The annual edition of "Golf's Most Powerful" people determined by GOLF DIGEST is listed in the January issue. The following are the Top 36 (GOLF DIGEST, 1/97 issue).
| RANK | NAME | AGE | POSITION |
| 1 | Tim Finchem | 49 | PGA Tour Commissioner |
| 2 | David Fay | 46 | USGA Exec Dir |
| 3 | Tiger Woods | 20 | PGA Tour player |
| 4 | Mark McCormack | 66 | Chair, IMG |
| 5 | Jack Nicklaus | 56 | Chair, Golden Bear Int'l |
| 6 | Jackson Stephens | 73 | Chair, Masters/Augusta |
| 7 | Robert Dedman | 70 | Chair, Club Corp. Int'l |
| 8 | Ely Callaway | 77 | Chair, Callaway Golf |
| 9 | Arnold Palmer | 67 | Arnold Palmer Enterprises |
| 10 | Wally Uihlein | 47 | Chair, Titleist |
| 11 | Judy Bell | 60 | USGA President |
| 12 | Johnny Miller | 49 | NBC-TV golf analyst |
| 13 | Michael Bonallack | 61 | Secretary, St. Andrews |
| 14 | David Price | 64 | Chair, American Golf Corp |
| 15 | Jim Awtrey | 53 | CEO, PGA of America |
| 16 | Greg Norman | 41 | Great White Shark Enterp. |
| 17 | Jim Ritts | 43 | LPGA Tour Commissioner |
| 18 | Bill Clinton | 50 | President of the U.S. |
| 19 | Rees Jones | 55 | Golf course architect |
| 20 | Dick Ebersol | 49 | President, NBC Sports |
| 21 | Frank Thomas | 57 | USGA Technical Dir |
| 22 | Tom Fazio | 51 | Golf course architect |
| 23 | Alastair Johnston | 48 | Senior Exec VP/IMG |
| 24 | Ken Schofield | 50 | PGA Eur. Tour Exec Dir |
| 25 | Steve Bornstein | 44 | Pres., ABC Sports/ESPN |
| 26 | Anonymous Tour Pro | 34 | Journeyman |
| 27 | Earl Woods | 64 | Father of Tiger Woods |
| 28 | Laura Davies | 33 | LPGA Tour player |
| 29 | Steve Mona | 39 | Golf Course Superintendents Exec Dir |
| 30 | Henry Kravis | 52 | Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts |
| 31 | Colin Montgomerie | 33 | PGA Tour player |
| 32 | Bruce Babbitt | 58 | U.S. Sec of the Interior |
| 33 | John Solheim | 50 | President, Karsten |
| 34 | Jim Nantz | 37 | CBS Sports golf host |
| 35 | John Grettenberger | 59 | VP/Cadillac Car Division |
| 36 | Carl Paul | 56 | Co-Owner, Golfsmith Int'l |
