As every golfer knows, it's the littlest things that can make a big difference. One of the littlest things is the golf tee. On this date in 1899, the patent for a wooden golf tee was issued to Boston dentist George Franklin Grant, the first African-American professor at Harvard. Originally from Oswego, N.Y., Grant had submitted his patent on July 1, 1899, and received patent No. 638,920 when issued. Up to that point, golfers had elevated their golf ball on a cone-shaped mound of sand that had to be formed prior to each tee shot.

Yesterday's entry focused on how Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer teamed to great success in several events, including the PGA National Team Championship. They won the 1966 event on Dec. 10 after rounds of 63-66-63-64—256. They tied for 15th in 1968, then won again in 1970 and 1971. Their very first pairing in the event was in 1965, which ended on today's date. They tied for seventh, seven shots behind winners Gay Brewer and Butch Baird, who were 29 under at Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer teamed to great success in several events, namely the World Cup (Canada Cup), Ryder Cup, and for today's purposes, the PGA National Team Championship. They won the 1966 event on this date after rounds of 63-66-63-64—256. They tied for 15th in 1968, then won again in 1970 and 1971. Their very first pairing in the event will be highlighted for the Dec. 11 entry.

In a centuries-old sport such as golf, there are many landmark moments when the equipment was upgraded with new technologies and new rules. Today's date in 1926 is recognized in many historical sources as the day the U.S. Golf Association legalized the use of steel shafts in golf clubs. Up to that point, wood (hickory, mainly) was the primary shaft material. 

It's always special to mention golf legend Mickey Wright's name in an anecdote. On this date in 1963, she and Dave Ragan won the Haig & Haig Scotch Mixed Foursome Invitational at Pinecrest Lakes Club in Avon Park, Fla. They edged Kathy Whitworth and Mason Rudolph by one shot.

On a day that means so much regarding America's armed forces, this spot today makes note of golf's equivalent "military" leader, the late Arnold Palmer, leader of Arnie's Army. On this date in 1980, Palmer won his first PGA Seniors title; he won a second in 1984. In 1980, at age 51, he won in Miami at Turnberry Isle.

The JCPenney Classic concluded on this date in 1981 with Beth Daniel and Tom Kite combining to win the mixed-team event at Bardmoor C.C. in Largo, Fla. They shot 18 under and won by two over Cathy Morse and Vance Heafner.

One of golf's boldest and most fiery competitors was born on this date in 1949. Lanny Wadkins was a quick-paced, take-dead-aim type player who won the 1977 PGA in a playoff with Gene Littler, the 1979 Players Championship, 19 other PGA Tour titles, and the 1970 U.S. Amateur. He also memorably struck a gutsy wedge shot in his singles match in the 1983 Ryder Cup that helped ensure a team victory. In recent years Wadkins has been a commentator on Golf Channel.

One of the quaint formats in pro tour history is the combination of male and female pros in a mixed-team event. It was primarily popular in the 1970s, but after Arnold Palmer's prime years on tour. His best finish in a mixed-team event was on this date in 1977 when he and Sandra Palmer (no relation) tied for third in the 1977 Pepsi-Cola Mixed Team Championship behind Jerry Pate and Hollis Stacy. The two Palmers had tied for seventh in 1976, and later, Arnie paired with sensation Laura Baugh in 1980 and 1983 in the Rolex World Mixed Classic in Japan; they were seventh in 1980 and tied for sixth in '83.

The prestige of the World Cup, originally known as the Canada Cup, was at its strongest during the early days. Star players took it as a "duty" to represent their country. On this date in 1964, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus represented the U.S. as the first round was played at Royal Kaanapali Golf Course, Maui, Hawaii. The course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., was recently opened and was being showcased with the World Cup, including TV coverage. The two Americans didn't disappoint: they teamed to win the title on December 6, with Nicklaus first and Palmer second in the individual standings.

Say a quip, or think of a witticism: On this date, Dan Jenkins was born in 1929. You can also try to cut through all the BS that can infiltrate golf's bureaucracy, which was one of the traits of Jenkins' writing. He wrote in both the golf fiction and nonfiction realms, earning enshrinement in the World Golf Hall of Fame. The 88-year-old Fort Worth legend has been to more than 210 majors dating back to the Hogan years.

It's a doubly good day for recalling golf dates. On the day after the PGA Tour's career money leader Tiger Woods makes a return to competitive golf, the man he's still trying to catch in majors recognizes a milestone. On Dec. 1, 1973, Jack Nicklaus won the Walt Disney Classic to become the first player to reach $2 million in career money. And also on this day, six-time major champion Lee Trevino celebrates his 78th birthday. 

Arnold Palmer was a first-timer in many golf milestones, such as being the first golfer to earn $1 million in career PGA Tour earnings, but on this date in 1969, he was the first winner of the now titled RBC Heritage Classic. Palmer, then 40, had been winless for 14 months when he put together rounds of 68-71-70-74 -- 283 to win by three shots and first prize of $20,000. It was the inaugural playing of the Heritage, which we are used to see being held the week after the Masters. But the '69 event was held on Thanksgiving week. Winning at Harbour Town was so new that in a photo of Palmer being given the winner's plaque from tournament chairman Charles Fraser the still-under-construction lighthouse can be seen in the background (see photo).

It seems as if the age progression for the oldest male acer advances every two or three decades. The present record-holder is Gus Andreone, 103, who had a hole-in-one on the 113-yard, 14th hole of the Lakes Course at Palm Aire in Sarasota, Fla., on December 17, 2014. Before him, Otto Bucher, 99, Geneva, Switzerland, aced the 130-yard 12th hole at the La Manga (Spain) Club in January 1985. And prior to him was T.S. South, 91, who had a hole-in-one on this date in 1952 on the 110-yard seventh hole at Highcliffe Castle Golf Club in England.

The Titleholders Ch. was a major tournament on the LPGA Tour that was played from 1937 to 1966 and in 1972. Part of its prestige was that it was played at Augusta Country Club, next door to Augusta National. On this date in 1965 it was won by Kathy Whitworth by a startling 10 shots. It capped a season in which she led the tour in money, $28,658, and stroke average with 72.61.

Even the casual golf fan is fairly astute about what Arnold Palmer did in 1960. Won the Masters and U.S. Open, nearly won the Open Championship at St. Andrews, upped the interest big-time in his persona as well as in the game. But on this date, he won the Mobile Sertoma Open. Don't worry, most people haven't heard of it, either. It was a PGA Tour event that was only around a few years, played on Mobile, Alabama's municipal golf course. Arnie shot 68-67-74-65—274, for first place and $2,000. It topped off a year in which he entered 27 events, won eight times and  $75,263, and had a scoring average of 69.95.

The late fall and early winter have been known as golf's Silly Season for a few decades now, referring to the gorging tour pros do on rich, limited-field, little-pressure events. It all began with the Skins Game, which was played for the first time in 1983. On this date at Desert Highlands in Arizona, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson played the front nine, and finished the back the following day. Player won the most cash with $170,000 and Palmer was second with $140,000.

Art Wall, who is credited with making 40 holes-in-one in his career, was born on this date in 1923 in Honesdale, Pa. He was a steady player on the PGA Tour with 14 victories. His major claim to fame, besides making all those aces, is winning the 1959 Masters. Wall passed away in 2001.

Simone Thion de la Chaume, aka Madame Rene Lacoste, was born on this date in 1908.  She was an accomplished French amateur, won the French Ladies Open six times in the 1920s and '30s, and won the British Girls Amateur in 1924 and British Ladies Amateur in 1927, the first foreigner to do so in both. The wife of tennis champion Rene, she was the mother of Catherine Lacoste, who would improve upon her mother's record in golf in the 1960s and '70s.

Every so often, an event is devised that tries to capture the feel of the Ryder Cup. Such a senior event was the UBS Warburg Cup, held for a few years in the early 2000s. It was a U.S. versus Rest of the World team match. On this date in 2003, that year's event wrapped up in a 12-12 tie. The U.S. retained the cup because it had won the previous playing. Arnold Palmer was the U.S. captain, and he lost in the final-day singles, 1 down, to Tony Jacklin.