Augusta, Bobby Jones, Kevin Bacon, Winston Churchill and Running

Most notably recognized for hosting The Masters Golf Tournament, Augusta, Georgia, has a lot more to offer than golf. Along with a top rate medical community, fantastic historical relevance in the south and tons of trendy shops and restaurants, the city has carved out fantastic running, walking and biking trails. By pure chance, while we were there I ran along the hedges of the highly esteemed Augusta National Golf Course. This was exciting to me, as upon graduating college Shannan received a prestigious Bobby Jones Scholarship from Emory University, allowing her to live and study for a year at The University of St. Andrews in Scotland. That's my “Kevin Bacon degrees of separation” style connection.

Shannan remains very active in the Bobby Jones program and has served more than once on the selection committee. Still, she has never visited the famous course in Augusta. I'm no better. I've never played anything other than putt putt, or even watched a minute of live or televised golf. We have, however, seen several Bobby Jones exhibits at museums and golf clubs. Of course, the Augusta Museum of History has a standing golf exhibit, where I read the following quote from Sir Winston Churchill, "Golf is a game whose aim is to hit a very small ball into an even smaller hole, with weapons singularly ill-designed for the purpose."

Though not my sport, I recognize the place golf holds in the hearts of many around the world. If not on the renowned Augusta National Golf Course, there are lots of ways to enjoy an active day in Augusta.

Tom