Arnold Palmer passed away on Sunday at the age of 87. Many people may recognize his name from the popular drink named after him, however, older generations can still remember the man known as “The King” — yes, there was a “King” before LeBron — who dominated the sport of golf like no other.
What made Palmer stand out among his contemporaries was an unheralded aura of sportsmanship that transcended what he did on the golf course, and what can be taken away from Palmer was a feeling of pride towards who he was. In 1954, the year he turned pro, golf was seen as a privileged sport for the kind of people who could afford country club memberships. The son of a greenskeeper, Palmer was fully aware of the socioeconomic struggle that would plague him while he was on tour. Palmer confirmed his place in golf by doing it the only way he knew how: with style.
Before Palmer came along, the fashion choices of golfers was all business. A shirt and tie, jacket and a pair of “knickers” made up the appropriate uniform for distinguishing yourself when playing. Palmer attributed his fashion origins to his father in an interview with Esquire.
“My father was an immaculate dresser… he used to say, ‘Arn, you can always tell the character of a man by the shine on his shoes,’" Palmer said to Esquire. "The crease in his slacks — in suits and in his everyday clothes — it was like a razor blade. And I picked that up from him and developed a style for myself."
Palmer leaned toward a cotton shirt, a cashmere sweater, lightweight pants and Oxford shoes. Not only would this brighten his presence, it would make his athletic physique center stage of the conversation.
This new kind of style would carry on into golf in the following decades. The pseudo-suit was abandoned for the more casual, comfortable appearance. Palmer taught the golf world that you can bring a personal sharpness while simultaneously displaying professionalism.
Modern golfers lean toward sponsor-imprinted clothing that still has the same characteristics of what Palmer set forth: lightweight and simple. However, most golfers have lost that magnetism that comes from their appearance and not just their abilities. Palmer knew you needed to impress both visually and aesthetically. Maybe that is how he was able to win 62 PGA Tours along with seven majors. Even though his fashion influence has been lost in professional golf for a while, everyday people can still dress to impress the same way he once did. If you walk around campus, it will not take you long to come across a guy dressed too well for an ordinary Tuesday. Creased pants, collared shirt and some spotless shoes make it sporty casual, but it brings a revered self-awareness that is almost certainly on purpose. Even a colored shirt and a pair of Sperrys on gameday invoke what Palmer was trying to lay down with his attire.
Golf was once a sport only for the elite — now it belongs to the masses. Palmer’s decision to comply with professionalism while supplanting expectations of what golfers are supposed to look like broke barriers with advancement toward a wider audience enjoying golf. What he chose to do still has ripples that affect countless decisions for people on what they should wear for the day. Palmer knew you couldn’t just dress for the day — you had to dress for life.