20 Mar Commemorative Augusta African American Champion Caddies Monument Unveiling Ceremony and Celebration
The Sand Hills Neighborhood Association is proud to announce the unveiling of a commemorative sculpture honoring the Masters Tournament Champion Caddies. This momentous occasion will take place on Thursday, April 3, 2025, at 3:00 P.M. at the Sand Hills Community Center Grounds, 2540 Wheeler Road, Augusta, GA 30904.
This event will celebrate the rich history and contributions of the legendary champion caddies who played an integral role in Augusta’s golf community, including courses such as the Augusta National, the Augusta Country Club, and Forest Hills Golf Club. The project began through the unanimous approval of the Augusta-Richmond County Commission in November 2020, based on the vision of Former Commissioner William “Bill” Fennoy and historic preservation advocacy of LTC, Retired, Joyce Law. In 2024, Augusta based artists Ed Durant and Baruti Tucker worked to create a one-of-a-kind commemorative sculpture and mural to honor champion caddies from the Augusta area. Many of whom resided in the historic Sand Hills neighborhood. Working closely with the Greater Augusta Arts Council, City of Augusta, the Sand Hills Neighborhood Association and the Commemorative Champion Caddies Project team, Durant was able to design a twenty-foot-long sculpture and commission muralist Baruti Tucker to paint a tribute to the caddies themselves.
The ceremony will begin at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 3rd with words from all parties involved in addition to Ramona Harriet, Black Golf Historian, Author, and CEO of The Epochs: African Americans in Golf Traveling Indoor Exhibit, who will introduce the keynote speaker, Garreth Carpenter. Carpenter, the Grand Nephew of Masters Champion Caddy E.B. McCoy, Jr., is an Assistant Golf Professional at St. Ives Golf Club and a First Tee-Augusta Hall of Fame Honoree.
The unveiling ceremony will feature City of Augusta officials, artists Ed Durant and Baruti Tucker, relatives of the Champion Caddies, and Michael Ben Bussey who is the last living pre-1983 Champion Caddie. A reception will follow the unveiling ceremony that has been sponsored by Mrs. Sadie Choice McCoy and the Sand Hills Neighborhood Association.
Phase two of this project will see a tee plaza and seating area co-sponsored by The Augusta Country Club, Phoenix Printing Group along with Johnson, Laschober & Associates, P.C.
This historic tribute will serve as a lasting reminder of the contributions of Augusta’s caddies to the sport of golf. The Sand Hills Neighborhood Association invites community members, golf enthusiasts, and local leaders to join in this celebration of history, culture, and excellence.