Arnold Palmer lived a life full of love and class
When Arnold Palmer’s memorial takes place on Tuesday in Latrobe, Pa., it will be a tribute to a golfer who hadn’t won a tournament in 41 years or a major in more than half a century, but as his life ended was even more beloved than during his heyday.
Some of those who lamented his passing Sept. 25 at the age of 87 know exactly why they are doing so, having had lives filled with memories of him.
But somehow a younger generation, most of them not even born when “The King” was a contender, found a way to fall in love with him too. There are plenty of reasons why.
Arnie had many of nicknames and an army of fans because his warmth and charm provided something for everyone, be it as a champion, entrepreneur, or a grandfatherly charmer and custodian of the game.
“I loved Arnold for everything I knew about him,” Leonard Powell, a 60-year-old fan at last weekend’s Ryder Cup said. “And everything I didn’t.”
That sums it up pretty well. Palmer’s death has given an opportunity for many within the game to share their stories of his class and kindness and for fresh tales to be woven into his legend.
Even those who thought they knew all there was to know about the muscular ball striker and seven-time major winner discovered new anecdotes, some of them gems. For those not as familiar with the game or the icon, those things have become extra reasons to express fondness.
Still a lover of golf played well in the 80s as much as ever, Palmer would send congratulations to winners of events. Not just the PGA Tour, but the LPGA, the European Tour, the Champions Tour, college, junior golf and others. And not just a note either, but a proper letter, on thick, embossed paper capped off with that trademark signature.
“So special,” said two-time LPGA major winner In Gee Chun. “So thoughtful.”
“That’s the kind of thing that means he will be remembered so fondly,” Rory McIlroy said. “Just that kind of class as a man.”
Most know by now how Palmer shaped modern golf and brought it into the mainstream, his every-man approach and uncomplicated style attracting a legion of supporters. He was a master of marketing and generations of players have thanked him for it, but away from the course there was even more fun to be had.
Phil Mickelson had a wide range of Palmer memories and was asked about him many times last week. On one occasion he shared that he liked to think of Palmer at Augusta, wearing the green jacket he earned four times over.
Perhaps in Mickelson’s memory Palmer was drinking a lemonade with iced tea, a concoction surely destined for obscurity if not named for the legend. At the Masters, Arnold Palmer would order an Arnold Palmer, according to a story that appeared in the Newark Star-Ledger in 2013, except he’d request a “Mr. Palmer” and wink at the waitress to pull her in on the joke.
He was a people person as both a player and long after he was no longer competitive. He had a simple touch that appealed to the masses, even while he built a business empire.
Palmer lived in a low-key fashion, despite his millions, making an exception to indulge his love of airplanes. He learned to fly early in his career and owned several planes, taking to the skies as both as means of expeditious transport and personal enjoyment.
“Flying was therapeutic for him, because it requires total concentration” Cori Britt, vice president of Arnold Palmer Enterprises and his longtime caddie, told the Golf Channel. “That was a bit of therapy.”
For others, Palmer’s presence provided therapeutic benefit. He would dole out hugs to Rickie Fowler, who became a friend despite the gap in age. “He would brighten up my day,” Fowler said.
As much as anything, Palmer’s legacy will be all those who remember him fondly on Tuesday who never met him, but felt like they knew him anyway. An army of well-wishers, Arnie’s Army, stronger in number now than when he strode the course, all with a favorite story, a special memory, a personal reason for their affection. Palmer gave them no shortage of things to choose from.