Tripp Bowden - Freddie & Me: Life Lessons from Freddie Bennett, Augusta Nationals Legendary Caddy Master

A shout-out big as the Grand Canyon to my wife Fletch for her unwavering belief in Freddie and Me , for her gift in knowing when to kiss my cheek or kick my ass to keep the book moving along, and for working like a rented mule to make sure there was food on the table and toilet paper on the roll while I chased the dream. Guess what, my love? We caught that mother! This book doesnt happen without you. But you know that.

You know everything.

To everyone who took time out of their busy lives to read a rough-as-a-three-day-hangover version of Freddie and Me (the version Stephen King defines as the story undressed, standing up in nothing but its socks and undershorts), I appreciate your feedback, input, and genuine Man, I truly believe you can do this support more than youll ever knowFletch, Big E and Jenn, Prince of Tides, Bev, Ray B., Pop and Mimi, Hot Shot and Sweet Pete, Chang and Peter, Cuz Kathy and Hubby Tim, Miz Pickett and Brendan, Gaff, Bobby and Wendy, Erin and Stephen, Texas, Stacy the Wicked Wordsmith, Jan B., Payton, Brandi, Jshizzle, Flint, Monk, Rich, Loi, Rockin Robin Rosenfeld and Hubby Mark, The Family Haygood (miss yall) and my dear old friend Kennoy, who wrote the first review on Amazon.

Did I forget anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Thank you T, for spreading the word of Freddie and Me all across the Southeast, to Scott for covering Beijing, to Carla, Paul, Brandon, and Cayte for the rest of the U-S-of-A, and to Corey for your Web site wizardry and Photoshop magic. Checks in the mail. Cash it quick or next time I hire Bessie! Thank you Flint and all the talented folk at Wierhouse for an idea that shouldve flown, to Kanto for typing all those college short stories without complaint and in lieu of money, and to Wallyburger, for the Pepto Bismol and the wonderful sketching of Augustas tempestuous layout.

A double thank you to my writing teachers Mrs. Beaird, Naomi Williams, the late Brisco Merry, Tom Bird, and my writing mentor Dr. Walter Evans. Same to Stephen King and Mitch Albom for being so insanely good at what they do (I read Tuesdays , The Shining, and For One More Day over and over during the writing of Freddie and Me brilliant work, those.)

Should have said this sooner, but a special thank you to Pop for doing his best Rod Tidwell impersonation (or maybe its Jerry Maguireneed to think on that one) and to Jote, Tone, GF, Super Cher, Big E, Jenn and the collective grandparents for watching our two little monkeys with time running out of the hourglass like underage drinkers in a raided speakeasy, so Freddie and Me could strap on rollerblades and roll to the finish line. I also want to thank Dr. Gregg Steinberg for jumpstarting the ideawho knew advice over egg salad sandwiches at the Masters would lead to this?

A special thank you to Johnny Johnny for your unconditional friendship and truly magical connections. Everybody may love Raymond, but not near as much as they love you. Another very special thank you to my agent John Andrisani, who, along with my editor Mark Weinstein, believed from the beginning that this was a story that needed to be shared. (I hope every writer who dreams of days like this gets the chance to say things like My Editor and My Agent) Thank you, thank you, thank you, MWW, for dressing Freddie and Me in her Sunday best. Your patience and understanding of the craft of putting pen to paper and fingertips to keyboard made this the book it was born to be. And to the wonderful staff at Skyhorse Publishing, thank you for rolling the dice on a craps table like me. Snake eyes, here we come!

To my caddy brothers at Augusta National Golf Club, thank you for welcoming me as one of your own, for taking me under your collective wing, for giving me a place to call home and a purpose in life when I desperately needed one. Ill never forget that, nor will I ever forget you. And for the cherry on top of the sundae of a lifetime, I thank you for teaching me what it means to say, You gotta rooooollll widdit!

I yell it to this day.

And to those who took the time to read the story of a most unlikely friendship that spanned some thirty years and knew no boundaries, thank you. I cant help but wonder: Who was the Freddie in your life?

Perhaps one day well meet and you can tell me.

As for the Freddie in my life, I could never thank him enough for all he did for me, for others, for the game of golf and the game of life. But he knows that.

Freddie knows everything.

My last thank you is to God. Its true, you know. With God all things are possible. Youre holding the proof in your hands.

Dream big.