As a boy, I had the chance to go to the Arnold Palmer Invitational, an annual PGA Tour event held at Bay Hill Club and Lodge, Arnold Palmer’s second home in Orlando, Florida. It was a magical experience to be in the company of the game’s greats, but even more special to be on the grounds of golf’s greatest ambassador.
During the week, I noticed something. I had been to PGA Tour tournaments in the past and worked hard to get signatures from my favorite players. At other events, some players might pass the autograph booth directly after their round, off to do better things than painstakingly stand in the heat while fans asked for their signature.
But at Arnie’s event, almost every player stood in the booth until every autograph was signed and every picture was taken. The act emulated how Arnold Palmer thought a professional golfer ought to conduct himself.
Though he was a stiff competitor, he knew the spirit of the game was more important than the score. Golf was about how you treated people. It was about taking your hat off inside the clubhouse. It was about ending your round with a handshake to your opponent.
Last night, after hearing about his passing, I turned on the Golf Channel, the network which Arnold Palmer aided in starting more than 20 years ago. Memories were pouring in from all kinds of professional golfers, golf commentators and longtime friends.
They were not about his accomplishments on the course (though they were substantial, with seven major championships) but instead, about the man he was off the course.
He was the person who popularized golf to the average American. Before Palmer, golf was usually seen as a niche sport, confined to wealthy clubs on the East Coast. Palmer changed that image.
His humble background made golf seem more accessible to people. His confidence and charm earned him all kinds of supporters, affectionately called “Arnie’s Army.” They followed him everywhere, and he took the time to smile at them, talk to them and laugh with them.
It is unlikely professional golf (and professional sports) would be as successful as it is today without Arnold Palmer’s precedent. For every million-dollar endorsement deal, there was Palmer’s groundbreaking work in corporate sponsorship and bringing golf (and other sports) to television.
Our country lost a legend in Arnold Palmer. He was a man that was part of the “Greatest Generation,” a generation of Americans who served their country and then returned to make their mark on our history, and for the better. His legacy of kindness and confidence will resonate with generations of golfers and Americans for years to come.
Patrick Waters is a sophomore accounting major from St. Louis, Missouri.
