SIGN UP Golf Digest Logo
SUBSCRIBE
News
Rankings
Golf News & Tours

The Coolest Golfers Of All Time

Our decidedly unscientific ranking of the golfers -- professional and otherwise -- who have that extra something

Share story
1. FRED COUPLESWomen love him, and men want to be like him.
2. SEVE BALLESTEROSHeroic and handsome, but never half-hearted.
3. WALTER HAGENA guy who really remembered to smell the flowers.
4. ARNOLD PALMERHow many golfers have had a president (Eisenhower) pop in for their surprise birthday party?
5. MICKEY WRIGHTHas that Greta Garbo-recluse mystique -- and Ben Hogan said she had the finest swing he'd ever seen.
6. SEAN CONNERYOnly he could sound cool telling you he made a triple-bogey 007.
7. BEN HOGANSurvived match play with a bus.
8. JUSTIN TIMBERLAKEStart a list of Coolest Anything (fill in the category), and he'd be on it, too.
9. MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZHe'd raise a toast to this group.
10. ADAM SCOTTEven looks cool brandishing an anchored putter.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Rickie FowlerYou can't wear that much orange without being comfortable in your own skin.
Jimmy DemaretKnown for his power fade, quick wit, and sense of style. "Get out and live," he said once. "You're dead for an awful long time."
Tommy Armour IIIThe grandson of the Silver Scot famous for his A-list party every year at the Byron Nelson
Babe Didrikson ZahariasTough as leather who is considered one of the greatest all-around athletes of all time, came back from cancer surgery to win the U.S. Women's Open by 12 shots.
Graeme McDowellStylish exterior belies his fire as a competitor.
Humphrey BogartEven has a tree named after him at Riviera, where he liked to pick out a spot in the shade and work through a thermos of Jim Beam.
JFKWas said to be the best natural golfer among the presidents, and didn't even have to work at it.
Samuel L. JacksonAlways works golf into film shoots, and occasionally works his films into golf. During filming of "Star Wars," carried a light saber in his golf bag to get in extra practice with it.
Ty Webb from CaddyshackA mythical shotmaker who refused to keep score -- although he did manage to score with Lacey Underall.
Michael JordanDoesn't play golf at the same level he played hoops, but still carries enough of an aura to be called on to advise the game's elite.
Willie NelsonThe outlaw singer-songwriter likes to take his sticks "on the road."
Share story