According to award-winning sportswriter Ron Green, Sr., “Augusta National is Eden with flagsticks . . . a place where anyone who loves golf should be allowed, by some heavenly intervention, to go at least once.” Or more often. Green himself has covered the Masters tournament at Augusta National since the 1950s. He figures he’s spent a year of his life at the course. And he’s never run short of reasons to love the place—or the celebrated competition it hosts each April.

Here are 101 of those reasons, selected by the man who probably knows the tourney—its history, personalities, and most thrilling moments—better than anybody. From the down-home (the peach cobbler served at Augusta National’s clubhouse) to the sublime (Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson’s breathtaking playoff for the 1942 championship), Green has chosen the players, the shots, the challenges, and the traditions that make the Masters so memorable.

Illustrated with a mix of historical photos and full-color contemporary images of Augusta National—and of the stars who play the course today—The Masters makes a rewarding gift for lovers of golf and, especially, fans of the tournament. This must-have golf book will be published in time for the 2008 Masters.