7 Greatest Golfers Of All Time

There are some golfers who just won’t be forgotten. From leaving their influence on the game to winning major championships back to back, golf has seen some incredible athletes over the years – including some legacies that will be hard to match.

So with three more majors to go this year, it’s as good a time as any to run through the 7 greatest golfers of all time. 

View our epic round-up below and don’t forget to check the latest golf majors odds before the 2023 PGA Championship kicks off!

Tiger Woods

Let’s just get it over with, shall we? Tiger Woods was the poster boy of championship golf throughout his 12-year career, during which betting on the golf majors was as simple as laying your money down on, you guessed it, Tiger Woods.

Tiger Woods won 15 majors during this timespan, alongside countless PGA Tours and international events. The list goes on. But he’s not just one of the greatest golfers for his wins (and consecutive wins), but for the simple fact that he pushed the sport into the mainstream and inspired a whole new generation of golfers.

Jack Nicklaus

With 18 majors to his name, Jack Nicklaus is often regarded as the greatest golfer of all time – period. This impressive (and possibly unbeatable) record includes six Masters, five PGA Championships, four US Opens, and three British Championships. 

So if anything, Jack Nicklaus was consistent. And because of his natural winning ability on the course, he rightly became a World Golf Hall of Fame inductee in 1974. He didn’t stop after he retired either, as he helped design world-famous golf courses in over 40 countries with his company, Nicklaus Design.

Ben Hogan

Ben Hogan is another name that deserves a spot on this list, an all-time great known for his swinging precision and focus on the golf course, which bagged him a total of nine major championships during his highly celebrated career.

But that’s not all Ben Hogan won, as he also won 64 PGA Tour events – no small feat in the world of golf. And aside from his accomplishments, Ben Hogan even inspired golfers with his distinct playing style, which is still studied and emulated decades after his career.

Walter Hagen

Like Tiger Woods, Walter Hagen became something of a sports celebrity during his prime. He won 11 major championships—including five PGA Championships, two US Opens, and four British Opens—and did a lot to influence golf and push it into the mainstream thanks to his larger-than-life personality. 

This includes the fact that he helped establish the PGA Tour, later becoming one of its presidents. As a result, he’s easily one of the greatest golfers of all time, and you’d have to go out of your way to find someone who disagrees.

Arnold Palmer

Arnold Palmer won 62 PGA Tours, including seven major championships from 1958 to 1964. He was especially untouchable during his run from 1960 to 1963, during which he racked up a yearly winning streak that no golfer at the time could keep up with.

So there’s no wonder why Arnold Palmer is up there with the greatest golfers to ever live. No other player became such a dominant force as quickly as Palmer did when he turned professional, and his name continues to live on in the PGA Tour Arnold Palmer Invitational. In 1974, he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, which surprised absolutely no one.

Sam Snead

Sam Snead sets himself apart from other golfing greats with his impressive PGA Tour wins – 82 in total. On top of that, he won seven majors during his career, which includes three PGA Championships, three Masters titles, and one British Open.

Similar to Walter Hagen, Sam Snead was a favorite among golfing fans due to his charismatic personality and playing style – a style that includes one of most graceful swings the world of golf has ever seen. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974 and his legacy is still talked about decades later.

Bobby Jones

Last but not least, Bobby Jones – a golfer who won 13 majors before turning 28, the year that he retired. And fans still wonder to this day how many more majors he would have racked up if he continued to play at the same level, since it’s an achievement that is yet to be matched by any other golfer.

Off the course, Bobby Jones wrote numerous books on golf and even helped establish the prestigious Augusta National Golf Club – the venue that’s now home to none other than The Masters. Need we say it? He’s one of golf’s greatest all-time players, whose contribution to golf extended far beyond the course.

Conclusion

So there you have it, 7 of the greatest golfers of all time who have changed the world of golf for the better, due to their record-breaking wins, larger-than-life personalities, and lasting influence.

And with golfers like Jon Raham, Scottie Scheffler, and Rory Mcllroy currently climbing the ranks, golf fans have a lot, lot more to look forward to!