Arnold Palmer appeared on numerous magazine covers over the course of his life, and in 2013 his legacy of being featured alongside leading celebrities of the day continued when he appeared next to supermodel Kate Upton on the cover of Golf Digest.

Upton toured the Orlando hospitals that bear the Palmer name and the two discussed what it takes to build a brand and how to extend it—skills possessed by both of them, as Palmer learned. “She’s with it,” he said of Upton. “She’s interested in the hospital, she has a great grasp of what she wants to do with her career… She’s very sharp.” Likewise, Upton said she was thrilled to meet Palmer: “He’s so down to earth, so nice,” she said. “He is able to sit in any situation and talk with anyone. I hope to be like that… He’s a legend in more than golf.”

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2013 Golf Digest cover shoot with Kate Upton & Arnold Palmer

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American Golfic

Look familiar? The Golf Digest cover was shot by Walter Iooss and styled after the Grant Wood painting, “American Gothic.” The models in the original were the artist’s sister Nan and the Wood family dentist, Dr. Byron McKeeby, so no golf connection there. But the painting has been received (at least by some) as a celebration of the steadfast American spirit, resilience, fortitude, a strong work ethic and solid values, and here there’s a bit more crossover with both of the people in the Golf Digest shot. Whatever its relation to the original, it’s a compelling cover — even without a dentist in it.

Kate Upton Visits Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children &
Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies