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.
