Q&A: Walker Inman Jr., First Augusta Native to Play in Masters

In 1956 Walker Inman Jr. made a memorable trip downMagnolia Lane. (Pocketwiley/Flickr)“He put his hand on my head, and he said, ‘Walker, are you going to be a golfer like your Daddy?’ I said, ‘No sir, Mr. Jones. I want to be a golfer like you.’” ?Walker Inman Jr.Walker Inman Jr. was a 1950s PGA Tour pro and longtime club professional. This is an excerpt from my 2007 interview with Walker and a part of my free 44-page 2009 Masters Tournament Guide (available at above right).ARMCHAIR GOLF: I think I read that your father met Bobby Jones.WALKER INMAN JR.: They were fraternity brothers at Georgia Tech together. When I was 7 or 8 years old, he took me over to the Masters and in those days that was the only place Jones played. They started the Masters in ‘34 and he invited a bunch of his friends to come play a tournament, and that’s how the Masters got started. It was an invitational tournament. Of course, all the best players in the world were his friends, so he invited them all to come ...