MyTurn by JIM DUCIBELLA
Palmer ’ s Lasting Mark
I didn ’ t realize the sheer power of Arnold Palmer until someone I knew had never paid the least bit of attention to sports pulled me aside at church .
“ Did you know that Arnold Palmer died ?” my fellow parishioner asked , breathlessly .
The encounter occurred — literally — seven days after Palmer passed away at age 87 , a smidgen too late to receive the potentially life-extending heart surgery he needed . In the tiniest act of Christian charity imaginable , I expressed my appreciation for the information , but added that I was already aware of the news .
Nearly two months have passed since the public memorial service held in his hometown of Latrobe , Pennsylvania . Luminary after luminary , celebrity atop of celebrity , spoke of their love and admiration for the man who stuck the silver spoon in many of
Palmer was involved with more than a half their mouths . They marveled at how comfortable he was in the company of kings and Commonwealth .
dozen course designs and re-designs in the queens , presidents and prime ministers .
And while Palmer was most definitely a he could be reminded and reflect on his man of the world , he enjoyed a varied — perhaps peculiar in some ways — relationship In 1963 , Palmer founded the Arnold
good friend . with the Commonwealth .
Palmer / Buddy Worsham Scholarship at
Start when he was a high schooler in Wake Forest . Lanny Wadkins of Richmond Latrobe . Wake Forest was recruiting him was its third recipient . Four years later , but he wasn ’ t sure he wanted to go . Bud Curtis Strange of Virginia Beach joined the Worsham from Pittsylvania County was the club . And in 2010 , it was Evan Beck , also of better player and helped recruit Palmer to the Beach , receiving the honor . Winston-Salem . They became roommates Everything else about Palmer ’ s relationship with Virginia was considerably and best friends .
One night in 1950 , Worsham tried to brighter . When he ’ d drive home from North cajole Palmer into riding with him to a Carolina in the 1950s , he once said , he ’ d dance in Durham . Palmer declined and pass the old Hermitage Country Club , then Worsham went instead with Gene Scheer , located at the intersection of U . S . 1 and a teammate and roomie of Jim Flick .
Hilliard Road .
On the way home , Worsham ’ s car skidded off a bridge and both men were killed . turned into the parking lot and played ,”
“ So many times I wished I could have
Devastated , Palmer finished out the semester then dropped out of Wake Forest and Well , he played Hermitage , all right , just
he said . entered the Coast Guard . not the old version . In 1998 , Palmer won the
“ I didn ’ t know what to do ,” Palmer told Crestar Senior Classic , staged at the “ new ” Golf Digest a few years ago . “ I was very Hermitage . It would turn out to be the last dismayed , unsettled . I lost my best buddy .” of his 62 tournament victories .
Worsham ’ s passing led Palmer to evaluate what mattered most in his life . In trib- included course design and re-design : The
Palmer ’ s mark on Virginia naturally
ute , and perhaps somber gratitude , Palmer Signature at West Neck in Virginia Beach , kept a photo of Worsham in his office , where the Palmer Signature course at Bay Creek
on the Eastern Shore , the Plantation Course at Kingsmill in Williamsburg , Keswick near Charlottesville , Belmont CC in Ashburn , Dominion Valley in Haymarket and Fawn Lake in Spotsylvania all carry his mark .
A mark of a different nature , Mark McCormack , had a profound impact on Palmer , and vice-versa . They met when McCormack was a golfer at William & Mary and they competed in Southern Conference events . Everyone knows that Palmer and McCormack had a long-lasting business partnership forged on a handshake .
You may not know that Palmer ’ s daughter , Peggy , graduated from William & Mary , and the story goes that it was McCormack who was instrumental in steering her there . And finally . . . In 1999 , I was completing an anecdotal history of golf in Virginia . I hoped for someone to be affiliated with it who would draw attention to my efforts . Palmer ’ s name on the foreword would do it .
A friend and college colleague of Palmer ’ s accompanied me to Virginia Beach , where Palmer was scheduled to pay a site visit to The Signature at West Neck course .
The helicopter carrying Palmer landed , my friend explained what I wanted , and Palmer immediately advised that I contact Doc Giffin , his aide-de-camp since 1966 .
Giffin , Palmer and I hammered out an acceptable foreword , the book came out and not long after I heard from Giffin . Could I mail Arnold a couple more copies ? He had read it , liked it , and wanted to mail one to a friend . I was informed that the man , a Scot , just happened to own one of the largest collections of golf books in the world . Palmer didn ’ t send everything , just those things he thought would enhance the man ’ s collection .
While that story doesn ’ t match the glib , global recollections of those who honored Palmer in Latrobe , it ’ s one I ’ ll never forget , and is the type of thing that causes church-goers who wouldn ’ t know a 9-iron from a nail gun to pause and pay their respects .
Formerly of the Virginian-Pilot , columnist Jim Ducibella is a regular contributor to Virginia Golfer .
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