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Golf legends get recognition for work away from course
- Published: Oct 16, 2025, 5 PM
Since 2006, Congress has passed legislation authorizing congressional gold medals to recognize the achievements and philanthropy of three of the greatest golfers to ever play the game — Byron Nelson. Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer.
Nelson was the only one of the three recipients to be awarded the medal posthumously.
Byron Nelson
Nelson’s medal was authorized under provisions of Public Law 109-357, signed into enactment by President George W. Bush on Oct. 16, 2006. three weeks after Nelson’s death at age 94.
Nelson, a native of Roanoke, Texas, was often at the top of the leaderboard in most of the tournaments in which he participated. After retirement from professional competition, Nelson turned to becoming a television commentator on the sport.
Nelson was one of the first golf analysts on network television where his understanding of the game in general, and the golf swing in particular, was demonstrably profound.
Nelson’s professional golfing career was executed during the World War II era, during which he earned 54 career victories, including a record 11 in a row in 1945, during his short 13-year career.
Nelson won five majors, including two Masters (1937 and 1942), two Professional Golf Association (PGA) Championships (1940 and 1945) and the U.S. Open (1939).
Byron Nelson is one of only two golfers to be named ‘‘Male Athlete of the Year’’ twice by the Associated Press: in 1944, when he won seven tournaments and averaged 69.67 strokes for 85 rounds, and again after his 1945 season.
In 1966, True Temper created the ‘‘Iron Byron’’ robot to replicate Byron Nelson’s swing in order to test the company’s equipment, but the robot was eventually used for club and ball testing by the United States Golf Association (USGA) and many other manufacturing companies.
Nelson mentored many golf hopefuls, including 1964 Player of the Year Ken Venturi and six-time PGA Player of the Year Tom Watson.
The obverse of the Nelson gold medal shows a mature portrait of the golfer in his trademark fedora. The reverse design features an action pose of Nelson from his playing days superimposed over a gold ball with the inscribed words PLAYER, TEACHER, HUMANITARIAN and CHAMPION.
The full text of the law authorizing Nelson’s gold medal can be found online at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-109publ357/pdf/PLAW-109publ357.pdf.
Jack Nicklaus
Nicklaus’ medal was authorized under provisions of Public Law 113-210, signed into enactment Dec. 16, 2014, by President Barack Obama.
Nicklaus’ medal received congressional approval in recognition of his service to the nation in promoting excellence, good sportsmanship, and extensive philanthropy.
Nicklaus amassed 120 victories in professional competition of national or international stature, 73 of which came on the PGA Tour.
His record 18 professional majors, the first of which came at the 1962 U.S. Open as a 22-year-old rookie, remains the standard by which all golfers are measured.
Nicklaus is the only player in golf history to have won each major championship at least three times, and is the only player to complete a career ‘‘Grand Slam’’ on both the regular and senior tours. He also owns the record for most major championships as a senior, with eight.
Jack Nicklaus has a long-standing commitment to numerous charitable causes, such as his founding with wife, Barbara, of the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation, which provides pediatric health care services throughout south Florida and in other parts of the country.
At the time of the introduction of the medal legislation, the foundation had raised close to $24 million since it was formed in 2004. Nicklaus also established an annual pro-am golf tournament called ‘‘The Jake’’ to honor his 17-month-old grandson who passed away in 2005, and it serves as a primary fundraiser for the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation. The event alone has raised more than $40 million.
Weaver designed and engraved the obverse and reverse of the Nicklaus medal.
The obverse, designed by Donald Everhart II, features a portrait of Nicklaus in the follow-through of his swing. The medal’s reverse features a 10-line inscription within an open wreath recognizing Nicklaus’s contributions and commitments as humanitarian and family man.
The full text for the Nicklaus medal can be found online at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-113publ210/pdf/PLAW-113publ210.pdf.
Arnold Palmer
The Palmer medal was authorized under Public Law 111-65, signed Sept. 30, 2009, by President Obama.
Palmer amassed 92 championships in professional competition of national or international stature by the end of 1993, 62 of which came on the Professional Golf Association Tour.
Palmer served as honorary national chairman of the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation for 20 years and played a major role in the fund-raising drive that led to the creation of the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, Florida, and the Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation in his western Pennsylvania hometown.
Palmer passed away at the age of 87 on Sept. 25, 2016.
The Palmer medal obverse was designed by Everhart and engraved by Weaver. The reverse was designed by Sculptor-Engraver Phebe Hemphill, designated now as a medallic artist, and engraved by Sculptor-Engraver Joseph F. Menna, elevated to chief engraver in February 2019.
The obverse depicts Palmer completing his classic golf swing.
The reverse illustrates two golf irons crossed at center separating inscriptions recognizing his athletic achievements, with a golf ball lying in grass at the 6 o’clock position.
The authorizing law for the Palmer medal can be found online at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-111publ65/pdf/PLAW-111publ65.pdf.
Bronze duplicates of each of the three gold medals are available for purchase from the Mint for $20 for the 1.5-inch version and $160 for the 3-inch version.
The Matte Finish medals are struck without Mint mark at the Philadelphia Mint.
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Community Comments
Golf legends get recognition for work away from course
- Published: Oct 16, 2025, 5 PM
Since 2006, Congress has passed legislation authorizing congressional gold medals to recognize the achievements and philanthropy of three of the greatest golfers to ever play the game — Byron Nelson. Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer.
Nelson was the only one of the three recipients to be awarded the medal posthumously.
Byron Nelson
Nelson’s medal was authorized under provisions of Public Law 109-357, signed into enactment by President George W. Bush on Oct. 16, 2006. three weeks after Nelson’s death at age 94.
Nelson, a native of Roanoke, Texas, was often at the top of the leaderboard in most of the tournaments in which he participated. After retirement from professional competition, Nelson turned to becoming a television commentator on the sport.
Nelson was one of the first golf analysts on network television where his understanding of the game in general, and the golf swing in particular, was demonstrably profound.
Nelson’s professional golfing career was executed during the World War II era, during which he earned 54 career victories, including a record 11 in a row in 1945, during his short 13-year career.
Nelson won five majors, including two Masters (1937 and 1942), two Professional Golf Association (PGA) Championships (1940 and 1945) and the U.S. Open (1939).
Byron Nelson is one of only two golfers to be named ‘‘Male Athlete of the Year’’ twice by the Associated Press: in 1944, when he won seven tournaments and averaged 69.67 strokes for 85 rounds, and again after his 1945 season.
In 1966, True Temper created the ‘‘Iron Byron’’ robot to replicate Byron Nelson’s swing in order to test the company’s equipment, but the robot was eventually used for club and ball testing by the United States Golf Association (USGA) and many other manufacturing companies.
Nelson mentored many golf hopefuls, including 1964 Player of the Year Ken Venturi and six-time PGA Player of the Year Tom Watson.
The obverse of the Nelson gold medal shows a mature portrait of the golfer in his trademark fedora. The reverse design features an action pose of Nelson from his playing days superimposed over a gold ball with the inscribed words PLAYER, TEACHER, HUMANITARIAN and CHAMPION.
The full text of the law authorizing Nelson’s gold medal can be found online at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-109publ357/pdf/PLAW-109publ357.pdf.
Jack Nicklaus
Nicklaus’ medal was authorized under provisions of Public Law 113-210, signed into enactment Dec. 16, 2014, by President Barack Obama.
Nicklaus’ medal received congressional approval in recognition of his service to the nation in promoting excellence, good sportsmanship, and extensive philanthropy.
Nicklaus amassed 120 victories in professional competition of national or international stature, 73 of which came on the PGA Tour.
His record 18 professional majors, the first of which came at the 1962 U.S. Open as a 22-year-old rookie, remains the standard by which all golfers are measured.
Nicklaus is the only player in golf history to have won each major championship at least three times, and is the only player to complete a career ‘‘Grand Slam’’ on both the regular and senior tours. He also owns the record for most major championships as a senior, with eight.
Jack Nicklaus has a long-standing commitment to numerous charitable causes, such as his founding with wife, Barbara, of the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation, which provides pediatric health care services throughout south Florida and in other parts of the country.
At the time of the introduction of the medal legislation, the foundation had raised close to $24 million since it was formed in 2004. Nicklaus also established an annual pro-am golf tournament called ‘‘The Jake’’ to honor his 17-month-old grandson who passed away in 2005, and it serves as a primary fundraiser for the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation. The event alone has raised more than $40 million.
Weaver designed and engraved the obverse and reverse of the Nicklaus medal.
The obverse, designed by Donald Everhart II, features a portrait of Nicklaus in the follow-through of his swing. The medal’s reverse features a 10-line inscription within an open wreath recognizing Nicklaus’s contributions and commitments as humanitarian and family man.
The full text for the Nicklaus medal can be found online at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-113publ210/pdf/PLAW-113publ210.pdf.
Arnold Palmer
The Palmer medal was authorized under Public Law 111-65, signed Sept. 30, 2009, by President Obama.
Palmer amassed 92 championships in professional competition of national or international stature by the end of 1993, 62 of which came on the Professional Golf Association Tour.
Palmer served as honorary national chairman of the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation for 20 years and played a major role in the fund-raising drive that led to the creation of the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, Florida, and the Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation in his western Pennsylvania hometown.
Palmer passed away at the age of 87 on Sept. 25, 2016.
The Palmer medal obverse was designed by Everhart and engraved by Weaver. The reverse was designed by Sculptor-Engraver Phebe Hemphill, designated now as a medallic artist, and engraved by Sculptor-Engraver Joseph F. Menna, elevated to chief engraver in February 2019.
The obverse depicts Palmer completing his classic golf swing.
The reverse illustrates two golf irons crossed at center separating inscriptions recognizing his athletic achievements, with a golf ball lying in grass at the 6 o’clock position.
The authorizing law for the Palmer medal can be found online at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-111publ65/pdf/PLAW-111publ65.pdf.
Bronze duplicates of each of the three gold medals are available for purchase from the Mint for $20 for the 1.5-inch version and $160 for the 3-inch version.
The Matte Finish medals are struck without Mint mark at the Philadelphia Mint.
Connect with Coin World:
Sign up for our free eNewsletter
Access our Dealer Directory
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on X (Twitter)
Whether you’re a current subscriber or new, you can take advantage of the best offers on magazine subscriptions available in digital, print or both! Whether you want your issue every week or every month, there’s a subscription to meet your needs.