Born in
Dothan, Alabama, Dickinson was a student of
Ben Hogan and crafted his swing in the Hogan tradition. He played college golf at
Louisiana State, where he and teammate
Jay Hebert led the Tigers to the national title in 1947. During his
PGA Tour career, Dickinson competed in 12 Masters Championships. His best finish came in 1973, when he tied for tenth. He played on the 1967 and 1971
Ryder Cup teams. With a 9–1–0 match record, Dickinson holds the record for best winning percentage (minimum of seven matches). In team Ryder Cup play, he never lost a match with partner
Arnold Palmer (5–0). Dickinson was one of the founders of the Senior PGA Tour (now
Champions Tour). He authored the book ''Let 'er Rip'' — a lengthy, bitey rant in which he opines on everything from golf officials and his fellow players to topical issues such as how young people dress. He also designed the 36-hole Frenchman's Creek Club in
Palm Beach, Florida. Dickinson later taught the game to players such as LPGA great
JoAnne Carner and his future wife
Judy Clark, who is a former player and president of the
LPGA Tour. A well-known quote by Dickinson is: "They say golf is like life, but don't believe them. Golf is more complicated than that." == Death ==