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| Jimmy Demaret | |
|---|---|
| Name | James "Jimmy" Demaret |
| Birth date | October 10, 1910 |
| Birth place | Houston, Texas, United States |
| Death date | February 2, 1983 |
| Death place | Houston, Texas, United States |
| Occupation | Professional golfer, broadcaster, author |
| Nationality | American |
Jimmy Demaret was an American professional golfer known for his flamboyant personality, three Masters Tournament victories, and long career on the PGA Tour and in broadcasting. He became one of the most popular figures in golf during the mid-20th century, helping to popularize professional golf in the United States and internationally. Demaret combined on-course success with work as a club professional, radio and television commentator, and author.
Born in Houston, Texas, Demaret grew up during the era of World War I aftermath and the Roaring Twenties. He learned the game at local clubs influenced by figures associated with Texas golf circles and developed alongside contemporaries from Oakland and Dallas who later competed on the PGA Tour. In his amateur days he competed regionally in tournaments that drew players from the Southern United States and from collegiate programs linked to institutions such as Rice University and Southern Methodist University.
Turning professional in the early 1930s, Demaret joined the PGA Tour amid competition that included legends like Bobby Jones, Walter Hagen, and Sam Snead. He recorded his first significant victories in state opens and tour events before rising to prominence with multiple wins in the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in 1940, 1947, and 1950. His success placed him among his generation’s leading figures alongside contemporaries such as Ben Hogan, Gary Player, and Byron Nelson. Demaret also served as a club professional at notable venues connected to families like the Muirfield Village planners and worked in tournament organization with bodies including the United States Golf Association and the PGA of America. He competed in major championships including the U.S. Open (golf), the Open Championship, and the PGA Championship, often facing rivals such as Jack Nicklaus in the transitional era that followed his prime. In senior competition he appeared in events associated with emerging senior tours and exhibitions tied to promoters from Las Vegas and Palm Beach.
Demaret was recognized for a rhythmic swing and a creative short game that commentators compared to the approaches of Harry Vardon era practitioners and the strategic play promoted by Alister MacKenzie at Augusta National Golf Club. His shotmaking and recovery skills were highlighted in comparisons with contemporaries such as Gene Sarazen and Tony Jacklin. Off the course his colorful attire and jovial manner made him a cultural figure linked to the rise of televised golf alongside broadcasters associated with networks like NBC and CBS Sports. Historians and writers at publications linked to Golf Digest and Sports Illustrated have credited him with helping to broaden professional golf’s appeal during the mid-20th century, influencing later entertainers of the game such as Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, and Seve Ballesteros.
After establishing himself on the tour, Demaret transitioned to broadcasting and print, working on radio and television broadcasts that connected him to networks including Mutual Broadcasting System affiliates and later television partners tied to ABC Sports. He authored instructional and anecdotal pieces that appeared alongside works by golf writers associated with Arnold Palmer's era and publications produced by editors from Golf Digest and The New York Times Sports Section. His commentary style placed him in the company of broadcasters such as Henry Longhurst and Claude Harmon-era instructors, contributing to the medium’s evolution as tournaments garnered larger audiences through partnerships with broadcasters like NBC Sports.
A lifelong resident of Houston, Texas, Demaret was connected socially to club circuits in Palm Beach, Beverly Hills, and New Orleans where he maintained friendships with golfers, entertainers, and business leaders from families tied to the hospitality and resort industries. He enjoyed pursuits common among contemporaries on the tour, associating with figures from Hollywood and the Texas oil community and participating in pro-am events that supported charities linked to organizations such as Junior Chamber International and regional foundations. Demaret’s off-course persona—sociable, affable, and sartorially bold—made him an attraction at society events and at benefit tournaments frequented by civic leaders from cities like Atlanta and Chicago.
Demaret’s career earned him induction into halls and ceremonies affiliated with institutions such as the World Golf Hall of Fame and state-level golf halls associated with Texas Golf Hall of Fame traditions. He received lifetime achievement recognitions from organizations tied to the PGA of America and was commemorated at events at venues including Augusta National Golf Club and clubhouses in Houston. Posthumous tributes have been organized by regional golf bodies and chronicled in retrospectives by publications such as Golf Digest and Sports Illustrated.
Category:American male golfers Category:PGA Tour golfers Category:Sportspeople from Houston