Walter Hagen was a bomber on the track and a good life away from it. Born in a modest home in upstate New York, he was introduced to golf through caddies and went on to earn great wealth as a professional in an era when amateurs ruled the game.
“I never wanted to be a millionaire,” Hagen once said. “I just wanted to live like that.”
He did.
Dashing and assertive, with a penchant for flamboyant fashion, Hagen sometimes arrived at the first tee in a tuxedo, just to give the impression that he had been up all night. He signed endorsement deals with equipment manufacturers and toured the country in a chauffeured Cadillac, playing hundreds of exhibition games that helped popularize the game in the United States. When he died in 1969 at the age of 76, one of his pallbearers was Arnold Palmer – a fitting companion for golf’s first great showman.
Hagen knew how to have fun. He also knew how to lay down. His total of eleven major championships ranks third all-time, behind only Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus. He had a knack for combining business and pleasure, and a succinct way of summing up his outlook on life: “You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t rush. Don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.”
One of his most memorable flower-scented moments came in 1920, when Hagen was in England for the Open Championship. In a joking manner, he and fellow pro Jim Barnes decided to turn three Open locations into one adventure. Starting at Royal Cinque Ports they played 11 holes, jumped a fence to Royal St. George’s for another 10 holes and then crossed to Prince’s for balance before returning to their starting point.
That carefree outing has since been formalized into an annual event known as The Hagen 54, a tribute to the original golf entertainer. The 2026 edition kicks off on Wednesday, July 22 with optional golf at Prince’s of Royal Cinque Ports, followed by a welcome reception at Cinque Ports that evening. The main event kicks off early Thursday morning with a shotgun start: 54 holes played consecutively on all three courses, with caddies, catering and refreshments along the way. Admission is approximately $1,300 per person, or $5,300 for a fourball.
Simon Holt, co-host of the Destination Golf podcast, took part in the 2025 edition of the event – you can watch the video in the player above or hear more about Holt’s day in this podcast (also linked below).
Three links by the sea, 54 holes and one timeless memory of the Haig itself: enjoy the ride.
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