Top 10 Professional Golfers Who Did Their Part in Armed Forces

Every day, Americans respect their troops, but this weekend is Veteran’s Day, a special day to remember those who gave their lives and served their country. Here are 10 professional players who accepted the call to serve.

Ben Hogan

The Hawk was part of the US Air Force during WWII and was based in Fort Worth, Texas. Hogan was a lieutenant and a utility pilot. He won all nine of his big championships after the war, even though many people think that his service cut short the best part of his playing career.

Jack Fleck

In the U.S. Navy, Fleck was a quartermaster, which is a job in guidance, before he beat Ben Hogan at the 1955 U.S. Open. He was there to help during the landing of Normandy on D-Day.

Horton Smith

Smith became a first lieutenant in the US Air Force 10 years after winning the first Masters. Smith was in the army and worked in the athletic branch, where he planned the army’s sports projects abroad.

Jimmy Demaret

He was a Grand Master three times and served in the Navy during WWII. Demaret was stationed at Corpus Christi, Texas, and did his part to help win the war. He also had a lot of time to play golf.

Sam Snead

Like a lot of people his age, Snead fought in World War II. While in the U.S. Navy, Snead worked in San Diego as a sports expert. After hurting his back, he was let go from the army in 1944.

Bobby Jones

Jones quit professional golf after his 1930 Grand Slam season and went on to work as an intelligence officer in World War II. As he worked his way up, he became a lieutenant colonel and in 1944 was sent to question prisoners of war. During the war, many famous players played in practice games to support the cause at home, but Jones insisted on going to war abroad.

Billy Hurley III

Hurley graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and served on the USS Gettysburg for a long time as a lieutenant in the combat engineer section. He also taught economics in Annapolis for two more years and served on the USS Chung-Hoon in the Persian Gulf for two years. The 2016 Quicken Loans National was won by Hurley.

Larry Nelson

Nelson was 18 years old when he was called up to the army during the Vietnam War in 1966. He was sent overseas two years later and stayed there for less than three months before going back home. After his service, Nelson went on to win three big titles.

Lee Trevino

The Merry Mex was a machine gunner in the U.S. Marines for four years. Trevino says that the time when he was raised to lance corporal made him a better player. During his service, he took part in a number of military events in Asia.

Arnold Palmer

Palmer left Wake Forest in 1950 and joined the U.S. Coast Guard. He was a Yeoman for three years. Palmer worked on his golf game while he was in the army. When he got out in 1953, he won the 1954 U.S. Amateur a few months before going pro.

Table of Contents