his family ties tangled in the wisteria vine and long-reaching branches of the giant live oak at Augusta Natio­nal Golf Club.

His ancestors’ family home became one of golf’s most recognizable landmarks, the Au­gusta Na­tio­nal Clubhouse. During Tues­day’s practice round and Wednes­day’s Par-3 Contest, Berck­mans had a chance to glimpse his family’s legacy.

Admittedly not a golf fan, Berckmans showed more interest in family history than the game during his first trip to the Masters Tour­nament. For the past five years, he has researched his lineage on ancestry.com.

“It’s very interesting from a historical perspective that (the history) is that traceable,” said Berckmans, of North Palm Beach, Fla.

In 1858, Belgian horticulturist Prosper Berckmans purchased an indigo plantation from Dennis Redmond and transformed it into Fruit­land Nurseries. The plant nursery closed in 1918, and the site was bought in 1931 to fulfill Augusta National founder Bobby Jones’ dream of a grand golf course.

Census records found during Berckmans’ research prove his great-grandfather, Gustav Bruce Berckmans, was born in Augus­ta in 1868, he said. There’s a chance his great-grandfather was born in the family’s house at the nursery, although no evidence exists to prove it, he said.

“People weren’t born in hospitals at that time, so my story is he was born right here,” Berckmans said.

He came to Augusta with his stepbrother, David Ilsley. Berckmans said there are a few other relatives in the United States.

When he traveled to Brus­sels for business, the Berckmans name was more common – the hotel’s clerk shared the same last name.

Berckmans and Ilsley have traveled Berck­­mans Road and taken a photo with a sign for Berck­­mans Place, a large hospitality house on the course grounds.