Arnold Palmer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Arnold Palmer |
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Palmer while in the U.S. Coast Guard, April 1953
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| Personal information | |
| Full name | Arnold Daniel Palmer |
| Nickname | The King |
| Born | September 10, 1929 Latrobe, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | September 25, 2016 (aged 87) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Height | 5ft 10in |
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb) |
| Nationality |  United States |
| Spouse |
Winifred Walzer
(m. 1954; died 1999)Kathleen Gawthrop
(m. 2005) |
| Children | 2 |
| Career | |
| College | Wake Forest College |
| Turned professional | 1954 |
| Former tour(s) |
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| Professional wins | 95 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 62 (5th all time) |
| European Tour | 2 |
| PGA Tour of Australasia | 2 |
| Champions Tour | 10 |
| Other | 21 |
| Best results in Major Championships (Wins: 7) |
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| The Masters Tournament | Won: 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964 |
| U.S. Open | Won: 1960 |
| The Open Championship | Won: 1961, 1962 |
| PGA Championship | T2: 1964, 1968, 1970 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| World Golf Hall of Fame | 1974 |
| PGA Tour leading money winner |
1958, 1960, 1962, 1963 |
| PGA Player of the Year | 1960, 1962 |
| Vardon Trophy | 1961, 1962, 1964, 1967 |
| Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year |
1960 |
| Bob Jones Award | 1971 |
| Old Tom Morris Award | 1983 |
| PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award |
1998 |
| Payne Stewart Award | 2000 |
| Presidential Medal of Freedom |
2004 |
| Congressional Gold Medal | 2009 |
Arnold Daniel Palmer (September 10, 1929 – September 25, 2016) was an American professional golfer. Many people think he was one of the greatest and most exciting players in golf history. Starting in 1955, he won many tournaments on the PGA Tour and the PGA Tour Champions.
Palmer was known as The King. He was one of golf's most popular stars. He was also a pioneer, becoming the first golf superstar of the television age in the 1950s. His friendly personality helped change golf from a sport for the rich to one that anyone could enjoy. Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player were called "The Big Three" in the 1960s. They helped make golf popular all over the world.
During his career, which lasted over sixty years, Palmer won 62 PGA Tour titles. This puts him fifth on the all-time victory list. He won seven major championships between 1958 and 1964. In 1998, he received the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1974, he was one of the first people to be put into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Contents
Early Life and Golf Beginnings
Arnold Daniel Palmer was born on September 10, 1929, in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. His father, Milfred Jerome "Deacon" Palmer, taught him how to play golf. His father was the golf professional and greenskeeper at Latrobe Country Club. Young Arnold often went with his dad as he took care of the course.
Palmer went to Wake Forest College on a golf scholarship. After a close friend passed away, he joined the United States Coast Guard. He served for three years, from 1951 to 1954. While in the Coast Guard, he even built a nine-hole golf course. This gave him time to practice his golf skills. After his service, he went back to college and competitive golf.
In 1954, Palmer won the U.S. Amateur tournament in Detroit. This win made him decide to become a professional golfer. He said it gave him the confidence to compete at the highest level. A reporter once asked another golfer, Gene Littler, about Palmer. Littler said, "That's Arnold Palmer. He's going to be a great player someday. When he hits the ball, the earth shakes."
After his big win, Palmer met Winifred Walzer, who would become his wife. They were married for 45 years. On November 17, 1954, Palmer officially became a professional golfer. He once said, "What other people find in poetry, I find in the flight of a good drive."
A Legendary Golf Career
Palmer's first win as a professional was in 1955 at the Canadian Open. He earned $2,400 for that win. His exciting style of play made golf popular on television in the 1950s and 1960s. This helped golf become the popular sport it is today. His first major win was the 1958 Masters Tournament, where he won $11,250. By 1960, he was working with Mark McCormack, a famous sports agent.
McCormack said Palmer was popular for many reasons: he was good-looking, came from a humble background, played golf with passion, had many exciting finishes in televised games, and was very friendly.
Palmer also helped make The Open Championship (British Open) important to American players. Before him, not many American pros traveled to play in it. The travel was long, the prize money was small, and the courses were different. Palmer wanted to follow in the footsteps of great golfers like Bobby Jones and Ben Hogan.
In 1960, Palmer went to Scotland to play in the British Open for the first time. He had already won the Masters and U.S. Open that year. He hoped to win all three, like Ben Hogan did in 1953. Palmer played some of his best golf there. Even though he didn't win that year, his later wins in 1961 and 1962 encouraged more American pros to play. This made Palmer very popular with fans in Britain and Europe, not just in America.
Palmer won seven major championships:
- Masters Tournament: 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964
- U.S. Open: 1960
- The Open Championship: 1961, 1962
His best years were from 1960 to 1963. During this time, he won 29 PGA Tour events, including five major tournaments. In 1960, he was named "Sportsman of the Year" by Sports Illustrated magazine. He had a huge fan base called "Arnie's Army." By 1967, he was the first golfer to earn $1 million in prize money on the PGA Tour. He won at least one PGA Tour event every year from 1955 to 1971.
Palmer won the Vardon Trophy four times for having the lowest scoring average. He also played on six Ryder Cup teams for the United States. He was a playing captain in 1963 and captained the team again in 1975.
When the Senior PGA Tour (now PGA Tour Champions) started in 1980, Palmer was a big reason it became successful. He won ten events on this tour, including five major senior tournaments. His partnership with Mark McCormack was very important for sports marketing. Even after he stopped winning tournaments, Palmer remained one of the highest-earning golfers because of his popularity with sponsors.
In 2004, Palmer played in the Masters Tournament for the last time. It was his 50th time playing in that event. From 2007 until he passed away, Palmer was an honorary starter for the Masters. This meant he would hit the first ceremonial tee shot to begin the tournament. He officially retired from tournament golf in 2006.
Golf and Other Businesses
Palmer had many golf-related businesses. He owned the Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Florida. This club hosts the PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational tournament. He also helped start The Golf Channel, a TV channel just for golf. He even helped build the first golf course in China.
In 1972, he started Palmer Course Design, a company that designs golf courses. This company designed over 300 golf courses in many different countries. In 1971, he bought Latrobe Country Club, where his father used to work. His business ventures, including endorsements and partnerships, were managed by Arnold Palmer Enterprises.
One of Palmer's most famous products is the "Arnold Palmer" drink. It's a mix of sweetened iced tea and lemonade, and it became very popular starting in 2001.
Palmer also had automotive businesses. In the early 1970s, he was a brand ambassador for Lincoln-Mercury cars. He later owned several car dealerships, including one in his hometown of Latrobe.
Legacy and Impact
According to Adam Schupak of Golf Week, "No one did more to popularize the sport than Palmer." He made golf "cool" and brought it from private clubs to everyday people.
In 2000, Golf Digest magazine ranked Palmer as the sixth greatest player of all time. He earned an estimated $30 million by 2008.
Palmer received many honors. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2009. He was the first golfer to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
He was also an honorary starter at the Masters Tournament from 2007. In 2010, his longtime friend and rival Jack Nicklaus joined him. In 2012, "The Big Three" (Palmer, Nicklaus, and Gary Player) reunited to hit the ceremonial tee shots.
Biographer James Dodson said:
We loved him with a mythic American joy... He represented everything that is great about golf. The friendship, the fellowship, the laughter, the impossibility of golf, the sudden rapture moment that brings you back, a moment that you never forget, that's Arnold Palmer in spades. He's the defining figure in golf.
Personal Life
Palmer was married to Winifred Walzer for 45 years. They had two daughters. Winnie passed away in 1999. His grandson, Sam Saunders, is also a professional golfer. Sam grew up playing at Bay Hill and won the club championship there at age 15. Palmer's family nickname for him was "Dumpy." Arnold married his second wife, Kathleen Gawthrop, in 2005.
Palmer lived in Latrobe during the spring and summer. He spent winters in Orlando and La Quinta, California. He helped Orlando become a popular recreation spot and contributed to building new hospitals there. Tiger Woods said, "My kids were born at the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, and his philanthropic work will be remembered along with his accomplishments in golf." Arnold Palmer Boulevard is named after him.
Palmer was a member of the Freemasons. He also created the Arnie's Army Charitable Foundation to help children and young people. This foundation helped create the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, The Howard Philips Center for Children & Families, the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, and the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve.
A Passion for Flying
Palmer loved to fly planes. He started flying because he used to be afraid of it. Over almost 55 years, he flew for nearly 20,000 hours in different aircraft.
On his 70th birthday in 1999, the airport in Latrobe was renamed Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in his honor. A statue of Palmer holding a golf club stands in front of the airport's entrance.
Books Written by Arnold Palmer
- A Life Well Played: My Stories (2016)
- Reflections on the Game (2012)
- Arnold Palmer: Memories, Stories, and Memorabilia from a Life on and off the Course (2004)
- Playing by the Rules: The Rules of Golf Explained & Illustrated from a Lifetime in the Game (2002)
- A Golfer's Life (1999)
- Arnold Palmer's Complete Book of Putting (1986)
- Arnold Palmer's Best 54 Golf Holes (1977)
- Go for Broke! My Philosophy of Winning Golf (1973)
- 495 Golf Lessons (1973)
- Golf Tactics (1970)
- Situation Golf (1970)
- My Game and Yours (1965)
Death and Tributes
Palmer passed away on September 25, 2016, shortly after his 87th birthday. He was in Pittsburgh for heart tests. After his funeral, his ashes were scattered at Latrobe Country Club.
Less than a week after he died, his life was celebrated at the 2016 Ryder Cup golf tournament. Both the American and European teams honored him with a video tribute and a moment of silence. Players wore special logos and pins to remember him. Palmer's golf bag from the 1975 Ryder Cup was placed on the first tee. The American team, after winning the Ryder Cup, brought the trophy to Palmer's memorial service as a tribute.
A Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars was dedicated to Palmer in 2017. The United States Postal Service also issued a special stamp honoring Palmer in 2020.
Major Championship Wins (7)
- 1958 Masters Tournament
- 1960 Masters Tournament
- 1960 U.S. Open
- 1961 Open Championship
- 1962 Masters Tournament
- 1962 Open Championship
- 1964 Masters Tournament
Senior Major Championship Wins (5)
- PGA Seniors' Championship: 1980, 1984
- U.S. Senior Open: 1981
- Senior Tournament Players Championship: 1984, 1985
U.S. National Team Appearances
- Ryder Cup: 1961, 1963 (playing captain), 1965, 1967, 1971, 1973 (all winners); 1975 (non-playing captain, winners)
- World Cup: 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967 (all winners, also individual winner in 1967)
- Presidents Cup: 1996 (winners, non-playing captain)
- UBS Cup: 2001, 2002, 2004 (all winners, captain); 2003 (tie, captain)
See Also
In Spanish: Arnold Palmer para niños
- Arnold Palmer Cup
- Arnold Palmer (drink)
- Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History
- Arnold Palmer Tournament Golf (video game)
- List of golfers with most PGA Tour wins
- List of golfers with most wins in one PGA Tour event
- List of golfers with most PGA Tour Champions wins
- List of golfers with most Champions Tour major championship wins
- List of men's major championships winning golfers
- Longest PGA Tour win streaks
- Most PGA Tour wins in a year
