How Golf Has Changed Since Arsene Wenger Took Over At Arsenal

Here we take a look at what golf looked like in October 1996 when Arsene Wenger took over at Arsenal

Golf Has Changed Since Arsene Wenger

Arsene Wenger announced that he will be leaving Arsenal after 22 years. Here's what golf looked like when he took over in October 1996...

How Golf Has Changed Since Arsene Wenger Took Over At Arsenal

Legendary Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger announced today that he will be stepping down at the North-London club at the end of the season, 22 years after he first took charge.

Here we take a look at how golf has changed since the 22nd October 1996, the day Arsene Wenger took over the helm...

  • Greg Norman was world number one. Here is the how the world's top 10 looked the day Wenger took over:
  1. Greg Norman
  2. Colin Montgomerie
  3. Ernie Els
  4. Nick Faldo
  5. Fred Couples
  6. Tom Lehman
  7. Masashi Ozaki
  8. Corey Pavin
  9. Phil Mickelson
  10. Davis Love III
  • John Daly was the PGA Tour's longest driver with an average of 288.8 yards. The current leader, Trey Mullinax, averages 318 yards. Driving distance has come on 30 yards in Wenger's reign. The shortest hitter, Ken Duke, currently averages 268 yards - the shortest hitter in 1996 averaged 239.5

  • Daly used the Wilson Killer Whale driver:

  • Mark Brooks was golf's latest major champion after winning his only major at the 1996 USPGA Championship at Valhalla. He beat Kenny Perry in a playoff
  • Nick Faldo won the Masters in 1996, Steve Jones was US Open champion and the Champion Golfer of the Year was Tom Lehman
  • Bernard Gallacher's Europe were the Ryder Cup holders after being Lanny Wadkins' USA 14.5-13.5 away at Oak Hill in 1995. Irishman Philip Walton, playing in his first and only Ryder Cup, beat Jay Haas to win the cup
  • Tiger Woods hadn't even won a major yet. At the time of Wenger's appointment, Woods was 37th in the world rankings. He would win his first major at the 1997 Masters
  • Titleist had just released their DCI Starship driver, DCI Oversize + Black irons and Tour Players Forged wedges

  • The Pro V1 hadn't even been launched yet, that didn't come until 2000
  • Current world number four Jon Rahm wasn't even two years old by the time Wenger was appointed. Jordan Spieth had just turned 3
  • Augusta National measured 6,925 yards. Today it is over 500 yards longer at 7,435.

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV