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August 31, 2006
My Golf Hero
I have always followed your career since I first started playing this great game in 1958. I bought my first set of matched clubs in 1965 being Arnold Palmer Dunlop clubs. I played with these until 1996 when I passed them on to a friend who was just starting out. They were the best clubs I have ever owned and you were my inspiration. I just wish I could get another set as good as they were. Anyway have a great 77th birthday on the 10th and I hope you have many more as you have done so much for this wonderful game that we play. Thank you so much.
Yours in Golf, Tony Pitcher.
Sydney, Australia
Posted by scurry at 10:39 PM
August 29, 2006
Arnie's Back-Nine Charge in GHO Nearly Results in Win
My earliest memory of Arnie was in 1962 at my great-aunt's house in New Haven where I sat with my Dad and some relatives to watch a "golf tournament" on a small black & white television. As the TV was turned on the announcer said ..."here comes Arnold Palmer the leader of this tournament". I looked up an saw a very strong looking man hitching up his pants as he walked up over the hill.
As a six year old, Arnie and the game of golf made an great impression on me at the time. I continued to follow Arnie's career and his wins over with other great golfers for several years, up to the 1973 Bob Hope Desert Classic win. In probably July or August 1974, I purchased a ticket to the Greater Hartford Open and traveled by myself some 20 miles from my parents home in Waterbury to see Arnie perform in person...and Oh what a performance Arnie put on. He battled Bruce Devlin (the eventual winner) and Rick Massengale on the back nine at the Wethersfield CC making at least six birdies on the remaining nine holes only to lose the tournament by a stroke. What a thrill it was to see this great man make birdies from all over the green with the crowd roaring in its approval and joy over Arnie's classic charge. What also struck me was the personal contact I felt that day with Mr. Palmer. He made eye contact with me several times from the opening tee shot to the final green. He winked, smiled and glanced in my direction all day which gave me a great feeling that this superstar golfer was a real champion and a wonderful role model. The story does not end there but on the porch of the clubhouse. A massive throng of fans followed Arnie from the eighteenth green to the scorers tent and then up to the clubhouse and of course I was amongst them.
I really wanted Arnie's autograph, so following Arnie and the crowd I jumped up on the veranda just before Arnie was to enter the building and I held out a small piece of paper above the crowd and asked Arnie for a signature which he gladly provided with a wink. I thought my hero was a great man to do this with everything else that was going on around him with people pulling and pushing him. My day was complete and I've proudly shared this story with my children and others over the years.
Arnie has inspired me to play golf since I was nine years old and age 50 today I still maintain a 4 handicap at my club. I played high school and college golf and have taught my three children who are all outstanding junior golfers who I am certain someday will teach their children to golf...and relate the above story to them. I wished you many more happy birthdays Arnie...you are the heart and soul of golf and truly the people's pro.
Kindest regards
Bruce Carusillo, CPA
Posted by scurry at 02:36 PM