LYING FOUR: What’s the prize?

MERV WALDROP: We have a green jacket for the winner that stays on the property. They don’t get to take it home, much like Augusta. We found a bunch of green jackets through the years at Goodwill and other places. I probably need to find some larger sizes, because in 29 years, we’ve all grown older and larger.

LYING FOUR: The Wall Street Journal story suggested that libations might be a big part of the weekend.

MERV WALDROP: Yeah, there is some libation there. We try to be reasonable. The state motto in Georgia is “Wisdom, Justice, Moderation.” Every once in a while, we kick that third pillar out from that arch. But we try to be reasonable about things and enjoy life within reason.

LYING FOUR: Is there a drink of choice out there, or is it BYOB?

MERV WALDROP: There will be a lot of bourbon, but a number of them bring their favorite beer too. It’s often the case that out-of-town guys will come in and sit a bottle of bourbon on the table — basically a gift for me, but it ends up being a gift for the house because they end up drinking it.

. . .

LYING FOUR: So tell me about the course.

MERV WALDROP: We lay out a nine-hole course. It goes around the house. I live in an old house built in the 1840s. It’s 12 acres left of a large plantation, but it’s not much to it other than the house and some barns. So we’ve laid out a course. The nine holes — there’s a couple of them that are like 90 yards, maybe one that’s a hundred yards or close to it, and then a few that are like 40 yards. There’s some short holes. We’ve only had two holes-in-one on this current course. There’s a lot of dogleg rights as it’s going around this circle.

LYING FOUR: How did you come up with this idea?

MERV WALDROP: Back when I was living in Crystal River, Florida, I worked with the youth in my church, and they would come over and watch sports at my house — typically football, basketball, and occasionally golf. Honestly, most golf tournaments bore me to death, but whenever the Masters would come on, I would say, “Alright, yeah, we’re gonna watch the Masters. That’ll be fine.” And whenever there was a break in the action, we’d go outside, and they’d get their golf clubs out. The only time I play golf is in my yard, once a year. So when they would come over, we’d hit balls around. And one year we said, “Next year, let’s set up some holes and invite our friends over and have our own little Masters tournament.” It started one year, and 29 years later, you can’t shake a tradition.