Tiger Woods
Everyone knows Tiger Woods. Up until his recent difficulties with his personal life, he was everywhere —television commercials, magazine advertisements, video games. But, would the average person recognize Jack Nicklaus if they saw him teeing off without sneaking a peek at one of his imprinted golf tees? Gary Player? Greg Norman? Even Arnold Palmer?
What about Ben Hogan, considered one of the greatest golfers of all time? Able to back up that claim with an amazing record, Hogan’s accomplishments still stand the test of time. Though he passed on in 1997, he remains in fourth place for PGA Tour wins with a total of 64, not to mention nine Championship wins to boot. Hogan’s book, Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf is possibly the most recognized piece of literature in the golfing world, and his principles are oft repeated by the modern swing gurus. In 1953, Hogan formed his own golfing equipment company, The Ben Hogan Company, which specialized in custom clubs. Unfortunately, after multiple buy-outs, Callaway now owns rights to The Ben Hogan Company, and reports no interest in taking the brand any further than where it is.
Jack Nicklaus is definitely a name known to those who follow golf, but for those of us who know nothing of the Highlands-originating game, the name might do nothing more than remind us of Santa Claus. To say this is unfortunate would be an understatement, as the man who is in second place in PGA wins with 73, is possibly the best and most respected player in the sport. Nicknamed “The Golden Bear”, Nicklaus was known for his aggressive playing style, which is possibly the reason behind his consistently long and straight shots.
Despite the tabloid drama, no article on famous or successful golfers would be complete with including Tiger Woods. Some argue that Tiger is the greatest player in the history of the sport. While he may be good at what he does, most of his appeal is his charisma. He is a young face in a sport once dominated by old men. That’s not to say he doesn’t demolish his share of those little plastic golf tees when he tees off and smacks that ball, but he has far to grow, and admits that himself. With an impressive 71 PGA Tour wins at the young age of 34, Tiger has plenty of time to become the best that everyone claims him to be.
These are certainly not the only famous golfers out there, but they are definitely near the top of any list. The number of wins doesn’t always equal fame, however. Other than true golf fans, how many know who holds the record for the most most PGA wins?
Balancing media attention with dedication to perfecting their craft is a struggle for the better known golfers. Just ask Tiger! But, in the end, a truly great golfer plays for love of the game and focuses more on details like golf tees than camera angles.
Oh, and the record for most PGA wins? Sam Snead, of course.
