Golf is a favorite sport played by people from all over the world, across various age groups. People have always looked forward to numerous golf tournaments to check on the leading golfer. Indeed, there are a lot of things you can learn from the greatest golfers of all time, and there might be something very similar among them which make them great athletes.
To help us understand what they have in common that could also help us in pursuing our dreams, let’s take a look at a few of the greatest golf personalities all over the world:
Tiger Woods
He is a professional golfer who gained high acclaim by being the youngest (only 21 years old) man and first African American to win in the US Masters in 1997. He won several other awards and earned the title PGA Player of the Year 10 times. Tiger’s greatest personal loss might have been the death of his father, his best friend, and role model, in 2006. Immediately one year after, he was able to win the World Golf Championship and PGA Championship, along with the celebration of the birth of his new daughter.
Jack Nicklaus
He is known by his nickname “The Golden Bear” as he is the dominant player in the 1970s. He won seventy-three PGA Tour Tournaments in his career, finishing No. 2 on the all-time PGA Tour winner. As someone who is always aiming to be on top, Jack would have found it a bit difficult that he finished as runner-up only in 19 other major games, but he managed 18 more professional major wins, and the World Golf Hall of Fame inducted him in 1974.
Sam Snead
He is one of the golfing world’s most priced giants, holding the most number of wins in a single event in the PGA Tour. He also won the Greater Greensboro Open eight times. However, in 1939, Sam failed multiple times at crucial parts of the US Open and in the same tournament come 1947, he still missed a 30-inch putt on the final playoff hole. Only three years later, he made a comeback and won 11 events as he scored 69.23. The high score record stood for 50 years before somebody else beat it.
Arnold Palmer
He rose into fame during the US Amateur Championship in 1954. He won seven times in what the golf world considers a major professional championship. During his playing career, however, he smoked cigarettes, causing him to struggle with addiction to nicotine. Later on, Arnold made a complete turnaround from this vice and focused on the 4-year stretch in his career when he secured 9 of his titles, making him the leading money-winner in the team.
Ben Hogan
He became known as a famous American professional golfer during the decade after World War II because of his exceptional will and rigorous practice. However, early in 1949, he got into an automobile accident wherein he was severely injured, and as a result, he was no longer expected to walk again. Nevertheless, after his recovery, Ben was able to win the US Open thrice, the Masters Tournament twice, and the British Open once.
The common thing that these famous professional golfers have is their ability to bounce back after a setback. Whether it was the death of a loved one, a major physical injury, a psychological challenge, or a series of failures – it was never enough to crush their resilient hearts. They never allow these challenges to stop them from pursuing their goals. These athletes take heart knowing that they can overcome the hurdles ahead of them. These golfers stand up once again with renewed strength to sustain them until they reach the peak of their dreams.