Final Round

Epilogue

After his term of office ended, Eisenhower visited Augusta eleven times, returning again and again to the home away from home that gave him so much pleasure during his presidency. In May, 1961, at a gala party, Eisenhower thanked each of the forty members who had contributed funds to pay for Ike’s Cabin on the club grounds. In October of 1965, he and Mamie celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary, and were given by the Augusta National members an elaborately carved, eighty-four-ounce gold bowl. Bobby Jones himself drove in from Atlanta to serve as toastmaster, but by that time he was suffering from a rare and severe neurological disorder, and the journey tired him so much that he had to stay in bed during the party.

On his last visit, Eisenhower is reported to have gazed out at the gorgeous greens and rolling hills and said, “This place is so beautiful. Never in my life have I been so happy as I was right here.”

He died in 1969. At his funeral, in addition to notables such as President Nixon and president of France Charles de Gaulle, were Cliff Roberts and many others from the Augusta National, Ike’s old gang, all together for the last time.