| Gardner Dickinson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Gardner Edward Dickinson, Jr. |
| Born | September 14, 1927 Dothan, Alabama |
| Died | April 19, 1998 (aged 70) Tequesta, Florida |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Weight | 144 lb (65 kg; 10.3 st) |
| Sporting nationality |  United States |
| Spouse | Judy Clark Dickinson |
| Children | 5 [1] |
| Career | |
| College | Louisiana State[2] |
| Turned professional | 1952 |
| Former tour(s) | PGA Tour Champions Tour |
| Professional wins | 11 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 7 |
| Other | 4 |
| Best results in major championships | |
| Masters Tournament | T10: 1973 |
| PGA Championship | 5th: 1965 |
| U.S. Open | T6: 1967 |
| The Open Championship | CUT: 1969 |
Gardner Edward Dickinson, Jr. (September 14, 1927 – April 19, 1998) was an American professional golfer.
Born in Dothan, Alabama, Dickinson was a student of Ben Hogan and crafted his swing in the Hogan tradition. He played college golf at Louisiana State, where he and teammate Jay Hebert led the Tigers to the national title in 1947.[2] In a long PGA Tour career, he won seven times between 1956 and 1971. In his last win, the 1971 Atlanta Classic, he beat Jack Nicklaus in a sudden-death playoff.[3]
During his PGA Tour career, Dickinson competed in 12 Masters Championships. His best finish came in 1973, when he tied for tenth. He played on the 1967 and 1971 Ryder Cup teams. With a 9–1–0 match record, Dickinson holds the record for best winning percentage (minimum of seven matches). In team Ryder Cup play, he never lost a match with partner Arnold Palmer (5–0).
Dickinson was one of the founders of the Senior PGA Tour (now Champions Tour). He authored the book Let 'er Rip — a lengthy, bitey rant in which he opines on everything from golf officials and his fellow players to topical issues such as how young people dress.[4] He also designed the 36-hole Frenchman's Creek Club in Palm Beach, Florida.
Dickinson later taught the game to players such as LPGA great JoAnne Carner and his future wife Judy Clark, who is a former player and president of the LPGA Tour.
After a long illness, he died at age 70 in Tequesta, Florida in 1998.[1] Dickinson was voted into the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.
A well-known quote by Dickinson is: "They say golf is like life, but don't believe them. Golf is more complicated than that."[5]
- ^ a b Brown, Clifton (April 22, 1998). "Gardner Dickinson, 70, Golfer And a Founder of Senior Tour". New York Times. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
- ^ a b "Jay Hebert". Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
- ^ "A Big Victory For Little Ben". Sports Illustrated. May 26, 1969. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved March 22, 2011.
- ^ "No Holds Barred". Sports Illustrated. February 27, 1995. Archived from the original on August 22, 2010. Retrieved March 22, 2011.
- ^ "Gardener Dickinson quotes". Think exist.com. Archived from the original on July 19, 2012. Retrieved March 22, 2011.