Who is the Most Beloved Figure in Golf?

[Terry Lavin]

This, of course, is the moniker attached to our genial leader, Ran Morrissett, but it got me to thinking on the topic.  My pick is Arnold Palmer, he of the rugged good looks, swashbuckling swing and remarkably generous personality.  He truly has done it all.  Phenomenal amateur career, spectacular professional and senior career.  Groundbreaking pitchman in television advertising.  Builder of children's hospitals and golf courses alike.  He had the good fortune to come of age in a media environment that was more interested in building up heroes than unmasking them, so he had a longer leash, which truly suits us all better, dontcha think?

In sum and substance, Arnold Palmer is the Most Beloved Figure in Golf.

[PCCraig]

Bill Murray has got to be my pick. From Caddyshack to today at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am...he can pretty much do no wrong on a golf course.

[John Kavanaugh]

So far we have an average architect and a clown. Ben Crenshaw is loved by all.

[Mike Hendren]

Are you kidding me?  I'm going with Uncle Bob and Dr. Gene.   

Mike

[Bill_McBride]

At the risk of being labeled a sycophant, I'm sticking with Ran.

I doubt he had any idea what his modest website was going to produce in terms of a community of very diverse individuals who interact in various ways , some not too productive but others very much so.

For example, I just got an IM from British GCA Robin Hiseman thanking me for mentioning a golf hole in North Georgia in response to his query to the DG about pipeline / golf course interaction.  Robin says he was astonished by the number of folks who responded with good information.

How could that exchange have happened without Ran and GolfClubAtlas?

Better yet, I will see Robin at the Buda Cup in England in September for a game. How could that have happened without Ran Morrissette, still Golf's Most Beloved Figure?

[Jeff Dawson]

In sum and substance, Arnold Palmer is the Most Beloved Figure in Golf.

Nicklaus and Palmer were standing on the first tee and the heavens opened up.  God came down and said for all to hear that Nicklaus will be the greatest golfer of all time..... Then he looked at Palmer and whispered....but, they will love you more.

[Mark Pearce]

In Europe, probably Seve.

[Brent Hutto]

In Europe, probably Seve.

Does self-regard count in that computation or only ones regard by others?

Just joking. For some reason I love Seve, too.

[PCCraig]

So far we have an average architect and a clown.

You say the same thing about your brother and yourself.

[Tony Weiler]

So far we have an average architect and a clown.

You say the same thing about your brother and yourself.

Wow, Pat, that's almost Kavanaughesque!

[John Kavanaugh]

So far we have an average architect and a clown.

You say the same thing about your brother and yourself.

Pat,

I just saw this.  I have underestimated you, that was very clever.  Thanks.  You know we have to be friends now.

[Mark Chaplin]

It's a good question as I'm sure a large percentage of under 40s outside of the USA barely know who Arnold Palmer is.

I'd agree with Mark that Seve is a hero on this side of the pond, especially with his health issues.

[Jud_T]

Arnie and Jack are only for the AARP crowd, of which I'm now of age, and I don't get all misty eyed watching 70 year olds duff it around the par 3 in 3D (although the elevation changes and green contours were pretty cool).  Golf has no most beloved at the moment...That's the problem with golf today! Tiger was never beloved even before becoming a born-again Buddhist Cablanasain.  Mickelson?  Too much of a doofus.  Tom Doak?  Not warm and fuzzy enough.  Crenshaw would have a shot except for those damn Ryder Cup shirts.  We can only hope someone under 30 like McIlroy, Fowler or Ishikawa runs off a string of Majors...

[Eric Smith]

I'd love to go to Bay Hill for a weekend stay just to bump into him.

Brian,

A friend and I did just that back in 1999. We played TPC Sawgrass in the morning on New Year's Eve, then drove down to Orlando to party with some friends at Church Street, staying at The Bay Hill Lodge that night. Next morning and extremely hungover we're sitting in the restaurant scarfing down our breakfast in order to make our tee time and we look out the window and there is a silver haired figure on the putting green, dressed in an unmistakable red sweater along with that tan you mention. It's Mr. Palmer! We bolted outside to putt on the green with him but by the time we got to our bags and grabbed our putters he was already making his way to the 10th tee where he was starting his round at the same time as we were to play off of #1.  So we played parallel to him and his 6-some for 10 minutes or so, which was just friggin unreal at the time.

[Peter Pallotta]

Hale Irwin.

[Rory Connaughton]

Crenshaw may not be the most beloved but I think in many ways he is the soul of American Golf.

[Terry Lavin]

So far we have an average architect and a clown.

You say the same thing about your brother and yourself.

Pat,

I just saw this.  I have underestimated you, that was very clever.  Thanks.  You know we have to be friends now.

Barney,

I know this was just a facile line, but to invoke George Bush, you've also "misunderestimated" my friend Bill Murray, who is decidedly not a clown.  He plays the clown for the cameras, because that is what they want him to do at the AT&T.  But I've gotten to know him fairly well.  He's a smart, introspective artistic type who is much more comfortable when he doesn't have to put on the comic game face.  He's remarkably generous to people on the street and he's been incredibly generous to the Evans Scholars Foundation, which was responsible for his brother Ed's college education.  Just a terrific guy.

[John Kavanaugh]

Terry,

Since the untimely death of Danny Gans I have never heard such disdain for a televised golfer as I heard for Murray this year.  As I just told someone earlier in the week, I only hate people who I have never met.  I'm sure Murray is a great guy off camera.

btw. Perhaps I should have used whom, I don't know. I've never met anyone who would correct me so I haven't taken the time to learn.

[Pete_Pittock]

Historically Bobby Jones, Old & Young Tom Morris, Freddy Tait. In the televised era Arnold Palmer hands down.

Some Desmund Muirhead bunkers.

[Terry Lavin]

Terry,

Since the untimely death of Danny Gans I have never heard such disdain for a televised golfer as I heard for Murray this year.  As I just told someone earlier in the week, I only hate people who I have never met.  I'm sure Murray is a great guy off camera.

btw. Perhaps I should have used whom, I don't know. I've never met anyone who would correct me so I haven't taken the time to learn.

Yeah, it's whom...

And, for me, the biggest jackass is Ray Romano, who (not whom) might as well change his last name to Massengale, he's such a d-bag.

[Bill Shamleffer]

In all of golf it must be Old Tom Morris.

However, for the US I will go with Francis Ouimet.

Think how VERY fortunate that the US was to have Francis Ouimet be our first golf.  A perfect gentleman; came from a simple background but had no difficulty fitting in with any social situation; impeccable behavior.  Then even after being so terribly mistreated by the USGA, he had the amazing grace to do all you could for the USGA once they came to their senses, and never showed any indication of holding any grudge against the USGA.

I can not think of any champion golfer I could greater hope for my child to embody the behavior and characteristics of than Francis Ouimet.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Change just one word (to: Who HAS the Most Beloved Figure in Golf) and it brings in a whole new cast of characters!

[Mark Chaplin]

Bill - if we turned up at a municiple course in the USA or GB tomorrow what percentage of players do you think will have heard of Francis Ouimet or Old Tom? If we are talking most beloved figure to GCA'ers your probably spot on but "in golf" implies everyone and that makes me think it's got to be someone from the TV age.

[Bill_McBride]

Change just one word (to: Who HAS the Most Beloved Figure in Golf) and it brings in a whole new cast of characters!

Natalie Gulbis?

Phil Mickelsen?

[Terry Lavin]

Bill - if we turned up at a municiple course in the USA or GB tomorrow what percentage of players do you think will have heard of Francis Ouimet or Old Tom? If we are talking most beloved figure to GCA'ers your probably spot on but "in golf" implies everyone and that makes me think it's got to be someone from the TV age.

I think he ought to be among the living...