How Georgia's Johnny Paulk, PGA, Became a Masters Fixture

PGA of America Life Member Johnny Paulk was a hard man to miss, even in a crowd of thousands encircling the 18th green at Augusta National Golf Club during Masters week.

In a small forest of green jackets worn by Augusta National members, the 81-year-old Paulk stood out in his bright red jacket while serving as the announcer on the 18th green, introducing the Masters’ players and providing a brief biography as they approached the final green.

But it wasn't just Paulk’s red jacket that made him stand out. It was his distinctive voice, a southern baritone that resonated with the patrons seated around the 18th green.

Paulk was a portrait of longevity. The Valdosta, Georgia, native moved with his wife Virginia to Jekyll Island, Georgia, to take over golf operations in 1967. It's where he spent five decades of his life until passing away from Interstitial Lung Disease in June 2020. Paulk was a PGA of America Member for 57 years, a decorated member of the Half Century Club and the longtime PGA Head Professional at Jekyll Island Golf Club. The 2017 Masters marked his 37th consecutive and final year as an announcer at Augusta National.

“I’ve had a lot of people come into the golf shop at Jekyll Island and they’ll say, ‘I recognize that voice from somewhere.’ I ask them if they have been to The Masters, and they usually say they have,” said Paulk, who was recognized as the "Mayor" of Jekyl Island." “It’s amazing how many people know me by my voice. They don’t really know me, but they recognize my voice.”

Paulk’s career as a PGA of America Golf Professional took root in 1960 at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, the home course of Bobby Jones, co-founder of Augusta National Golf Club and Masters Tournament. While working as an Assistant Golf Professional at East Lake, Paulk asked Jones if he could use him as a reference on his resume.

“Mr. Jones said I could list him on my resume, and that he would respond if someone called him to inquire about me,” recalls Paulk. “I don’t think anyone ever called Mr. Jones. If they did, I still didn’t get the job!”

But Paulk believed it was who he knew, and not what he knew, that landed him his longtime assignment as an announcer who introduced the players and their accomplishments to patrons at Augusta National.

“Several East Lake members were also members at Augusta National, and I got to know a lot of them,” recalled Paulk. “One member was Hike Allen, who was chairman of the announcers committee for the Masters. When Eddie Thompson, who had been the announcer on No. 9, passed away in 1978, Mr. Allen called me to ask if I would be interested. I said yes, and that was the beginning of something I’ve done every April now for the past 37 years.”

When Paulk’s friend and fellow Georgian, Leo Beckman, retired as the announcer at the 18th hole following Tiger Woods’ victory in the 1997 Masters, Paulk moved to the 18th green and became the center of attention without becoming the center of attention.

“We like to be as inconspicuous as possible,” said Paulk, who was inducted into the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame in 2009. “It’s hard to be inconspicuous in that red coat, but I maintain a low profile. Sometimes if there is a lull in the action at the 18th green, I’ll test the patrons with a box of Masters trivia questions I prepare every year. One thing about it, I have the best seat in the house at the 18th green every year.”

Paulk was meticulous in his preparation each day at The Masters. His wife Virginia typed up his handwritten biographies of each player onto index cards, and Johnny organized the index cards in order of the pairings each day, so he could proclaim each player’s major accomplishments in his southern drawl as each approached the 18th green.

“It actually takes a lot of preparation work, but I wouldn’t trade this opportunity for anything,” assured Paulk. “I’m 81 and I reckon I’m not getting any younger, but I’d like to continue announcing at the 18th green as long as I’m able to keep up with it. I have a lot of great memories from The Masters. I always said if it wasn’t for my life as a PGA of America Golf Professional at Jekyll Island and my life one week a year as an announcer at The Masters, I’d have no life at all. I wouldn’t trade either one for all the gold in Fort Knox.”

Paulk’s most enduring memories from Augusta National included Jack Nicklaus’ sixth green jacket in 1986 and Arnold Palmer’s final round as a competitor in The Masters in 2004. Of course, there is also Ben Crenshaw’s emotional victory in 1995 just days after the death of his beloved coach, Harvey Penick, PGA; Phil Mickelson’s first victory in 2004, and Fuzzy Zoeller’s triumph in 1979.

“Fuzzy and I struck up a little friendship, because 1979 was the first year at The Masters for both of us,” noted Paulk. “We don’t communicate frequently, but we always say hello during Masters week and our families enjoy each other’s company. Gary Player was always one of the friendliest people toward me. He would always say, ‘thank you for announcing us so nicely, laddie.’ Really, all the tournament directors and people at Augusta National have treated me and my family extremely well over the years.

"It has been an honor for this ol’ southern boy from Georgia to be a part of it.”