Orlando, FL – It is that week on the PGA Tour; a week that has become one of the marquee events on the rotation for many reasons. The Tour travels to Bay Hill for the Arnold Palmer Invitational, a tournament used to remember one of the greatest to ever pick up a club, Arnold Palmer.
On September 25, 2016, the golf world changed forever when Arnie passed away. He brought a smile to many and paved the way for the modern golfer to thrive. And not only thrive but thrive the right way.
His Effect on Golf Today
First and foremost, Arnold Palmer was an amazing golfer. He won 7 major championships from 1958 to 1964 with his famous helicopter follow-through. In his golfing career, he racked up 95 total tournament wins, with 62 of them coming on the PGA Tour, ranking him fifth all-time. Other accolades include being a four-time PGA Tour leading money winner, two-time PGA player of the year, the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the year in 1960 and being inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.
In addition to this, Palmer received two of the most prestigious awards an American receive for his character off the course; a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2009. Palmer’s main goal, especially in his later years, was not to win necessarily, but to grow the game and be the best ambassador to current players.
One thing Palmer taught to players of today was how to really connect with the fans. He always was one to make time to give autographs, and even took the time to make it legible, making sure everyone could read his name.
“The King of Golf,” was always focused on others before himself, and he showed this well after his retirement. A major example was his letters: after every player got a win on the PGA Tour, Arnie always wrote the winner a letter.
University of Michigan golfer, Nick Carlson, may have been the recipient of one of Arnie’s last letters after finishing as a semifinalist at the YEAR US Amateur Championship.
Former World No. 1 Golfer Rory McIlroy still has his framed and on display to this day.
“All the letters mean so much,” Geoff Oglivy said to GolfWeek in 2019.
Arnie showed this sentiment even while he was playing, as he explained his role as a golf ambassador in the 2004 Masters press conference.
“If I can teach a young man to leave the game better than they found it when they arrived, then I’ve been successful,” Palmer said.
He was always positive about other golfers. Even when Arnie was asked about his known tour rival, Jack Nicklaus, all he had to say was positive.
“Jack is without a doubt the greatest player ever. His record stands alone and proves that. He’s also a very good friend…in a purely competitive sense, we needed each other. We made each other better players and people.” Arnie once said to author James Dotson.
The Arnold Palmer
Now, it would be a travesty if the one thing EVERYONE knows about Arnold Palmer was not mentioned. Whether you follow golf or not, most people know Arnold Palmer’s name from the drink; half ice tea, half lemonade, and known as an Arnold Palmer.
According to Palmer, the origin of the drink comes from a diner in the 1960s. He was eating his meal like everyone else, and ordered a half-iced tea-half lemonade. A little later, a woman at a nearby table went to order her drink and, according to Palmer, said something along the lines of, “I want what he’s having, I want an Arnold Palmer.”
The rest was history. While the drink kept the name and surged in popularity, it wasn’t made official until 2001. Even Palmer himself said he was embarrassed to order the drink by his name. However, this changed when his brand teamed up with Arizona Iced Tea and started mass producing the drink under Palmer’s name. This deal was so lucrative, it made him the No. 3 highest paid golfer in 2012 behind only Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, years after his retirement.
My Own Experience
I wanted to share a personal experience I had with Arnold Palmer. On Masters Sunday in 2016, only six months before he passed away, I got the privilege to meet Palmer. I was a teenager, big into the sport of golf, and in Orlando for the weekend. I had to make the stop at Bay Hill; just to see the course and possibly get a t-shirt to bring home and show my friends.
After I walked out of the pro shop and into the huge putting green and range area, Arnold Palmer was there in his golf cart watching everyone practice. Most celebrities would not like to be bothered while in a private area, but Arnie did not mind at all. I was able to shake his hand and even get a few of his famous autographs.
I am only one of many who have been able to meet and experience the great human being Arnold Palmer was. So, as you watch the Arnold Palmer Invitational this weekend, pay attention to what they say about the King and take all the advice you can get. It is bound to help in whatever you may pursue.
