 |
There have been many legendary players of golf from all over the world, and the debate rages on among fans and players of the game as to who can legitimately be considered the greatest golf legends of all time. This article looks at five of the greatest golf heroes to step out onto a golf course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sam Snead
The original “Slammin’ Sammy,” Sam Snead was born in 1912 in Virginia, and won seven majors, including three Masters titles, and still holds the record for US PGA Tour titles, with 82 in all. Snead’s greatest asset was his swing, which many consider to be among the finest of any golf legend; fluid, graceful and powerful, it saw him shooting low scores years after his last major victory, memorably tying for third place in the 1974 PGA Championship at the age of 62.
Snead is revered among American golfers as one of the greats of the golden era of golf in the 1940’s and 50’s, and for many years, he hit the opening shot at the US Masters in the company of fellow golf legends Gene Sarazen and Byron Nelson. He died in 2002, a few days short of his 90th birthday, and remains one of the great names in golf.
Ben Hogan
Like Sam Snead, Ben Hogan was born in 1912, and built a legendary career on the strength of a majestic swing, which became his trademark and for which he remains renowned even today. Hogan is remembered, too, for his dedication and professionalism, practicing far more than many of his contemporaries, and his icy determination and focus out on the course, which led to him being nicknamed “the Hawk” and “the Wee Ice Man.”
Modern legends of golf, such as Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, agree that Hogan “owned” his swing in a way few golf legends have ever matched, allowing him almost total control over the flight of the ball. In all, Hogan won nine major tournaments, including his famous “Hogan Slam” in 1953, where he lifted the three majors in which he competed. He died in 1997 at the age of 84.
Jack Nicklaus
By any measure, Jack Nicklaus is the most successful golf legend in the history of the game, amassing eighteen major titles in a professional career that spanned four decades. Nicklaus won three British Open titles and a record six Masters wins, including an incredible victory in 1986 at the age of 46 when many had written him off, and he is the only golfer to win each of the major championships at least three times.
The “Golden Bear” was famous for his power off the tee, which prefigured the power game of today’s top golfers, and his putting, which together made him the most formidable of opponents, and elevated him above all his fellow players. His rivalry with Arnold Palmer mesmerized a whole generation of golf fans, and even in retirement, Nicklaus’ legend is undiminished.
Arnold Palmer
Though most would not consider him the greatest player of all time, Arnold Palmer’s popularity among golf fans has always been huge, partly because of the exuberant way in which he played the game, a style and attitude which, along with his relatively humble background, endeared him to sports fans everywhere and earned him a traveling following which became known as “Arnie’s Army.” Palmer’s rivalry with Jack Nicklaus helped bring US golf into the television age, and he remained one of the sport’s most marketable stars for many years after his last major victory, which was the Masters at Augusta in 1964.
In addition to four Masters titles, Palmer won the US Open in 1960 and two British Open championships, and in retirement has continued to run a number of golf-related businesses, notably as a co-founder of the Golf Channel.
Tiger Woods
For a long time it was believed that Jack Nicklaus’ record of eighteen majors would stand for all time, but more and more people believe that Tiger Woods will one day surpass it, such is his total dominance of the modern golf circuit. Born in California in 1975, Woods has already won twelve major titles, and looks set to challenge Nicklaus’ eighteen before too much longer. His “Tiger Slam” in 2000-2001 saw him become the first player in the open era to hold all four major titles simultaneously.
Woods’ all-round game is among the finest of any of the legends of golf, an awesome power off the tee combined with a superb short game and excellent control on the greens. In addition to his gifts as a golfer, which has seen golf clubs all over the world lengthen their courses to try and “Tiger-proof” them, Woods’ youth, charisma, and multiracial background has helped him act as a trailblazer and ambassador for the game, bringing people into golf who might not otherwise have done so, notably African-Americans.
|
|
|
|
Bookmark/Share This Page:
|
