Ben Crenshaw
A golfer whose silky putting stroke and emotional 1995 Masters victory captured the heart of the sport.
Born 1952 (age 74)·American professional golfer·Birthday: January 11·Baby Boomers
Biography
Ben Crenshaw emerged from Texas as a golf prodigy, his amateur career so stellar that expectations followed him onto the professional tour. He delivered with a classic, graceful swing, but it was on the greens where he built his legacy, his putting touch considered a form of artistry. His first major win at the 1984 Masters seemed to promise a cascade of titles, but a long drought followed. Then, in 1995, just days after the death of his beloved mentor Harvey Penick, Crenshaw produced one of the most poignant triumphs in sports history, winning a second Masters while awash in emotion. Beyond play, he became a respected historian and golf course architect, his designs reflecting a deep reverence for the game's traditions.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Ben was born in 1952, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ben Was Born
The biggest hits of 1952
#1 Movie
The Greatest Show on Earth
Best Picture
The Greatest Show on Earth
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Ben's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1952Born
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1957Started school
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1965Became a teenager
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Could drive
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1970Could vote
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Turned 21
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1982Turned 30
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 40
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 50
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 60
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 70
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 74 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Masters Tournament twice, in 1984 and in the emotionally charged 1995 edition.
- Secured 19 total victories on the PGA Tour across a long career.
- Is consistently cited by peers and historians as one of the greatest putters the game has ever seen.
- Co-founded a successful golf course architecture firm with partner Bill Coore, designing highly regarded courses.
Did You Know?
His nickname, 'Gentle Ben,' referred to his mild-mannered demeanor on and off the course.
He is a passionate collector of golf memorabilia and historical books on the game.
He was a three-time All-American at the University of Texas and won the NCAA individual championship in 1972.
He served as captain of the victorious 1999 United States Ryder Cup team.
“I had a 15th club in my bag, and that was Harvey.”
