Every sport has its sharpshooters, and for golf, that was Calvin Peete. A fairway-finding machine who set the benchmark for accuracy. “In Order To Change, You First Must Make A Difference,” the famous quote that helped the legendary PGA Tour professional pursue his life goals. He was an absolute machine off the tee—10 straight years (1981-1990) as the PGA Tour’s most accurate driver. No one kept it in the fairway like him!

Unlike the others, Peete met with an accident in his younger days, which left his arm curved forever due to lack of treatment. Despite having an injured arm since childhood, the golfer went on to overcome the struggles and etch his name as the most successful golfer in the history of the sport. Let’s take a look at his professional career for deeper insight.

Calvin Peete’s professional career

Peete graduated from the 1975 PGA Tour Qualifying School to become a professional. But his journey in the initial years was filled with struggles as he could only manage to win $60,000 in his first three years. But his sheer dedication to the sport and overcoming challenges helped him with his performance in the later years. In 1979, he won his first at the Greater Milwaukee Open, becoming the fourth black man to win a PGA Tour event.

The win then started a spree for the records as in 1981, he was the leader in driving accuracy on the PGA Tour, which he continued to be for 10 straight years till 1990. Even in 1984, he set the record for the lowest scoring average of 70.56 at the Vardon Trophy. The golfer made history by winning 12 major PGA tournaments between 1979 and 1986, including the Players Championship in 1985. Even before the world got Tiger Woods‘s introduction, Peete was the most successful African American on the tour.

Well, his long career had some key moments that every golf enthusiast would cherish, but what’s striking was his achievement at the Players Championship.

Peete at the Players Championship

Calvin Peete, also known as the ‘Pipeline’, got his nickname with his performance at the Players. In 1985, the golfer led in driving accuracy for eight consecutive years. But that wasn’t all. The precision and straight shots of the golfers helped him with five birdies over the final 10 holes, including a tap-in at the 17th. After that, the African-American secured a three-stroke lead and as he walked through the fairway, the loud cheers were the proof of the great achievement.

The win at the 1985 Players Championship was the greatest for him, as he shared after the match, “I have reached the mountain top.” But, the injuries after the great achievement started for him as he struggled with back and shoulder issues in 1986.

At the age of 51, he started to compete on the Senior Tour and retired from golf in 2001. Though the golfer might have left the world in 2015, he has left his legacy with his presence on the course. Even with his straight-hitting accuracy, there won’t be another ‘Pipeline’ in history. What are your thoughts on Calvin Peete? Share with us in the comment below.