Arnold Daniel Palmer was born on 10th of September 1929, in Latrobe, Pennsylvania USA, and was a golf course architect and designer, but most notably a professional golfer. He was one of “The Big Three” in golf during the ’60s and ’70s, with Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, all of whom are credited with popularizing golf around the world, and laying the basis for the sport’s success today. Arnold passed away on 25 September 2016.
So just how rich was Arnold Palmer? His net worth has been estimated by reliable sources to have reached an impressive amount of $675 million, much of it accumulated during his playing career, but also from business interests.
Arnold Palmer Net Worth $675 Million
Arnold’s father was Milfred Palmer, who was both green-keeper and head professional at Latrobe Country Club, and he was the one who taught Arnold the basics of golf. He attended Wake Forest University on a golfing scholarship, but dropped-out when a close friend died and joined the US Coast Guard, serving for three years, after which he returned to university and golfing. Arnold Palmer‘s first significant golf victory was in 1954 at the US Amateur Championship. From that point on he decided to start on the professional tour, and just a year later in his rookie season he won the 1955 Canadian Open, which was a significant boost to his net worth and fame, and the first of numerous PGA Tour and Champions Tour events. His performances soon gained him the title of The King, which was well-earned, since he became the the very first star of 1950s television sports.
Arnold‘s streak of success continued, and in 1974 he earned a place in the World Golfing Hall of Fame. In 1998 he received the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award for his 62 PGA Tour victories. In 2000, Golf Digest put Arnold on their greatest players in history list‘s 6th spot, and four years after that he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His latest achievement was in 2009, when he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. All these achievements definitely added to Arnold Palmer‘s impressive net worth.
Arnold had a few other golf-based sources of income besides playing. For starters, he owns the Bay Hill Club and it‘s Lodge and even has a PGA Tour event named after him, the Arnold Palmer Invitational that takes place there. He was one of the founders of The Golf Channel, built the first golf course in China, and thanks to this started the Arnold Palmer Design Company that as of today has designed over two hundred courses. He also owns Latrobe Country Club, which is significant as the place where Palmer‘s father used to be the professional. Arnold even owns a brand name beverage, also named after him, that tastes like iced tea and lemonade. His company, Arnold Palmer Enterprises, is responsible for the licensing and commercial partnerships of Palmer and his agent, Mark McCormack.
As for his personal life, Palmer spent most of his retirement in Latrobe, Pennsylvania during summers, and in La Quinta, California in winters. For 45 years Palmer was married to Winnie Palmer, who died from cancer in 1999. From 2005 Palmer was married to Kathleen Gawthrop. Palmer also has a grandson, Sam Saunders, who played at the Bay Hill while growing up and is now a professional golfer, too. When Sam was 15 years old he won the Club Championship, so he also shows much promise. Thanks to Sam, we know that Arnold‘s nickname was Dumpy. Arnold Palmer passed away on 25 September 2016, in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.
Presidential Medal of Freedom, Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year
Movies
June 17th, 1994, Call Me Bwana, Chicken Soup: Conversations for the Golfer's Soul, Pinehurst, Highlights of the 2002 Masters Tournament
TV Shows
In Play with Jimmy Roberts
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Quote
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What other people find in poetry, I find in the flight of a good drive.
2
I have a tip that will take five strokes off anyone's golf game. It's called an eraser.
3
The road to success is always under construction.
4
The more I practice the luckier I get.
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Fact
1
Inducted into the Western Pennsylvania Golf Hall of Fame in 2013 (inaugural class).
2
Inducted into the Wake Forest University Sports Hall of Fame in 1971.
3
Inducted into the Southern Conference Hall of Fame in 2009.
4
Authorized to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by Public Law 111-65, 30 September 2009 (123 Stat. 2003). The award ceremony took place 12 September 2012.
In 2006, he donated $2 million to the Arnold Palmer Foundation ultimately to benefit the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute.
8
Inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.
9
Married Kathleen Gawthrop in an intimate, beachside ceremony on O'ahu, Hawai'i. They were at the Turtle Bay Resort because he was playing in the Champions Tour that weekend.
10
Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George W. Bush [June 2004].
11
Daughters Peggy (26 February 1956) and Amy (4 August 1958); granddaughters Emily (27 November 1981), Katherine Anne (2 September 1982), Anne Palmer (14 September 1984) Saunders; grandsons, Samuel Palmer Saunders (30 July 1987) and William Gray Palmer Wears (16 October 1994).
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When he won his last major, the 1964 Masters, Palmer was golf's career money leader. Four years earlier, he had become golf's first career millionaire.
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The Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Women is located in Orlando, FL. The daughter of his agent, Mark McCormack, was born there.
14
Chairman of the Board of The Golf Channel.
15
His father, Milfred, was the golf pro and greenskeeper at Latrobe (PA) Country Club, which Palmer now owns.
16
Named "Athlete of the Decade" (1960s) by the Associated Press.
17
Underwent surgery for prostate cancer.
18
The Arnold Palmer Award is presented annually to the medallist at the NCAA Championships in Divisions I, II and III.
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The golf champ used to fly his own twin-engine, seven-seater plane to golf tournaments In 1973 he became the first golfer to win more than $100,000 in one year
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Coach of the Year
1980
TV Movie
The Boys from St. Charles
Return to Campus
1975
Spike
Jackie Gleason: American Scene Magazine
1964
TV Series
Cameo
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
Amethyst
2016
special thanks completed
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
In Depth with Graham Bensinger
2015
TV Series
Himself
Jack Nicklaus: The Making of a Champion
2015
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Mike & Mike
2010-2014
TV Series
Himself - World Golf Hall of Famer / Himself - Telephone Inteviewee
Arnie
2014
TV Mini-Series documentary
Himself
In Play with Jimmy Roberts
2013
TV Series
Himself - Golfer (segment "The King's Warehouse")
Charlie Rose
2011
TV Series
Himself - Guest
Back Nine at Cherry Hills: The Legends of the 1960 U.S. Open
2008
TV Movie
Himself
Chicken Soup: Conversations for the Golfers Soul
2007
Video documentary
Himself
ESPN 25: Who's #1?
2004-2006
TV Series documentary
Himself
Tiger at 30
2006
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Modern Marvels
2004
TV Series documentary
Himself
Tiger: The Authorised DVD Collection
2004
Video documentary
Himself
100 Years of Hope and Humor
2003
TV Special
Himself
Jim McKay: My World in My Words
2003
TV Movie documentary
Himself
ESPN SportsCentury
2000-2002
TV Series documentary
Himself
Sports Illustrated's 20th Century Sports Awards
1999
TV Special
Himself
Intimate Portrait
1999
TV Series documentary
Himself
1997 Highlights of the Masters Tournament
1997
Video documentary
Himself
Tiger Woods: Son, Hero & Champion
1997
Video documentary short
Himself
Golf Talk
1995
TV Series
Himself - Guest
Golf: The Greatest Game
1994
TV Movie documentary
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1994
TV Series
Himself
GTE West Classic PGA Senior Golf Tournament
1989
TV Movie
Himself - Golfer
A Conversation with Dinah
1989
TV Series
Himself (1990)
Maestro
1985
TV Series
Himself - Interviewee
James Bond: The First 21 Years
1983
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Greatest Sports Legends
1979
TV Series
Himself
The Mike Douglas Show
1979
TV Series
Himself - Pro Golfer
Dinah!
1976
TV Series
Himself
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1963-1970
TV Series
Himself - Guest / Himself - Guest Host
The 1970 Masters Tournament
1970
TV Mini-Series
Himself
That Regis Philbin Show
1965
TV Series
Himself
76th Annual Tournament of Roses Parade
1965
TV Movie
Himself - Grand Marshal
I've Got a Secret
1963
TV Series
Himself - Guest
Call Me Bwana
1963
Himself
Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall
1962
TV Series
Himself - Guest
The Bob Hope Show
1961
TV Series
Himself - Guest
The Annual National Sports Awards
1961
TV Special
Himself - Winner
The National Sports Awards
1961
TV Special
Himself - Winner
What's My Line?
1960
TV Series
Himself - Contestant
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
Mike & Mike
2016
TV Series
Himself - Professional Golfer
The Being Frank Show
2012
TV Series
Himself
30 for 30
2010
TV Series documentary
Himself
Jackie Gleason: American Scene Magazine
1963
TV Series
Himself
Known for movies
Back Nine at Cherry Hills: The Legends of the 1960 U.S. Open (2008) as Himself
Sports Illustrated's 20th Century Sports Awards (1999) as Himself