The King turns 80: Images and impact of Arnold Palmer

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Former President Gerald Ford (left) with Arnold Palmer during play at the 1993 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

Arnold Palmer has spent over 50 years in the public eye, posed for thousands of pictures and authored some of the most memorable moments in golf history.

On Sept. 10, 2009, the King turns 80 and, in honor of his big celebration, we've picked 18 of our favorite Palmer pictures and put together a photo timeline of his career.

ARNOLD PALMER photo gallery: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |9 | 10 | 11 | CURRENT PHOTO | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18

All the King's friends

Palmer with Gerald Ford (1991)

Seen here with President Gerald Ford, Palmer was a playing partner with countless dignitaries over the years. He spent time with Ford in the Oval Office, shared his 37th birthday with Dwight Eisenhower and played a round at the Australian Golf Club in front of Prime Minister John Howard. When Ford finished his term as President in 1977, the very first thing he did was take a plane to Pebble Beach to play golf with Palmer in the Crosby Celebrity Pro-Am.

More on Palmer

Check out these stories on Arnold Palmer, who turns 80 this week PHOTO ESSAY: There may never be a golfer as photogenic as Arnold Palmer. Need proof? Check out these images of his career. Click here 80 THINGS TO LOVE ABOUT ARNIE: Is it his smile? His untucked shirt? Or that he has a tea named after him? Columnist Melanie Hauser has her top 80. Click here PLAYERS REACT: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Davis Love III, Gary Player, Ben Crenshaw and others discuss their memories of Arnie, and the impact he has made on their careers. Click here BEST MEMORIES: PGATOUR.COM's columnists share their best memories of dealing with the King. Click here FATHER AND SON: PGATOUR.COM's Brian Wacker reveals how Arnie reached out to his father, who was dying of cancer. Click here LETTER FROM ARNIE: Helen Ross shares a note from Arnie that inspired her father in his battle against prostate cancer. Click here INFLUENCE ON GOLF: He isn't just a golfer. He's an icon who transcended the game, created an Army and made golf cool to watch. Click here ARNIE'S NUMBERS: His wins, margins of victory and the rest of his stats. Click here LISTEN TO ARNIE:John Swantek from "Talk of the TOUR" on the PGA TOUR Network visits with Palmer on the occasion of his 80th birthday. Click for audio