Famous golf relatives

[Harmonious]

There have been threads about people who have met or know famous golfers, but I've never seen one about people who are related in some way.  I will start this off, and maybe others can add their relations as well.

For the past several years I have been searching for my roots through Ancestry.com, just seeing how far back I can go into my family history. Found a colonel in the French & Indian War, several officers in the Revolutionary War and Civil War. It's kind of neat to connect so far back.

Recently, I found a "Thomas Callaway" who was my 2nd great grandfather.  Hmm, I thought. Could he be any relation to the founder of Callaway Golf?  After much checking online, and numerous false starts, I was able to verify that Ely Callaway's 6th great grandfather and my 8th great grandfather were the same guy. In official genealogy terms, Ely Callaway is my 7th cousin twice removed.  We're practically brothers!

It gets better.  Reading a news article about Ely, it stated that he was a distant cousin (through his mother) to Bobby Jones. Now we're talking! Back I went to Ancestry.com and sorted through all the records, finding out that Ely's great grandfather and Bobby Jones' 2nd great grandfather were the same guy. After filling in all the data online, I can now state with undeniable certainty that Bobby Jones and I are kin!  In genealogy terms, Mr. Jones is my "half 1st cousin, twice removed, of the wife of my 6th cousin three times removed" .

I plan to print out my family tree and present it to the guard at the entrance to Augusta National. I don't think I'll have any problem getting in to play a couple of rounds, now that it has been established that Bobby Jones and I were so closely related. I'll probably also get invited to the Butler cabin next year to present the green jacket to the Masters champion.

It was a fun exercise anyway.

[mvmac]

This might be stretch but my my great grandfather was Tony Lema's instructor throughout his junior years and most of his professional career.

[mchepp]

Well...it was a cool story to read, but I think I have a better chance of playing Augusta by qualifying for the Masters than you do with your Ancestry.com documentation.

[Harmonious]

Well...it was a cool story to read, but I think I have a better chance of playing Augusta by qualifying for the Masters than you do with your Ancestry.com documentation.

Thanks. So you think I probably shouldn't expect a membership invitation from Billy Payne?

[mchepp]

Well...it never hurts to try. Please be sure to have a video crew ala Michael Moore following you as you embark on the attempt. Especially when the police show up.