Smiley Quick
- March 19, 1909
- December 23, 1979
- 70 years
- heart attack
About Smiley Quick
Smiley Quick was a notable figure from United States. Born in 1909, Quick died in 1979 at the age of 70.
Explore other notable deaths in 1979 or deaths in December 1979.
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60 Seconds Life Story
Lyman Loren Smiley Quick was a talented American golfer whose life spanned from his birth in 1909 to his death
Smiley Quick
1909 – 1979
60 Seconds: Smiley Quick's Life Story
An overview of the life and career of American professional golfer and World War II veteran Smiley Quick.
Transcript
Lyman Loren Smiley Quick was a talented American golfer whose life spanned from his birth in 1909 to his death in 1979. Born in Centralia, Illinois, Quick eventually settled in southern California. Before his professional career took flight, he served his country as a combat Marine during World War II. In 1946, he achieved notable amateur success by winning the U.S. Amateur Public Links championship. Quick turned professional in 1948 and competed on the PGA Tour throughout the 1940s and 1950s. During his later years, he became known for high-stakes golf hustling, once winning a quarter million dollars from boxing legend Joe Louis. Smiley Quick passed away at age 70 following a heart attack, leaving behind a complex legacy in professional golf.
Play the illustrated life story above, or read the full biography on this page.
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Full Biography
|Lyman Loren "Smiley" Quick (March 19, 1909 – December 23, 1979) was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1940s and 1950s.
Early life
Quick was born in Centralia, Illinois, but lived most of his life in southern California in places like Inglewood and Los Angeles. He served as a combat Marine in World War II.
Amateur career
Quick's best year as an amateur was 1946 when he won the U.S. Amateur Public Links and was runner-up at the U.S. Amateur after missing a putt from 21⁄2 feet at Baltusrol's Lower Course giving Ted Bishop the championship. Quick played on the 1947 Walker Cup team.
Professional career
In 1948, Quick turned professional. As a pro, Quick never lived up to the potential he showed as an amateur; the closest he came to winning on the PGA Tour was when he tied for first with Jack Burke Jr., Sam Snead and Dave Douglas at the 1950 Bing Crosby Pro-Am.
In his later years, he made a living gambling on the golf course with people like Titanic Thompson. Quick hustled boxing great Joe Louis out of a quarter million dollars—enough to buy an apartment in Los Angeles and a fleet of fast cars.
Amateur wins
- 1940 Southern California Golf Association Championship
- 1943 Southern California Golf Association Championship
- 1946 U.S. Amateur Public Links
- 1947 Mexican Amateur
Professional wins (6)
PGA Tour wins (1)
Source:
Other wins (5)
- 1948 California State Open
- 1949 California State Open
- 1951 Utah Open, Ontario Open (Canada)
- 1955 Northern California Open
Results in major championships
Amateur
Professional
LA = low amateur
CUT = missed the half-way cut
WD = withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place
R128, R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = round in which player lost in match play
Source for U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur: USGA Championship Database
Source for 1947 Amateur Championship: The Glasgow Herald, May 28, 1947, pg. 6.
U.S. national team appearances
Amateur
- Walker Cup: 1947 (winners)
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smiley_Quick
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
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- October 21, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
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