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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 inside 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 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 the profoundest
impact on his life. Through Freddie and his particular brand of homespun
wisdom, Bowden 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. |
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