Arnold Palmer is many things to many people...world famous golf immortal and sportsman, highly-successful business executive, prominent advertising spokesman, skilled aviator, talented golf course designer and consultant, devoted husband, father and grandfather and a man with a down-to-earth common touch that has made him one of the most popular and accessible public figures in history.

His popularity and success have grown with the tremendous golf boom in this latter half of the century to heights few ever anticipated. Certainly each contributed to the other, a fact given recognition when he was named "Athlete of the Decade" for the 1960s in a national Associated Press poll. Before, during and after that great decade, the famous golfer amassed 92 championships in professional competition of national or international stature by the-end of 1993. Sixty-one of the victories came on the U.S. PGA Tour, starting with the 1955 Canadian Open.

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To most, Arnold Palmer is best known as the legendary golfer who dominated the golf course for many years. To others, he is a successful business executive, sportsman, aviator and spokesman. To his family, he is a dedicated and devoted man with a loving heart. Above all, it is his personality and down-to-earth demeanor that has made him one of the most popular and accessible notables in history.

Arnold Palmer's golfing success came about in a way that few others will ever experience themselves. During the 1960s, he was named as 'Athlete of the Decade' by the Associated Press. After racking up 92 championships in professional competition, 62 of which were won on the U.S. PGA Tour, Arnold Palmer quickly became a household name.

During his time away from the tee, Arnold Palmer developed a keen business sense and developed a variety of interests in various fields. Among them, Arnold Palmer Enterprises, which is a multi-division structure that handles his commercial business. In addition, Palmer has become involved in automobile and aviation service firms and remains the principal owner of a car dealership in his hometown of Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Since 1971, Palmer has been the sole owner and president of Latrobe Country Club.

Although his love for other business ventures occupies much of his time, Arnold Palmer signed on as a consultant to The Golf Channel, which first aired on cable networks in January 1995. Over the course of more than 40 years, this golfing great has given his approval on more than 200 new courses throughout the United States and the world. His business ventures and golfing participation keeps Palmer busy and on the move for most of the year. Luckily, he is a skilled aviator and often mans the controls himself onboard his Cessna Citation X jet aircraft, which he commonly uses for travel. After having dedicated so much to the world of aviation and his local community, the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport was named in his honor.

Speaking of contributions, Arnold Palmer has given much to the sport of golf and it's fans. In turn, the sport has given back. In 2004, Palmer received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from George W. Bush during a White House ceremony. In addition, he is a charter member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and a member of the American Golf Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the PGA Hall of Fame, which is headquartered in the sunshine state of Florida.

During the 1980s, Palmer played a significant part in the fundraising activities that led to the creation of the Orlando-based Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Women. Today, Palmer divides his time between Pennsylvania, which he primarily enjoys during the warmer seasons, and California. For fans, Arnold Palmer is one of the most gracious sports figures in history. A willing autograph signer and a kind-hearted gentleman who always has the time to shake hands or pose for a photo, Arnold Palmer is a fan favorite both on and off the golf course.

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Arnold Palmer is one of golf's most famous celebrities. Arnold's career coincided with the popularity of televised sports that began in the 1950s. Fans adored him for his handsome features and his willingness to play risky shots. The public show more affection to him, even if other golfers may have more trophies on their mantelpiece. This amazing sports figure was born in Latrobe, Pennsylvania in 1929. He learned the game from his father who was a professional at the Latrobe Country Club. He exhibited that he has considerable talent for this game from the age of seven.

This world class athlete won the US Amateur tournament in 1954. This win prompted Arnold Palmer to turn professional and he won the Canadian Open the next year. He never looked back as he won seven major competitions in his career. He won the Masters four times, the US Open once and the British Open Championship twice. Arnold Palmer considered the Open Championship in Britain as something of a mission to persuade other American golfers to participate. He won them round even if they were reluctant at first because of the difference in golf course design of the two countries.

Arnold Palmer won twenty nine competitions on the PGA Tour over four seasons from 1960-1963. This period is most successful part of his long career. In 1963, he captained the US Ryder Cup team to victory. Jack Nicklaus dominated the game from the late 1960s, and Arnold Palmer decided to go on the PGA Senior Tour, now known as the Champions Tour. He stated that he was quitting the Majors when he missed the cut at the US Senior Open in 1995.

Other golf related activities have helped to keep Arnold Palmer involved in the sport. For instance, he continued his family connection to Latrobe Country Club by becoming the owner in 1971. He also helped to set up the Golf Channel, which is watched by eager fans throughout the world. Golf is a much more international game today than when Arnold was a young man. He is also responsible for the deal to build the very first golf course in China. Arnold Palmer has also found success in a business has been built around golfing books and DVDs that he wrote and presented. He ranks amongst the highest earners in the sport because of the contracts he signed with advertisers and sponsors.

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