Friendly Memories

With the PGA Championship in town, a soft spotlight shines on both Atlanta Athletic Club and across town at East Lake Country Club, the preferred golfing playgrounds of Bobby Jones.

The PGA is being played this week at Atlanta Athletic Club, which Jones favored over every other course, says Charlie Yates, who should know. Yates might have been Jones’ favorite playing partner.

Yates, who turns 88 next month, was 11 years younger than Jones and idolized his fellow Atlantan. Yates is still the president of East Lake Country Club, where Jones played his last round of golf in 1948. His partner was Yates.

But Yates says that Jones had a special regard for AAC.

“It is a lovely course,” Yates said. “It was Bobby Jones’ favorite course. He would drive all the way across town to play it.”

Before Yates became the Georgia State Amateur champion in 1931--he repeated in ‘32--and the 1934 NCAA champion at Georgia Tech, he had long been Jones’ buddy. Yates was 11 when Jones lost a playoff for the 1925 U.S. Open and was in the crowd at East Lake for a celebration to welcome him home.

Yates told Jones he was sorry he had lost.

Jones said, “Don’t worry about it, son. You never really know who your friends are until you lose.”

Both Yates and Jones knew who their friends were. Yates says is fortunate to have enjoyed a place in Jones’ tight inner circle. Jones invited Yates to play in the first Masters in 1934 and he played in the next 10.

Yates, as was Jones, was always an amateur. He played 44 rounds at the Masters and his scoring average was 75.95. He posted his best results in 1940, when he tied for 17th, and in 1939, when he tied for 18th.

Yates was in the group ahead of Gene Sarazen and was in his backswing on the par-three 16th in the 1935 Masters when Sarazen made his famous double eagle at the 15th.

Three years later, Yates won the British Amateur at Royal Troon, scoring a 3-and-2 victory over Cecil Ewing of Scotland in the final, just after Yates was handed a telegram.

It said, “East Lake Atlanta America Pulling Hard Partner Come Through. Bob Jones.”

Their relationship was unique and long-lived. Jones and Yates were playing partners from the early 1930s until Jones put his clubs away for the last time in 1948.

“As a player, he had the ability to rise above the competition,” Yates said. “As a person, he was kind to so many people. I think the thing that impressed me most about Bob Jones was his ability to be nice to everyone. He was such a wonderful representative of the game.

“I know he was an icon to golf, but he was also my friend.”