Arnold Palmer invented the trousers hitch, the come-from-behind charge, and he put the “HUGE” in huge galleries.
He brought the Masters to the masses, it took him a while but after wins in 1958, ’60, ’62 and ’64, the Masters would become the most watched television golf event.
He brought America to the British Open.
He taught golfers how to fly their own airplanes.
His is the most coveted autograph in golf and the one that is easiest to recognize.
He created The Golf Channel.
Arnold Palmer taught us that he could walk with kings and queens and still hold true to his common-man upbringing. He has always been one of us and always will be.
The PGA Tour honors him this week at Bay Hill where it went from being the Bay Hill Classic to the Arnold Palmer Invitational and that’s just as it should be.
When today’s generation of golfers get that invitation, it’s one they better accept. Most of the big names have except Jordan Spieth and that’s his bad.
Tiger Woods paid homage to Arnie by winning eight times at Bay Hill. It’s a course made for winners to show what they’ve got.
Palmer fell in love with the property back in 1965 when the course was only four years old, stuck out in the middle of nowhere on the outskirts of sleepy Orlando, Florida. By 1970, Palmer was able to wrangle a lease on the property for five years with an option to buy it and by 1975, that’s exactly what he did. The Bay Hill Club and Lodge would become the southern headquarters for Arnold Palmer.
It would also become a world-class facility.
It has Palmer’s fingerprints all over it. It’s a place where Arnie has simply been “one of the guys.” Typically he would play in the Saturday morning games but he can’t get around that well these days. At age 86, he’s finally beginning to slow down, a little. He doesn’t play these days, in fact he revealed this week that he won’t be with Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player to hit the ceremonial first tee shots to open the 2015 Masters.
He remains the same icon who will sign autographs as long as there are people asking for one. He still pays attention to all the details.
His is one of the best hand-shakes in sports. He had the grip of a blacksmith in his younger days and his hands still remain pretty strong. He’s always been the guy who makes you feel special, who looks you in the eye. When you showed up as a writer to cover his event, he would simply tell you, “if there is anything at all you need, let me know.”
He has his own way, his own demeanor, the one that makes you feel important, even though you aren’t.
That’s Arnold Palmer.
He’s worth nearly $700 million and is still one of golf’s top earners, even though he is long retired.
The wealth and fame never changed him.
To this day, he remains one of us.
And that’s why millions still love Arnold Palmer.
