We Looked Back Through The Golf Monthly Archives And Found These 15 Classic Seve Ballesteros Covers

Seve Ballesteros is one of the greatest golfers of all time.

The Spaniard is remembered for his incredible short game, flair and competitive spirit, and remains top of the European Tour's all-time tournament victories with 50. Seve won five Majors and became a legend of the Ryder Cup with eight appearances for Team Europe plus a winning captaincy at Valderrama in 1997.

The charismatic player, who tragically lost his life to cancer at the age of 54, was one of the most revered golfers of his generation and appeared on the cover of Golf Monthly magazine numerous times from the 70s and in the decades following.

Thanks to the digital Golf Monthly archive, dating back to 1911, we've been able to look back at some of the times Seve graced the front cover - and we've picked out 15 of our favorites...

February 1978:

Seve's infectious smile was in full force on the front of our 1978 issue, which really popped thanks to the yellow background, Seve's red sweater and his beaming smile.

He would have been just 20 in this image and was already a four-time European Tour winner. His first PGA Tour triumph came in April '78 at the Greater Greensboro Open.

February 1999:

Fast forward 21 years and Seve was again gracing the front cover - again with a beaming smile - and this time as a legend of the game. By now, he had five Majors, eight Ryder Cup appearances, a winning captaincy and 50 European Tour wins to his name.

February 1997:

This cover, featuring a white background, showed Seve in one of his natural positions - off of the fairway and playing one of his miracle escape shots - which you could learn how to play within the issue.

July 1979:

Another brilliant white background Seve cover from 1979. Seve's flexibility and power were on show in this one, with the Spaniard set to win his maiden Major title at The Open, which this issue was previewing.

May 1978:

This brilliant impact shot of Seve made the cover in 1978, with the top story from the issue a full colour swing sequence and analysis of the great man. 

August 1984:

Seve's 1984 Open win was highlighted on our August issue cover, with the Spaniard winning his second of three Claret Jugs. He tamed St Andrews with a score of 12-under-par, beating Tom Watson and Bernhard Langer by two.

May 1983:

Seve was the main feature of our May 1983 cover, dressed in his iconic navy blue Slazenger sweater. The issue focused on his incredible bunker play and how you could be better out of the sand.

December 1997:

Our December 1997 issue featured this superb main shot of Seve dressed up next to the Ryder Cup trophy, which he won as captain at Valderrama in 1997. Should he have stayed on for 1999 at Brookline? That's what we were calling for. 

October 1990:

Is the best behind Seve? Was the question posed in October 1990, with his hat stealing the show of this epic cover. His Major winning days were behind him at this point (his fifth and final one came at the 1988 Open) but he still won seven European Tour titles from 1991 onwards plus the '91 World Match Play and a Japan Tour event. 

June 1990

Just a few months prior, Seve was once again on the cover in 1990. This time asking if he could break his US Open 'hoodoo'. Seve loved winning national Opens and never winning the US Open clearly must have been annoying for him. His best finish in a US Open was 3rd in 1987.

August 1979:

Our Open Championship review of 1979 told the story of how Seve captured his first Major and Claret Jug at Royal Lytham & St Annes. Remember he was also on the cover of the preview issue? This would have been back-to-back Seve covers - who was quickly growing into one of the sport's greats.

Interestingly, the Open review was 55p vs the 50p cost of the Open preview!

December 1995:

Adios Amigo? This issue from 1995 was a sombre one, posing the question if it's the end for Seve? In truth, this probably was the end for his competitive days as his best finish in a Major that year was T40 and he would miss every Open cut from 1996 and every Masters cut from 1997.

December 1994:

'Seve's Year' was the tagline of our December 1984 issue, with the Spaniard winning his second Open and fourth Major that year. 

July 1985:

This eye-catching Seve caricature fronted the July 1985 issue, previewing the 1985 Open at Royal St George's where he was defending the Claret Jug. It was a largely forgettable week for the Spaniard, who finished T39th, as Sandy Lyle was crowned Champion Golfer of the Year.

August 1996:

From 'Is this the end for Seve?' in 1995 to a special tribute in 1996, looking back at 20 years of the great Spaniard - once again gracing the GM cover with his beaming smile. Ballesteros was no longer the force he once was, with the likes of Greg Norman and Nick Faldo dominating the game, and a certain Tiger Woods getting ready to take over, but Seve was still one of the sport's key figures.