MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF GOLF WRITERS – MEMORIES OF ARNOLD PALMER – WHO PASSED AWAY 25th SEPTEMBER, 2016
BOB DAVIES (AGW Treasurer & former Wolverhampton Express & Star/Shropshire Star golf correspondent)
Myself and three colleagues – sadly two of them no longer with us – treasured memories of Arnold Palmer and the day he bought us a drink, perhaps without even knowing about it!
Michael Williams, of the Daily Telegraph, the Guardian’s Dai Davies, Michael McDonnell, of the Daily Mail, and myself were at the 1994 US Open at Oakmont and on the eve of the tournament we were privileged to be invited to play at Arnold’s very own golf course at Latrobe.
Michael McDonnell used his influence to persuade the USGA to loan us a limousine and he drove us the 40 miles or so to the course, where Arnold’s manager, Doc Gifford, arranged clubs for those who didn’t have any with them.
I seem to recall it was a sweltering day so we dropped into the halfway house, where Arnold’s wife, Winnie, was having a drink. We talked with her for a while and as she got up to leave she shouted to the lady behind the counter “Please put these gentlemen’s drinks on my tab.”
“Thank you very much,” we chorused as she disappeared through the door which, a few seconds later, was flung open again and Winnie shouted “Then put my tab on Arnnie’s tab!”
To this day we don’t know who actually footed the bill, but it was all part of a memorable, and completely unforgettable, experience as there was still a unique encounter to come with the “King” himself!
Winnie told us that Arnie was on the course, practicing prior to playing for the last time in the US Open but when we walked off the course Doc Gifford met us to say that Arnie was in his workshop and would we like to have a chat with him.
We walked in and there he was, rewinding a leather grip on a putter, and we spent 20 or so fantastic minutes in his company, charmed by the warmth of his welcome and fascinated by the stories he had to relate.
One wall resembled a wine rack, but instead of bottles, it was occupied by literally hundreds of golf clubs all of which, Arnie told us, he had made and played with at some time in his illustrious career.
Propped up against another wall was a line up of putters, one of which appeared to be branch cut from a tee attached to a genuine business end of a putter.
When Arnie was asked for an explanation, he chuckled as he told us that someone in California kept designing putters and sending them to him and the branch of the tree was one of his latest offerings.
“He also sends me wine,” laughed Arnie. “I’ve told him to stop sending the putters but keeping sending the wine!”
Two days later, after the great man had missed the cut we were there as he said his emotional goodbyes to everyone in the crowded media centre.
But that wasn’t the end of it as far as I was concerned. After our return to the UK I wrote to Arnie to thank him for his hospitality and, like the true gentleman he was, he sent me a photograph on which he had written “To Bob. Best wishes Arnold Palmer.”
To this day it adorns my office as a permanent reminder of the day we were royally entertained by the man who did so much to further the game which we all love so much.
JOHN INGHAM (Former London Evening Standard golf correspondent)
Ed Hodge, Scottish Golf Union.
I’m sure you will know many people who had far more conversations with ‘The King’ than me, but his death did bring two things into my head…. which may be of use for the AGW web.
In researching my first book, Jewel in the Glen: Gleneagles, Golf and The Ryder Cup, I sought to track Palmer down back in 2012, as I knew he had played a famous ‘Big Three’ match with Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player over The King’s in 1966 and I sought some recollections. I already had words from Jack and Gary, but Arnold was proving tricky to pin down. However, my grandfather, who was a journalist for 66 years, knew him well from covering The Open beat on Scotland’s west coast and always spoke highly of him – so I always felt Arnold would get in touch.
My hopes were fading though and I had virtually given up, only for an email to drop into the generic Scottish Golf Union email inbox out of the blue (see below). The email was passed onto me by a colleague in due course, and although it said very little, the words were so precious that I used them in the Gleneagles book. I just thought a simple email reply summed Palmer up so well.
The second thought I had yesterday again concerned my research work for the Gleneagles book. I thus posted on Facebook yesterday the following: Summing up Arnold Palmer? Harry Bannerman, the Scottish former Ryder Cup player, says it all:
“I remember my great Arnie story was at the 1971 World Disney Open, Magnolia Course, Orlando. After the Ryder Cup, I went back to play a few tournaments in the States. I had the 140 (four under) 36-hole total and as was my want that day, I headed to the range for a hit. Arnie was on 141 or 2 and was moving back with his ‘army’ to the first tee after practicing. I was maybe 10-15 paces to Arnie’s right when he noticed me and spoke to me. He said ‘Harry, you keep it going today, you play well”. I replied: “Thanks, Arnie.” Mayhem ensued. I never saw the range. People came after me. All I heard was ‘Why did Arnie speak to you? Who are you? What’s your name? What are you doing here? How did you get in the tournament…? bla bla bla. Could you sign this autograph?’ I spent the practice ground time signing autographs. And it was just because Arnold Palmer spoke to me. There was the measure of the man in a nutshell.”
RIP Arnie
To Ed Hodge:
Arnold Palmer did not have any specific recollections about the golf filmings at Gleneagles. He did make these general comments: “I just remember it (Gleneagles) as a very beautiful place and a very enjoyable hotel. The surroundings were tremendous. I always enjoyed Gleneagles. I had a lot of fun playing the Big Three match at Gleneagles. It was always fun playing with Jack and Gary. I also enjoyed playing in those Celebrity matches.”
Perhaps this will be of some help to you.
Doc Giffin • Assistant to Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer Enterprises, Inc.
T: (724) 537-7751 • F: (724) 537-9355
P.O. Box 52 • Youngstown, PA 15696
www.arnoldpalmer.com
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