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Ranking the Most Personable Golfers Ever

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There is a long-held stereotype that golfers don’t have as much personality as athletes in other sports. And while most players may not be as demonstrative, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some super entertaining players.

15. Joel Dahmen

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Joel Dahmen is a current pro who has won one PGA Tour and two top-10 major finishes. Still, he is adored by fans. As a cancer survivor who regularly displays a self-deprecating sense of humor, Dahman is the kind of guy every fan wants to root for.

14. Tommy Bolt

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Bolt, also known as Terrible Tommy, seems like a precursor to the movie character Happy Gilmore. Known for his tantrums, which would often include club throwing, Bolt won 15 times on the PGA Tour and captured the 1958 U.S. Open Title.

13. David Feherty

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Feherty, who hails from Northern Ireland, was a fine golfer in his day, winning five times on the European Tour. Since 1997, he has worked in the media and is a popular commentator who brings his witty style to every broadcast he appears on.

12. Miguel Angel Jimenez

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Miguel Angel Jimenez brings an incredible sense of joy to the sport of golf. Turning professional in 1982, Jimenez has smoked victory cigars after 41 career wins. He never won a major but had a second-place finish at the 2000 U.S. Open and fourth at the 2014 Masters.

11. Craig Stadler

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Craig Stadler, who is a bit overweight and has a bushy mustache, was popular with the fans who could see themselves in him. That is until “The Walrus” took to the course. Stadler was an outstanding player who won a Green Jacket at the Masters in 1982 and finished 13 times on the PGA Tour.

10. Seve Ballesteros

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Seve Ballesteros wasn’t just a remarkably fun player to watch, both for his shots and reactions; he is one of the greatest golfers ever. The charismatic Spaniard won a record 50 times on the European Tour and captured five majors.

9. Walter Hagen

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Walter Hagen, who won 11 Majors in his career, is one of the greatest golfers ever. He was not only a great golfer, he was also a great ambassador for the sport as well. Hagen is widely credited with raising the popularity of the sport.

8. Lee Trevino

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A former Marine who taught himself golf, Lee Trevino became one of the most unlikely success stories in the sport. A winner of 29 PGA Tour events and six majors, Trevino was also known for his sense of humor and made a memorable cameo in Happy Gilmore.

7. John Daly

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There has never been a golfer like John Daly and there never will be again. Hugely popular with fans, the talented Daly would go from doing insane things like fighting other player’s fathers to wonderful things like giving a significant portion of his tour winnings to the children of a man who was killed by a lightning strike.

6. Rory McIlroy

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When he burst onto the scene, Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy was thought of as the next Tiger Woods. And while that was an impossible bar, he has won four majors and 26 PGA Tour events and is still only 35. He is also known as a kind and affable guy.

5. Ernie Els

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Ernie Els, from Johannesburg, South Africa, was one of the best golfers in the world from 1995-2005. Not only is he known as polite and gracious to his competitors, he has also won four majors, 19 PGA Tour events and 26 European Tour events.

4. Payne Stewart

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The winner of two Majors and the owner of the best wardrobe in golf, Payne Stewart packed a ton of life into his tragically short 41 years. Stewart played in a rock band, appeared on Home Improvement, was the favorite golfer of the ’92 Dream Team and used Bruce Springsteen to pump up his Ryder Cup teammates.

3. Tony Lema

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At this point, many golf fans may not have ever heard of Tony Lema, but they should. He won 12 PGA Tour events, including a major, and was happy to use his winnings on an active social life, earning the nickname Champagne Tony. He as killed in a plane crash in 1966.

2. Chi Chi Rodriguez

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The best major result of Chi Chi Rodriguez’s career is a sixth-place finish at the 1981 U.S. Open. Still, Rodriguez, who won nine PGA Tour events and 22 Champions Tour Events, is fondly remembered for his humor and was a popular pitchman.

1. Arnold Palmer

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If you were to build a golf Mount Rushmore, Arnold Palmer would undoubtedly be featured on it. Not only is Arnie one of the greatest golfers who ever lived, he was also famously gracious and kind. Just ask any member of Arnie’s Army how they feel about him.

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