arnold palmer, golf, napa
Arnold Palmer playing in Sweden in 1968.
(Image credit: Heritage Image Partnership / Alamy)

Arnold Palmer, regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time and an investor in Napa wine, has died aged 87.

Tributes have poured in for Arnold Palmer across the media since his death was announced earlier this week.

The BBC described Palmer as ‘the man who changed golf’ and the first one million pound golfer. His fans know him as ‘the king of golf’.

He recorded 92 official victories, including seven major championship titles.

arnold palmer, golf

Arnold Palmer in full-flow.
(Image credit: Arnold Palmer Wines)

Palmer also developed an avid interest in wine during his sports career.

So much so that he invested in Luna Winery in Napa Valley.

Mike Moone founded Luna in 1996 and had met Palmer during a previous role as president of Beringer Winery.

Luna subsequently began producing an Arnold Palmer Red and eventually launched a full Arnold Palmer Wines range that still exists today.

Palmer was born in 1929 in Pennsylvania. He won his first professional golf tournament in 1955, but had already scooped 26 competition victories as an amateur before that.

He was known for his fearless shots and willingness to take risks out on the course.

Palmer is not the only golfer to have fallen in love with wine.

South Africa’s Ernie Els has his own winery in Stellenbosch.

Britain’s Nick Faldo has a range of wines, including Rioja produced by Spain’s Araex.

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Chris Mercer
Chris Mercer

Chris Mercer is a Bristol-based freelance editor and journalist who spent nearly four years as digital editor of Decanter.com, having previously been Decanter’s news editor across online and print.

He has written about, and reported on, the wine and food sectors for more than 10 years for both consumer and trade media.

Chris first became interested in the wine world while living in Languedoc-Roussillon after completing a journalism Masters in the UK. These days, his love of wine commonly tests his budgeting skills.

Beyond wine, Chris also has an MSc in food policy and has a particular interest in sustainability issues. He has also been a food judge at the UK’s Great Taste Awards.