Always, the Masters seems to revolve around anniversaries. That’s the way it is with celebrations cared for by folks who consider it their sacred duty to uphold tradition and pay tribute to days of yesteryear.
Anchored by those beliefs, the 2008 Masters gets underway today at Augusta National GC in Augusta, Ga., and nary a soul taking note of the tournament hasn’t heard something about it being the 50th anniversary of the birth of a king, a victory by Arnold Palmer.
What they need to know, too, is that 60 years ago it was about a beloved father, a victory by Claude Harmon.
Palmer would go on to shape the game, so far as the public is concerned, and it would be foolhardy to think that his impact on the PGA Tour isn’t as great as any other individual’s. But let it be said that years before Palmer arrived, Harmon had, in his own way, helped give the game shape and so, too, is his impact on golf still being felt. You could argue that he’s the most important teacher the game has ever known, but what isn’t open for debate is this: His Masters victory in 1948 remains a celebratory cause for his sons.
“For years, we used dad’s win to make the Masters a chance for us all to get together,” said Butch Harmon, the oldest of Claude’s four sons, all of whom followed their father into the business of teaching the game. “We were proud of that history.”
Said Billy Harmon, the youngest: “I don’t know how many people have won the Masters, but I know it’s not many. That means there aren’t many children of Masters winners. It’s special to be part of that history.”
Tomorrow will mark the 60th anniversary of that Sunday when Harmon shot a 2-under 70 to complete a stunning 9-under 279 trip around Augusta National to win by five shots over Cary Middlecoff. Stunning not because his talents were not appreciated - “He was a good player. No doubt about that,” said 1968 Masters champ Bob Goalby - but because the rigors of the PGA Tour were a way of life for his friends, not for Harmon, a native of Savannah, Ga.

boston.com