Significant Bobby Jones & Clifford Roberts

Correspondence Letters

Regarding the Sarazen & Nelson Bridges

        Students of Masters Tournament history are going to love this lot. Offered here are six different original correspondence letters between Bobby Jones, Clifford Roberts and architect Lowrey Stulb regarding the building of the Sarazen Bridge at the 15th hole at Augusta National Golf Club. Included in this lot is one of the only dual-signed Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts letters in existence. The only other known dual-signed Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts Augusta National documents are the 4 examples that reside in Augusta National Golf Club's vast archives.

        Take a moment to read through these letters, as the content is spectacular! In addition to thoughts on where to place the Sarazen Bridge and its plaque, the June 15, 1954 letter is the first time Bobby Jones suggests to Clifford Roberts the idea of also constructing the new 13th hole bridge in honor of Byron Nelson! To the idea of what we now know as the "Nelson Bridge", Clifford Roberts responds "I am intrigued by your suggestion of giving the new bridge near the 13th tee some historical treatment in 1957 as an honor to Byron Nelson." Roberts goes on to add one of the most Masters-like lines we're ever heard from him "The more tradition, the better in my opinion."

        These documents are being consigned directly by the family of longtime Augusta National architect Lowrey Stulb, who was responsible for designing and overseeing construction of the Sarazen Bridge, as well as Mamie's Cabin and the Augusta National Pro Shop, among other structures at ANGC. We could've broken up these letters into individual lots, but feel that this incredible collection belongs together.

Here's a summary of the documents included here, put in chronological order:

1. June 14, 1954 Clifford Roberts to Bobby Jones regarding the wording of the plaque for the bridge. Signed "CR" by Clifford Roberts

2. June, 15, 1954 Bobby Jones to Clifford Roberts talking about the location of the plaque and Bobby Jones' first suggesting of dedicating a bridge to Byron Nelson on the 13th hole at Augusta National. Stamped "Bob".

3. June 17, 1954 Clifford Roberts to Bobby Jones. Signed "CR" by Clifford Roberts.

4. June 24, 1954 Architect Lowrey Stulb to Clifford Roberts discussing finalization of the elements of the bridge.

5. June 28, 1954 Clifford Roberts to Bobby Jones forwarding Stulb's letter to Bobby and further discussing the bridge. Signed on the bottom "Cliff".  Bobby Jones added a hand written note on the bottom of this letter and signed- "Regards Bob". Correspondence regarding Augusta National Golf Club signed by both Cliff Roberts AND Bobby Jones are EXTREMELY rare. According to Augusta National, Jones and Roberts made it a point not to co-sign documents for some reason.

6. July 19, 1954 Bobby Jones to Lowrey Stulb discussing the finalization of the bridge. Stamped "Bob"