Former Masters caddy’s pen pal relationship with George H. W. Bush
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) — Charles Williams, who is nicknamed ‘Bull’ worked for the Augusta National Golf Club for 42 years. Little did he know he would become great friends with the 41st president, George H. W. Bush.
“Charles Bull Williams. He was different and the president felt that same way about him,” says John Hatney, Charles ‘Bull’ Williams’ cousin.
Charles Williams held many jobs, like caddying. He held many jobs like- caddying and operating the golf ball picker. He was a well-known worker for the Augusta National Golf Club and known for caddying high-profile golfers fostering many relationships.
From caddying, Charles started a friendship with president George H. W. Bush from 1995 until Charles passed in 2014. Overtime they connected through fishing at the Augusta National.
“They were fishing partners,” John Hatney. “They would get together, the two of them and just have a pretty good time with each other. Not like the president of the United States you would think, but like two fishing partners.”
The two stayed in contact with each other by becoming pen pals until they reunited at the Masters. In the letters they kept each other updated on their latest catch.
“One of the stories when the president came down one time and didn’t catch any fish,” says John. “Which he wrote Charles about that… ‘Bull where is the bass. I didn’t catch any bass. Whatcha going to do the next time I come to Augusta’?”
Many believe that Charles was a beloved figure in the Augusta National Golf Club. In his honor letters and pictures of the two pen pals hang on the walls of the local Veracruz a staple restaurant for Masters patrons.
After going back-and-forth with letters. The last letter sent was a condolence letter from bush when Charles died from kidney cancer. Only memories are left on the wall.
“He was upset because his fishing partner had passed,” says John. “And that’s how he wrote that letter, and it was a very personal thing. Not like a president of the United States would be writing. But this was his caddy buddy who he wrote that had passed, so now he’s not going to be able to have that anymore.”