Only one of the many games of golf played by president Eisenhower and Palmer together took place in public
Palmer and Eisenhower had a long and storied friendship that began at Palmer's first Masters win in Augusta Georgia in 1958. "He was not only a great president and a great general but a great person. He was a guy who you could relate to, a regular guy on the golf course and a regular guy, period. We became very close friends almost immediately." said Palmer.
Eisenhower is undoubtedly one of the most revered and influential presidents in American history and his public love of golf during the span of his presidency is why the sport received a massive boost in popularity. This was due to the national press dutifully reporting on his 29 trips to Augusta during his presidency and the more than 1,000 days of golf he played, according to his daily itinerary. The number of Americans who played golf doubled while Eisenhower was in office from 1953 to 1961, according to "First Off The Tee," a book on U.S. presidents who played golf.
"One would be hard-pressed to find anyone who did more to popularize the game of golf, not only in the United States but throughout the world, than President Eisenhower," Palmer said. "His passion for the game was the inspiration for literally millions of people picking up the game. To have the average person read about Ike and his golf and his enjoyment of the game gave golf one of the greatest shots in the arm it ever got."
Since they played often together, Palmer and Eisenhower were a powerful mixture - a President, a King, The Masters and the advent of golf on television, ultimately launching the game into popularity.
"President Eisenhower received many honors in his life, but I think he would have really enjoyed this one."
Eisenhower and Palmer's friendship came from their mutual respect for each other
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