Golf Timeline Homepage
The Ramlon, produced by Ram, is the first golf ball with a Surlyn cover. Surlyn, invented by DuPont, is a plastic whose hardness helps balls last much longer than those with balata covers.
The Spalding Executive is the first two-piece golf ball.
The USGA outlaws croquet-style putting (which Sam Snead had been using).
Lee Trevino wins his first major, the U.S. Open, becoming the first player to break 70 in all four rounds of the tournament.
The British Open introduces a second cut, this one after 54 holes, which remains in effect until 1985.
At age 48, Julius Boros wins the PGA Championship, becoming the oldest player to win a major.
Arnold Palmer becomes the first player to surpass $1 million in career earnings.
Billy Casper finishes the PGA Tour season with winnings of $205,169, becoming the first player to surpass $200,000 in a single season. Casper wins six tournaments during the year and his fifth scoring title.
Kathy Whitworth and Carol Mann both record 10 wins on the LPGA Tour.
• Darren Clarke, European Tour
• Robert Gamez, PGA Tour
• Amy Fruhwirth, LPGA Tour
• Chris DiMarco, PGA Tour
• Bob May, PGA Tour
• Lawson Little, 2-time U.S. Amateur, 2-time British Amateur, 1-time U.S. Open winner
• Craig Wood, 2-time major winner and first player to lose all four majors in playoffs
• Tommy Armour, 3-time major champion
Men's Major Championship Winners
The Masters: Bob Goalby
U.S. Open: Lee Trevino
British Open: Gary Player
PGA Championship: Julius Boros
Women's Major Championship Winners
LPGA: Sandra Post
U.S. Open: Susie Maxwell Berning
Amateur Champions
U.S.: Bruce Fleisher
British: Michael Bonallack
U.S. Women's: JoAnne Carner
British Women's: Brigitte Varangot
