To be a great golfer you can’t just be good at golf: My column on Arnold Palmer

On most days he would sit behind his massive desk in Latrobe, Arnold Palmer’s summer home in Pittsburg. Our memory at golfingindian.com is one of him smiling and browsing through golf’s biggest headlines while we waited for our interview to start. It was about 11 am and he had returned from a truncated round of golf and driven his cart straight next to his home-office door. He wasn’t alone ever on the cart, almost always accompanied by someone and his golden retriever. We were sitting in his office on a large sofa with Arnold Palmer cushions and in front was a large model of his favourite private jet by Citation.

I stare at this history—memories, pictures, trophies from the Masters and other Majors, gifts from across the world, golf magazine shots from the 1950s with Palmer on the cover, his personalised copper-moulded shoes and much more, I am only amazed at how much contribution he has had to the world of golf. He almost could be credited for internationalising the sport, taking it in its larger than life avatar to the world. Palmer was the first sensation in golf on television and once America was hooked, the game’s potential for masses via broadcast were established. He shares his repository of experiences in the sport, his expectations from growing it and life’s lessons.

I loved his candidness and even at 84-when he gave me the interview – he spoke distinctly about how and why golf was at the cusp of change. “It’s interesting how we are no longer the dominant golfing country any more. The European, the Japanese, the Korean and China markets are becoming very interesting and are all creating a community around golf. Similarly, in India, where the sport is on a growth trajectory, you have the opportunity to grow the sport by bringing more young people to the game and adding to the interest in it. It starts with the people who have access, and once they get to the golf course, they love the game and play it too.”

Palmer was intrigued by India, where his office launched an outpost about 18 months ago although the only Palmer course in the country is now a small 9 hole, part of the DLF Golf and Country Club. Palmer’s really never been to the country but the closest he probably got was on an aviation sojourn near Sri Lanka.

Personally for me the meeting with Arnold Palmer was enriching at many levels but the one that stays the most is how to be a great golfer you can’t just be great at golf. And that’s what the King will be remembered most for.