Arnold Palmer- Golfer

Arnold Palmer was born on September 10, 1929. He was a cherished American golfer who popularized the game of golf in the 1960s. It remains undeciphered whether it was his achievements and popularity that brought golf to television or was it the trend of the time. In either case, one cannot deny that Palmer was the ‘Athlete of the Decade’ for the 1960s, and rightfully so.

Arnold Palmer Early Life and Career 

The idiom rags to riches perfectly describe the life story of this bold, graceful, and inspiring athlete. He had grown up in a small industrial town called Latrobe, Western Pennsylvania. This acclaimed golfer started his journey from the fringes of a golf club (Latrobe Country Club), where he was not allowed to swim or play golf, to owning the club in 1971. One could equate that journey to the definition of success. However, for Palmer, success meant leaving a legacy in the sport that he loved so much.

In an interview in 1997 with the Academy of Achievement, Palmer said if he helped improve the game of golf and helped improve people’s outlook on life, it would be something that would make him happy.

Arnold Palmer had credited his life achievements to his father, Milfred J. Palmer (Deacon). For him, his father was an inspiration and person who had disciplined him and had instilled the values that made him a successful golfer. In the same interview with the Academy of Achievements, Palmer had described his relationship with his father as very close and “not just father and son, but friends.”  

Polio had afflicted Arnold Palmer’s father, Deacon’s left leg. However, he managed to get a job as a laborer in the Latrobe Country Club in 1921. Later, he got promoted to the superintendent or the greenskeeper. Nevertheless, like every cloud has a silver lining, Palmer’s father thus built up his upper body, which influenced Palmer in his later years as an athlete.  

In an article published by Vault in 1961, when they presented him with the sportsmen of the year, they compared his strength to a mountain climber. They also said that even if Palmer is not ‘big’ at 5 feet 11 inches and 177 pounds, Palmer is strong and built like a football halfback with large shoulders and strong hands. 

The influence that his father posed on Palmer was observed in his style of playing, which was unorthodox. His father had told him to keep things simple hit it hard. Palmer once observed that many players learn a controlled swing first and then try to increase their distance, but they can not because they don’t hit the ball enough, and they never will. These initial playful training from his father made Arnold Palmer a golfing legend. 

From here on, Palmer’s life story merely begins. From very early on, Palmer started to win championships and showed his athleticism in this sport. He won two games consecutively in his school, Latrobe High School. Then, he went on to show his talents at Wake Forest University. However, he dropped out of college and stopped playing golf after experiencing the death of his dear friend Bud Worsham. By that time, he had successfully competed in national junior events. Also, he had already won five West Penn Amateur Championships. 

When he returned and won the U.S. National Amateur (1954), it turned Palmer’s life around. It was during that tournament, where he had met his wife, Winifred Walzer. They remained married for 45 years. 

Unfortunately, Winifred Walzer passed away in 1999 due to a cancer-related issue. She and Palmer had two daughters, Peggy Palmer Wears and Amy Palmer Saunders. Palmer remarried Kathleen (Kit) Gawthrop in 2005 and had three children, Al Gawthrop III, Lynn Bouck, and Blair Miller. 

Arnold Palmer was not only a successful golfer, but he was an acclaimed and prosperous business owner. Under his brand name, Arnold Palmer Enterprises, he sold various items, such as sporting equipment, clothing, insurance, soft drinks, cars, cigarettes, and many households and hardware products. 

Palmer was not just an athlete or a businessman. He was a model for the youth. Whatever he liked or did would become the trend, like the Arnold Palmer drink, his favorite. Arnold Palmer’s drink is a mixture of half-iced tea and half lemonade. This concoction of Palmer became a famous drink for children and adults. To make Arnold Palmer spiked, add a peg of vodka. Spiked Arnold Palmer is still a popular bar drink that people enjoy. 

Apart from impressing the public with his charm, charisma, and talent, Arnold Palmer has received high order civilian awards of the U.S. like the Congressional Gold Medal (2012) and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2004). 

Arnold Palmer Wins (Amateur and Professional Wins) 

Throughout his life, Palmer earned many awards and honors. However, from 1946 to 1954, he played and won many amateur championships. Some of the famous amateur championships he won are WPIAL and PIAA Championships, West Penn Junior, Southern Conference Championship, North and South Amateur, Cleveland Amateur, Mayfield Heights Open, Ohio Amateur, U.S. Amateur, and many more. Palmer started to look towards professional golfing on November 18, 1954. 

After the legend went pro, there was no stopping him. In 1958, 1960, 1962, and 1964, Arnold Palmer won the Masters Tournament. In 1960 at Cherry Hills Country Club, Denver, he won the U.S. Open. Additionally, in 1961 and 1962, Palmer won the British Open. 

No wonder Arnie’s Army called him ‘The King‘ of golf.

Arnold Palmer Death 

After playing a full and rich game of golf, Palmer retired from competitive golfing in 2006. Although, he never stopped playing until his last breath. The world got the news of Arnold Palmer’s death on September 26, 2016. He died at the age of 87. Palmer lived a wholesome and complete life, where he was known, admired, and cherished by many people. And after his death, he had left behind something for everyone with which to remember him. 

Arnold Palmer Net Worth

According to Forbes, Arnold Palmer’s net worth is estimated to be $1.3 billion (on an inflation-adjusted basis). He earned an estimated $875 million through his career, out of which $3.6 million in prize money from 52 years on the Champions Tour and PGA Tour and the rest from golf course design, licensing, endorsements, and appearances.

Legacy

Arnold Palmer a name that still lives on. During and after his life, Palmer remained close to his fans and people who believed in him. Apart from his talents and enterprises, he is known for Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation and Arnie’s Army Charitable Foundation. Both these foundations focus on helping and aiding the future generation. 

Arnold Palmer, in his lifetime, contributed and supported the development of a hospital that solely worked towards caring for women and children. For Arnold’s contribution and to honor him, the founders decided to keep the name Arnold Palmer hospital for children. Both the foundations currently continue to support the hospital. 

Apart from charities, Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, is a professional golf tournament under the PGA tour. This tournament was formerly known as Bay Hill Invitational. However, later, it was changed to honor him. 

Arnold Palmer left a little luxurious legacy for people who enjoy fine dining, Arnold Palmer’s Restaurant, where Arnie’s Army can go anytime to remember the good old days and remember the legend.  

Arnold Palmer Books

Palmer has written and published many books throughout his life. However, one book most loved and popular amongst Arnies’s Army is A Life Well Played, where he humors his readers with interesting anecdotes and wisdom from his life.  

Get the latest updates as well as news on golf legend Arnold Palmer and his career, net worth, earnings, salary, and endorsements.

Meta: Arnold Palmer (The King) is an American professional golfer who popularized this sport in the 1960s & was named the ‘Athlete of the Decade.’