b"Struggling in the throes of the Depression,pals included Gary Cooper, Clark Gable, Howard the lumberman divested his timber interests inHughes, Bob Hope, and Bing Crosby), married five 1935, but held onto this parcel, and joined his sontimes and diversified his investments in the 1980s.Thomas W. Blake Jr. in the oil business. AlreadyA constant presence throughout his life was golf.Below: Bluejack'sa hotshot Houston lawyer, the younger BlakeAn accomplished player, Blake competed for No. 12, reminiscentwould go on to live the fullest life imaginable. HeRice University and was a childhood friend of Jimmy of No. 12 at Augusta National, underthrived in oil, survived a near-death experience inDemaret. A member of such prestigious bastions construction (top) andWorld War II, befriended the Hollywood set (closeas River Oaks, Houston Country Club, National Golf on opening day.Links of America on Long Island, and Seminole in Florida, Blake decided to scratch an itch in the early 1980s and develop his own club.With visions of Augusta National in his head, he hired the newly formed team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw in 1986 to route his golf course among the mature pines on his property. He named the course Blaketree National. It was intended to be a private playground for Blake and his buddiesuntil it wasnt.12 BLUEJACK MAGAZINE"