Product Description

A former Augusta National caddie recounts the invaluable life lessons he learned from the late Freddie Bennett, the fabled club’s legendary caddie master. Though he was born and raised in Augusta, Georgia, home of fabled Augusta National and The Masters, as a child Tripp Bowden was too young and too removed from the game of golf to realize what Augusta National really was, what it meant to his town and the world and the sport; its history, nostalgia, prestige and secrecy. All the ten year old Bowden knew about golf was that it was a stupid game that took up too much of his father’s time, and that he’d much rather kick around a soccer ball or stay home and read a book. But all that changed once Bowden’s father, a renowned local doctor, introduced him to one of his patients, Freddie Bennett, the legendary Augusta National caddie master.

Though Bowden was a white child of considerable privilege and Bennett was an older black gentleman of more modest means, the two formed an unusual bond. It was Bennett who introduced Bowden to the game of golf, a sport that would one day earn him a Division 1 golf scholarship and lead him to the final stage of a British Open qualifier. But it was the lessons Bennett taught the young Bowden off the course that had their profoundest impact on his life. Through Freddie and his particular brand of homespun wisdom, the author learned invaluable lessons about personal responsibility, hard work, and respect for others regardless of age, race or religion. He also learned that there’s much more to life than just playing golf.

Like the bestsellers Tuesdays With Morrie and Seasons of Life before it, Freddie and Me is a heartwarming tale of two unlikely friends and their uncommon bond forged through sport. .

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #76885 in Books
• Published on: 2009-04-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 224 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781602396821
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review
A glimpse of Augusta National as you've never seen it. (Golf World)

A lot of books have been written about the Masters and the Augusta National Golf Club, but few if any have the authentic dialect of Freddie and Me. (The New York Times)

A unique glimpse of Augusta National, but more stirring is the account of his relationship with a one-of-a-kind mentor. (San Diego Union Tribune)

About the Author
Tripp Bowden is a former Augusta National caddie (the first full-time white caddie in the history of the elite private club), collegiate golfer, and senior advertising copywriter, first with McCann-Erikson and later with his own company, Creative Wizards Advertising. A frequent contributor to golf publications such as Golf Georgia and Augusta Magazine, this is his first book. He lives in Augusta, GA.

Customer Reviews

a real "Master's Champion"
What a wonderful read. While golf fans will surely love this book for the behind the scenes insights, I'm sure just as many will love it for the beautiful story it tells, and the smooth yet vivid way the author tells it. A boy's coming of age thru guidance from an unlikely source, in a unique backdrop. You will find yourself wondering who the Freddie in your life has been, and hoping you may one day be one for someone else.

Fabulous Book
From cover to cover this tale elicits smiles, laughter, and tears. There are good lessons revealed about friendship, growing up, and loss... and the difficulties we face with all of them.

Having grown up in Augusta, Georgia, I found it brought forth memories of my own youth.

You will love this story.

A wonderful read about an amazingly wise and kind-hearted mentor
I'm more than a decade older than Tripp and from a different region of the country, but his stories nonetheless managed to take me back to a simpler and more enjoyable period of my life. It's too bad everyone couldn't have such a wise and kind mentor as Freddie was to Tripp; you can't help but think the world would be a better place. This is a book that can make you laugh out loud one minute and tear up the next and when you're finished you can only regret that you never had the chance to meet Freddie Bennett. I'm looking forward to Tripp's next writing endeavor.