The King turns 80: Images and impact of Arnold Palmer

text size

PGA TOUR Images

Arnold Palmer, seen here in 1977, joined the Champions Tour in 1980.

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 | CURRENT PHOTO | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18

Fantastic at 50

Palmer in the late 1970s

Still on the PGA TOUR in the late 1970s, Palmer continued to thrill his fans with spectacular shots. At the 1980 Bob Hope Desert Classic, he notched his 10th career ace on the sixth hole at Indian Wells. His 50th birthday came on Sept. 10, 1979, and Palmer soon became a fixture on the brand-new Champions Tour. The circuit was the perfect fit for the King, who attracted fans to the events. He was even still competitive - in 1981, Palmer became the first person to win both the U.S. Open and U.S. Senior Open.

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