Can you guess more than 11 of these professional golfers?

By: Gene' Hunter
Image: Pexels

About This Quiz

Before Tiger Woods became a household name, there was Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus but a real golf fan would know that. This quiz is all about the pro players that achieved fame for their magnificent golf swings. But it's not limited to the US, we've got notable players from Canada and South Africa so make sure your knowledge extends beyond America. 

Golf really began to rise in popularity in the '80s just as people were starting to watch TV broadcasts of the game. Golfers like Arnold Palmer became famous partly because of their booming careers and avid TV watchers who were devoted to tuning into the games. Let's also not forget the rise of female golf players who've proven their skills in a sport dominated by men for many years. Today's pro players like Tiger and Annika Sorenstam continue to keep people's attention on one of the most popular sports of the last century. 

Do you know the famous nicknames of some of the players? Do you know who has won the most championships? Do you know Tiger Woods' birth name?  You'll discover the answers to these questions and after you take this quiz! 





Ouimet was a major underdog so his win against Harry Vardon and Ted Ray during this tournament put American golf on the front pages.

Sarazen was known as "The Squire" due to his elaborate way of dressing.

Phil Mickelson has won 43 events on the PGA Tour, including five major championships: three Masters titles, a PGA Championship, and an Open Championship.

Watson grew up in Kansas, attended Stanford, and went on to win 8 major titles including 5 British Opens.

A long hitter for the times with a silky smooth swing, Snead dominated golf in the '40s and early '50s.

Arnold Palmer was one of the first major golf superstars during the televised events. He had 7 major wins throughout his career including the 1960 U.S. Open.

Bobby Locke hailed from the town Germiston east of Johannesburg. He was the first South African to win a major tournament when he pocketed the British Open in 1949.

Sam Snead had 7 major wins throughout his career. Snead was the first to get the coveted green jacket for a win at the Masters when the jacket was introduced in 1949.

Horton Smith won the first and third Masters tournaments. In 1934, he won the first Masters, beating Craig Wood by one stroke.

Tiger Woods is one of the most prominent golf players. At the age of 20, he turned pro and won his first Masters a year later in 1997, beating Tom Kite by 12 strokes.

Butch Harmon was introduced to the game of golf by his father, Claude Harmon. Claude Harmon was an accomplished player and 1948 Masters Champion.

Els is one of a number of South Africans who are successful professional golfers. In his 2002 win in the British Open, Els defeated Stuart Appleby, Steve Elkington and Thomas Levet.

At the 2014 Masters he won by three strokes over Jonas Blixt and Jordan Spieth.

Corey Pavin's nickname refers to his tenacity on the golf course. He has a reputation of fierce determination and never giving up. After his 1995 victory, his game took a downturn, and he played 242 back-to-back tournaments without a victory.

Eldrick "Tiger" Woods was the youngest golfer to win the Masters tournament in 1997. He got the nickname "Tiger" after his dad's friend.

Jack Nicklaus was considered by many to be the greatest golf player. He received his nickname from his high school alma mater, The Golden Bears.

Isao Aoki is a Japanese professional golfer, he successfully won 9 PGA tournaments, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.

Nancy Lopez competed in her first full season on the LPGA Tour in 1978, Lopez won nine tournaments.

Tom Watson was one of the leading players in the world, winning eight major championships and heading the PGA Tour money list five times.

In 2004, at the age of 39, Todd Hamilton became the oldest golfer to win PGA Tour Rookie of the Year.

In 1967, Arnold Palmer became the first golfer to reach one million dollars in career earnings on the PGA Tour. During his career, he accumulated 62 PGA Tour wins, including seven major championships.

Nelson won 54 PGA-sanctioned tournaments during his career, including the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship, and the Masters. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.

On September 6, 2004, Vijay Singh replaced Tiger Woods at the top of the Official World Golf Rankings, ending Woods' reign of more than five years.

Gary Player had a preference for black golf apparel which earned him this title. Player is credited with more than 165 professional victories in his career.

In the early 1980s, Richard Zokol used to play tournaments while listening to his walkman earning himself the nickname "Disco Dick".

Dale Hayes was born in Pretoria. His career is truly international, including the Swiss, Columbian, Italian, and French Open. In 1975, he was awarded the European Order of Merit.

Daly is known primarily for his driving distance off the tee, his non-country club appearance and attitude, the inconsistency of his play, and his rough-and-tumble personal life.

Frank Urban "Fuzzy" Zoeller Jr. is an American professional golfer who has won ten PGA Tour events including two major championships.

Simon Hobday only turned pro at age 29. He was the SA Open Champion in 1971 and that of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) eight years later. As senior, he played mainly in the USA.

Balding began play on the Canadian Tour by winning his first two tournaments. In 1957, he won three events on the PGA Tour and finished sixth on the money list.

Mike Weir spent over 110 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Ranking between 2001 and 2005.

Thomas Dickson Armour was a Scottish-American professional golfer. He was nicknamed The Silver Scot. He was the winner of three of golf's major championships, the 1927 U.S. Open, 1930 PGA Championship, and the 1931 Open Championship.

Curtis Strange is the winner of consecutive U.S. Open titles and a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.

Barr had a solid career on the PGA Tour with more than three dozen top-10 finishes. He became the first Canadian to capture a Champions Tour event by winning the 2003 Royal Caribbean Classic.

Goosen's ability of not giving into pressure has earned him "The Iceman" nickname. He's known for keeping his cool when the game becomes tense. Two of Goosen's forty-plus wins include the US Open in 2001 and 2004.

Arnold Palmer won the Canadian Open in 1955 which was held at the Weston Golf & Country Club in Toronto, Ontario. This was Arnold's first of many wins at a PGA Tour event.

Ozaki is often known as Jumbo Ozaki on account of his height and length off the tee. He featured in the top ten of the Official World Golf Rankings for almost 200 weeks between 1989 and 1998.

Trevino was advising how to play on through a lightning storm. He was inducted to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1981.

Hogan has been described as having the ability to intimidate other players with his "stony silence." Other sources mention his hawk-like habit of scoping out the course and then using his "precision attack" to outplay opponents.

Golf's most popular icon, Arnold Palmer is given credit for invigorating the game during the 1960s and was known to the masses as "The King".

About HowStuffWorks Play

How much do you know about dinosaurs? What is an octane rating? And how do you use a proper noun? Lucky for you, HowStuffWorks Play is here to help. Our award-winning website offers reliable, easy-to-understand explanations about how the world works. From fun quizzes that bring joy to your day, to compelling photography and fascinating lists, HowStuffWorks Play offers something for everyone. Sometimes we explain how stuff works, other times, we ask you, but we’re always exploring in the name of fun! Because learning is fun, so stick with us!

Explore More Quizzes