Moments after posing for pictures with 16-year-old 2008 West Penn Junior Champion Ryan Prokay (Palmer won the title in 1947 and ’48), Prokay’s parents and Mulligan, the always-welcome picture-crashing canine, Arnold Palmer walked into his memorabilia-filled office and greeted Kingdom Magazine correspondent Chris Rodell. Palmer was warm, full of laughter and insight and in good spirits as he sat down for an hour-long chat

Kingdom: You recently spent time in North Carolina at Seven Falls and Balsam Mountain. How are they shaping up?

Arnold Palmer: Seven Falls is still being constructed. It will be opening, probably, if we’re lucky, this fall. Their nine-hole practice course and Palmer Teaching Center are open and are just beautiful. Really outstanding. Balsam Mountain is also tremendous. They’re continuing construction of the amenities, but the course is very well done. It ranges between 4,000 and 5,000 feet. It’s a major challenge to work with that kind of terrain and it’s a challenge we take seriously and thoroughly enjoy.

K: What did you think of the US Open? And in particular Rocco Mediate’s performance?

AP: What Tiger accomplished on one good leg was remarkable. It was a victory for the ages. As for Rocco, I thought he really excelled. I think he did a fantastic job. It’s too bad he didn’t win. That’s the only thing I can say that isn’t positive. I’m sorry he didn’t. He proved to himself and the world he’s capable of winning a Major. He really did the people of western Pennsylvania proud.

K: At The (British) Open, when there is a tie, they play a four-hole playoff there and then on the Sunday. Do you think this is a better way of deciding a Major than coming back on a Monday and playing a full 18 holes?

AP: I’ve lost three US Opens to 18-hole playoffs (1962, '63 and '66). Had there been four-hole playoffs, things might have turned out differently, but that’s pure speculation. Still, I prefer the 18 holes and I think the fans do, too.

K: Even before the US Open Tiger was sidelined with a knee operation and will now be out for some time. In 1969, you missed a good stretch of the season with hip problems. How frustrating was that? What did you do to rehab?

AP: In my case, I went to every orthopedic in the country and the final analysis was exercise to strengthen it, and that’s what I did. I exercised constantly from '69 to strengthen it and that’s remained part of my daily regimen. It still bothers me once in a while. But it’s been good enough that I haven’t felt like running to the surgeon for that drastic sort of step.

K: On the subject of Majors: Are there are any other courses that have never staged a Major that might prove to be a good venue for either the US Open or the PGA Championship?

AP: (Palmer dramatically reaches into a heaping pile on his desk and pulls out a thick directory of every APDC course from around the world and slams it on the table in front of the reporter). Here’s about 300 of them for you! Where would you like to start? (laughs heartily). A lot of great courses in there. That’s strictly a matter of opinion. Some aren’t suited for championship golf. But a number of them are very good. A lot of these are resort-type golf courses or public courses and now that they’re holding the Open on public courses some of them could certainly be considered. For a long time, I’ve believed that Bay Hill might be a good place for the Open and certainly Laurel Valley, which has held some major senior events and the PGA Championship. I could go on and on about these courses.

K: The American Society of Golf Course Architects is recommending multiple tees, flatter and smaller greens, and fairway mounding as devices to speed up play. Do you agree with these suggestions and are there other ways the game can combat slow play?

AP: I don’t disagree with those suggestions. There are many ways of speeding up play. One is educating the players and another is having the caddies instruct the golfers on how to play faster and more efficiently. At Pebble Beach we do quite well with that system. On a lot of our Palmer Management courses, and that’s over 50 of them now, we encourage fast play and help instruct them how to do it right.

K: Do you agree that golfers who win big financial prizes for holing in one should lose their amateur status?

AP: That’s an ongoing argument. I suppose it’s something that should be given some consideration. I’m not sure if you win, say, a car you should be disqualified. But there are sound arguments on both sides.

K: The excitement on your face at Bay Hill on 18 when Tiger made the putt seemed to match his. Do you get a vicarious thrill out of watching him do what you did so often?

AP: I felt pretty sure he was going to make it. I felt the excitement. I saw the excitement in his demeanor and his whole attitude. I was telling everyone he was going to make the putt. I wasn’t surprised. Everyone else was. Me, I’ve won a lot of tournaments with birdies on the last hole and to see him do it at Bay Hill was really enjoyable to watch. It was very exciting.

K: What can be done about golf being too expensive to lure in more players?

AP: About the same thing you can do about gasoline being too expensive: Not much. I don’t really know if there’s a solution. The one thing every golf club owner in the world has to do, no matter if it’s owned by members or individuals, is break even. They’re not going to be able to afford a continuous loss. Keeping costs low is something every owner wants to do, but we can’t do it when the food, the locker room, maintenance and every other aspect involved with running a golf course is going in the other direction. Not much you can do, except pay it and charge back to the players. It’s a simple economic problem.

K: With the election being between McCain and Obama, are you concerned that a non-golfer will be in the White House?

AP: Certainly, I’d rather one of them was a golfer, but it’s going to be one of them and neither of them plays golf. Obviously, I’m a McCain supporter. I’m not going to go out and give speeches about that, and I don’t dislike Obama. But I just suppose my natural political view is that I’d like to see McCain elected.

K: Do you ever regret resisting those calls for you to run for president?

AP: There was a time when some people in America thought I should run for president. It was short-lived because I didn’t allow it to get out of hand. I think there are certainly some people who were better qualified than me, but a couple of them maybe weren’t!

K: The Olympics are coming up very shortly. Do you think that golf—like tennis— should become an Olympic sport?

AP: I do. I think the potential for golf in the Olympics is becoming greater and greater. I hope and I believe as time goes on we will get golf in the Olympics. Representing my country is something I would have enjoyed immensely. It would be like the Ryder Cup or the President’s Cup, but it would be less limited and that would make it more interesting.

K: Your name is indelibly linked with Wake Forest. How closely do you maintain contact with your alma mater?

AP: I am a life trustee at Wake Forest, which means I’ll be a trustee for as long as I’m alive. This year I’m doing some appearances with trustees and philanthropists to encourage support of the university for scholarships for the unfortunate who can’t afford to go to college. I’m very fond and proud of my relationship with my alma mater.

K: Why do you think that Wake Forest has produced so many outstanding amateur and Tour golfers over the past half a century?

AP: We like to think the scholarships that we’ve developed and support we provide have something to do with that. We have some very good and sophisticated recruiting tools that lead to that sort of success. I’m optimistic that’ll go on like that for many years.

K: Do you see college golf continuing as the main breeding ground for PGA Tour talent for the foreseeable future?

AP: I don’t think there’s any question about that. I think the collegiate circuit is becoming more and more widespread with the international golf scene rapidly increasing. And more and more international students are coming to colleges and universities in America and are joining the golf ranks. And the other thing is, there are more international colleges that are starting to have golf teams. And as time goes on the European collegiate fields will be bigger. That will happen in places like Japan, China, Australia and all over the world.

K: This Kingdom features a story on the USCG base in Kodiak, Alaska, and the golf course there. You built one of your first courses at Cape May while you were in the Guard. Do you have any contact or affiliation with the USCG now, and would you ever consider building another course for them?

AP: I would certainly consider it. I keep in touch with the Coast Guard to some degree. I enjoy the affiliation and would be happy to work with them on a project.

K: Space tourism is becoming more and more common. As an avid aviator with a keen interest in this field, would you like to travel into space?

AP: I would never rule it out, but I’m not sure it’s ever going to happen in my lifetime. But that would certainly be something to give thought to. Sounds like fun.

K: You have used Callaway Clubs for some time now, what is it about Callaway that makes it a company you endorse?

AP: I knew Eli Callaway pretty well. We had a relationship that was very enjoyable and interesting. When he, in a sense, bought my company and closed the doors, he and I became quite close. He was a very enterprising type of guy and one who had a lot of foresight. He didn’t mind a challenge and welcomed the opportunity to work to overcome them. I think that shows up in the quality of the golf clubs that still bear his name.

K: With your incredibly busy life and schedule, have you ever had time to go fishing? And if so, what kind of fishing have you enjoyed/do you enjoy (fly fishing, deep sea fishing, lake or river fishing)? What’s the biggest fish you ever caught?

AP: I’m not a big fisherman. I do some trout fly-fishing and I’ve enjoyed some Pacific salmon fishing , but I don’t pursue fishing with a great deal of urgency. I just turned down an invitation to fish for some Atlantic salmon. My schedule is such that I just can’t do it.

K: Have you ever gone fishing in Alaska? If so, when, where did you go and what kind of fish were you after?

AP: No, but that’s something we’re talking about. I’m planning on taking my wife, Kit, and we’re going to enjoy visiting up there in Alaska.

K: Please describe your relationship with the USGA Museum and tell us how the Arnold Palmer Center came to be.

AP: When Fred Ridley was president he came to me and asked if I would lend my name to the museum and the Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History. I was flattered that they wanted me to do that. We opened it in early June and I was very satisfied. It’s very nice and I recommend that people go see it. They’ll enjoy it.

K: We understand that you will host the Bob Hope Classic next year, how did that come about and are you looking forward to it?

AP: Yes, I am. It came about because of my continuing support for the Hope tournament as a player and as someone who still supports it. I’m quite fond of the golf in the desert. I think it’s a wonderful venue. I wish we had more support from the players and the amateurs in the desert. It needs more support and if I can help bring some of that about, why I’m happy to do it.

K: Annika Sorenstam is quitting the LPGA at the end of the season. What are your thoughts on her career and decision to retire?

AP: Yes, at her young age, to me, it seems a little early. But some great players in our history have bowed out early, too. But she is such a good player, and she’s contributed so much to the LPGA that I think it would have been nice if at least she would have stuck to it for a couple more years.

K: Have you ever been asked, “Hey, aren’t you Jerry Palmer’s brother?”

AP: (Laughs, considers saying something and then resumes laughing again... Doc Giffin reports he is still laughing).