Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer smoking [Photos]

[nevets88]

I was told the first photo is iconic, that everyone has pretty much has seen it. I haven't. So I looked up more photos. Not making a statement about smoking here. Just got nostalgic, wanted to get a feel for the past and googled more photos, here's what I found.

[jimmyc]

Great pics!

Those were the days when anything was tolerated.

[newtogolf]

Times have changed, the few guys on Tour that do smoke cigarettes do their best to hide it, especially from the cameras.

[rkim291968]

Every time I see Arnold's picture, I mistake him for Paul Newman.

[Fourputt]

Why is this so fascinating to people?  Back then smoking was not only accepted, but almost expected.  Times have changed - smoking is no longer socially acceptable in most circles.

[jamo]

Why is this so fascinating to people?  Back then smoking was not only accepted, but almost expected.  Times have changed - smoking is no longer socially acceptable in most circles.

A lot of us weren't alive at the time. It's different and interesting.

[ChrisP]

Times have changed, the few guys on Tour that do smoke cigarettes do their best to hide it, especially from the cameras.

Not so sure Angel hides it. That guy doesn't have a care in the world, which is why a lot of people love him. Too bad he didn't speak better English because he'd be more popular with the fans

[RJH999]

Times have changed, the few guys on Tour that do smoke cigarettes do their best to hide it, especially from the cameras.

I think Spencer Levin smokes like a goddamn chimney still. [quote name="ChrisP" url="/t/82897/jack-nicklaus-and-arnold-palmer-smoking-photos/0_40#post_1162362"] Not so sure Angel hides it. That guy doesn't have a care in the world, which is why a lot of people love him. Too bad he didn't speak better English because he'd be more popular with the fans[/quote] I don't think he still smokes on the course, but I'm pretty sure he still smokes. http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20130413/masters-notebook-tournament-co-leader-angel-cabrera-still-smoking He did give us this gem that's forever in our hearts: "Some players have physchologists, some have sportologists, I smoke". He may not speak English, but I still love the dude.

[stealthduffer]

Definitely a different era. Read somewhere that Jack saw himself on TV smoking and hated how it looked so he stopped smoking on course. Cigarettes and smoking were commonplace. Read a story about the Green Bay Packers and how at half time players would come into the locker room, sit in their lockers and have a cigarette while listening to the coaches. When I was really young (6 or 7) my dad would send me to the corner store to buy him cigarettes - there usually was enough change left over to buy a pack of candy cigarettes for me. Fortunately dad quit in 1969. Through 1978 our high school had an outside smoking area for students. And the worst thing in the world was having to deliver a message into the teacher's lounge. It was like going into a San Francisco fog bank and you would smell like smoke the rest of the day.

[Archie Bunker]

Great photos! Most of these guys knew how to swing with a cig in their mouths, without lighting their shirts on fire. I've read that Arnie would chain-smoke a couple of cigs over a par-3.

[WUTiger]

The decline in smoking really hurt my golf game.

Thirty years ago, if I wanted to line up an approach shot I just focused on the nearest cigarette butt. Now, if the fairways are well-groomed, there's nothing to use as a close-in aiming point!

[BruceMGF]

At least golf is played in wide open spaces.  If you wanted to play in a chess or bridge tournament, or a local club, in those days you'd better be prepared to do so in a smoke-filled room.  Even bowling alleys were like that.

[DougJ]

My parents were WWII vets, they smoked almost their entire lives..    Everyone in the service smoked.     On the WWII ships that I served on in the early 70's every bunk in the berthing area had an ashtray so you could smoke in your bunk.

[imsys0042]

I don't smoke but enjoy smelling a cigar on the course. Will have to try it some day. Hokey cow, Hogan in a Chesterfield ad! That's awesome!

[jsgolfer]

I don't smoke but enjoy smelling a cigar on the course. Will have to try it some day. Hokey cow, Hogan in a Chesterfield ad! That's awesome!

I still smoke cigars on he course, not usually at home, just while playing golf or an after round one.

[ghalfaire]

My parents were WWII vets, they smoked almost their entire lives..    Everyone in the service smoked.     On the WWII ships that I served on in the early 70's every bunk in the berthing area had an ashtray so you could smoke in your bunk.

Well I wasn't born in time for WWII but I am a veteran of another era conflict a long time ago.  I didn't ever really smoke until I was in the military and the Red Cross GAVE us cigarettes when we were overseas.  Yes I said it right, the Red Cross gave us cigarettes free when I was overseas.  Talk about how times have changed.  Anyway I quit smoking 25 years ago and probably the best thing I ever did for my health (one of the more difficult things I ever did too).  I read somewhere that at one time over 40% of the adult population smoked cigarettes in the sixties.