When you think of Augusta National, you picture a place where everything runs smoothly and not a single blade of grass is out of place. That’s almost always the case, especially at The Masters, but in October 1983, the club played host to a rather unsavoury incident.
A gunman taking hostages at Augusta is one of the lesser publicised aspects of the club’s history, but it happened when President Ronald Reagan came to stay and play almost 23 years ago.
Ronald Reagan had been invited to the club by one of its members, George Schultz, who was Secretary of State in Reagan’s government. Also invited was Donald Regan, the White House chief of staff. The four-ball was completed by Senator Nicholas Brady, later to join Reagan’s cabinet as Secretary of the Treasury.
The 16th hole at Augusta National
(Image credit: Getty Images)
“I understand you want to talk to me”
Inside the pro shop the telephone rang, and Harris answered. It was the wife of a members asking for her clubs to be got ready. “Ma’am, we ain’t playing no f — ing golf here today,” Harris replied and put down the phone.
The phone rang again. It was answered by one of the hostages, a Reagan aide. He had been supposed to be playing golf with national security adviser Bud McFarlane, but McFarlane had been called back to the Eisenhower Cabin as the US was planning to invade Grenada.
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