cover image The Eternal Summer: Palmer, Nicklaus, and Hogan in 1960, Golf's Golden Year

The Eternal Summer: Palmer, Nicklaus, and Hogan in 1960, Golf's Golden Year

Curt Sampson. Taylor Publishing Company (TX), $19.95 (214pp) ISBN 978-0-87833-788-0

Sampson ( Texas Golf Legends ) makes a convincing case that 1960 was a watershed for the pro links game. It was the year when the aging Ben Hogan, almost literally on his last legs (he had been badly mangled in an auto crash), was barely hanging on to his past glory; rising star Arnold Palmer was starting to draw the crowds of fans who eventually turned into Arnie's Army; and 20-year-old Jackie Nicklaus was just making his presence known. Even more significant, however, was the increasing interest of major corporations in associating themselves with events on the pro tour and in promising larger and larger purses, a trend that did indeed change the game forever. Photos not seen by PW. (July)