Sipping an Arnold Palmer at the Arnold Palmer Latrobe Country Club in the US while Arnold Palmer is lunching at the next table is a surreal experience. It’s one thing to see him do the ceremonial tee-off with Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus at the Augusta Masters and totally different to spend a day with him. Palmer’s summer home in Latrobe—from where he works for about five months a year—is up a private drive on a short hill perched by the golf course he owns. Outside the white door is Palmer’s signature multicoloured umbrella logo. On entering, you are greeted by a most unusual host—his dog Mulligan, which knows its way around the best parts: the workshop, office, the golf course and, of course, the trophy room. As I stare at this history—memorabilia from the Masters and other Majors, gifts from across the world, golf magazine shots from the 1950s with Palmer on the cover, copper-moulded shoes, replicas of his winning pair from an event—Palmer, 84, rolls in on his golf cart. He shares his repository of experiences in the sport, his expectations from growing it and life’s lessons.
Palmer shares that he has learnt a lot from the sport and the lessons are valuable. “You can go play golf with a gentleman, friend or an enemy or whoever. And after 18 holes you will find you know more about that person in so many different ways. That you can do business with them and in a friendly manner tells you a lot about the nature of this game.”
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