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Gary Player Quotes

Gary Player
  • Mini Bio
  • Name: Gary Player
  • Born: 1st November 1935, Johannesburg, South Africa
  • Nicknames: The Black Knight and Mr Fitness
  • Collective nickname: "The Big Three" was a collective moniker referring to Gary Player, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. It was first coined in the 1960's when these three titans of the game dominated world golf
  • Occupation: Professional golfer
  • Became professional: 1953
  • Height: 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
  • Trivia: He holds the record for the most Masters appearances having participated in at least the first 2 rounds on 52 occasions, with the last being in 2009

"It's a marriage. If I had to choose between my wife and my putter, well, I'd miss her"

Gary Player

"The two best links courses are Turnberry, where the redesign has done a marvellous job at bringing back the Scottish tradition, and Royal Portrush. You cannot get a better golf course in the world"

Gary Player

"For me, the Open Championship has always been the most important tournament in the world. And I say that for a reason. It’s so different. You have so much adversity in the tournament"

Gary Player

"Tiger Woods is Tiger Woods. He’s one of the most fierce competitors I’ve ever seen. His judgment with his second shots to greens is probably the best I’ve ever seen"

Gary Player

"I’m poor. I’ve got a wife with a baby. I need the money and I’m going to win the Open" [said before the 1959 British open]

Gary Player

"You’ve really got to use what I call your natural instinct when playing"

Gary Player

"We create success or failure on the course primarily by our thoughts"

Gary Player

"The harder you work, the luckier you get"

Gary Player

"The ideal build for a golfer would be strong hands, big forearms, thin neck, big thighs and a flat chest. He'd look like Popeye"

Gary Player

"A strong mind is one of the key components that separates the great from the good"

Gary Player

"If one isn't prepared to suffer during adversities, I don't really see how he can be successful"

Gary Player

"Golf is a puzzle without an answer. I've played the game for 40 years and I still haven't the slightest idea how to play"

Gary Player

"Golf asks something of a man. It makes one loathe mediocrity"

Gary Player

"You must work very hard to become a natural golfer"

Gary Player

"I've studied golf for almost 50 years now and know a hell of a lot about nothing"

Gary Player
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Gary Player Biography

True sporting stars that over the course of their career garner legendary status are few and far between but Gary Player can lay claim to that status. During his career he accumulated nine major championship wins on both the Regular Tour and the Champions Tour.

1965 was a very good year for Player as he became only the third player to win golfs' grand slam when he won the U.S. Open to bag all four major golf tournaments known collectively as a career grand slam. He was in good company as the only other golfers to achieve this feat at this time were Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen, however both Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods have joined them in the exclusive club of golfing greats.

When he is not playing golf he is busy designing courses, through his subsidiary companies he has been involved in over 300 golf course design projects spanning 5 continents.

In other works he has through his non-profit organization "The Player Foundation" has raised more than $64 million for underprivileged children’s education in every corner of the world.

Among the many awards he has received he was voted the South African Sportsman of the Century award in 2000 and in 1976 he was the first golfer in the world to appear on a postage stamp when South Africa bestowed him with this honour. This humble South African sporting legend was also good for a few one liners so here is my compilation of 15 of the best Gary Player quotes. I hope you enjoy reading them.

Quotes About Gary Player

The secretary of Muirfield Colonel Evans-Lombe said this to him before Gary went onto win the 1959 British Open: "You’re not practicing here my boy. This is Muirfield. Not only are you not going to practice here but you’re an arrogant young man as well"

The sports psychologist Dr. Bob Rotella described him thus: "When I think of Gary Player the golfer, I see a man with the mind of Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods; the persistence, desire and dedication of Ben Hogan and Tom Kite ... and the enthusiasm of the Energiser Bunny"


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