Pro Golf: Arnold Palmer Is the King and Always Will Be the King

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: March 23, 2011

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He's been The King ever since Ike was president.

He was the first to fly his own airplane. He made golf cool. He commanded his own army. He is golf's most beloved player, ever.

First saw Arnold Palmer in 1968. My college roommate thought it would be cool to hitchhike to his hometown of Greensboro from our school, East Carolina, and watch Arnie play in the Greater Greensboro Open.

It was the week of April 4, 1968—the day Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. The South was in turmoil, and there we were standing out on the highway with our thumbs in the air. Two stupid kids. In a ridiculous turn of luck, a guy offered us a ride. He was going to Greensboro and in a "no way" twist of fate, it turned out that my roommate had dated his daughter in high school. He delivered us right to the front door of Allen's house.

The weather was spectacular that Saturday at the GGO. We blended into Palmer's massive gallery and simply enjoyed the day. In another "no way" twist of fate, the Sunday edition of the Greensboro newspaper had a huge picture on the front page of the sports section of Palmer's gallery with Arnie in the background. In the foreground, larger than life, there were the two of us in our matching sweaters and turtleneck shirts, watching Palmer play.

Little did I know that was the harbinger of my future. Less than six years later, I'd be making my living as a golf writer, and I would come to know Palmer well. He loved the golf writers. He hung out with us, laughed with us, and if you were fortunate enough, you'd end up having a Rolling Rock with Arnold.

Men's Journal magazine once published its ultimate "bucket list" of things to do before you "kick the bucket," and one of the items on there was "Shake hands with Arnold Palmer."

Back then, as a young 20-something writer, hanging around the 40-something Palmer was pretty cool. It was at this Bay Hil...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Golf

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