Dodson says Palmer leaves the game as its most famous player in its 400-plus year history.
"I think his loss will be felt forever," Dodson says. "His legacy will be one of kindness and love of the game and love of his fans. And I don't think anybody will ever come close to that.
At his memorial service, his grandson, Sam Saunders who has played his way on to the PGA Tour his grandfather nurtured, fondly recalled that Arnold always took his calls – no matter who he was with or what he was doing. More often than not, his grandfather greeted Saunders by saying, “where are you?”
Tim Finchem, the recently retired PGA Tour commissioner had his own story to tell.
“Well, I saw him play – but that’s the same thing as meeting him,” Finchem said, and Palmer’s many fans would agree.Finchem grew to see first-hand the “deep, deep love and affection” Palmer had for what it meant to be a professional golfer. He witnessed the incredible growth of the game that Palmer unleashed.
“(He had) the incredible ability to make you feel good – not just about him but about yourself,” Finchem said. “He took energy from that and then turned around and gave it right back.”
The same could be said of Jack Nicklaus, who was 14 the first time he saw Palmer hit balls. The two became fierce rivals on the course but developed an abiding friendship once the scorecards were signed.
“If I ever had a problem, I knew Arnold had my back, and I had his,” Nicklaus said. “I am a proud member of Arnie’s Army.”
Nicklaus grew emotional as he talked about the emptiness he feels now that Palmer is gone.
“You don’t lose a friend of almost 60 years and not feel an enormous loss,” Nicklaus said. “But my wife always says that memories are the cushions of life.“Remember when Arnold Palmer touched your life, and touched your heart. Please don’t forget why.”
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But the memories will live on. Everyone in the cathedral had them – guys like Jay Haas, Curtis Strange, Billy Andrade, Lee Trevino, Doug Sanders, Hale Irwin, William McGirt, Billy Hurley, Billy Horschel, Mark Carnevale and Scott McCarron, among others, as well as Nancy Lopez and Annika Sorenstam.
So the golfer, the philanthropist but most of all, the man of the people will never truly leave our hearts.
“When an army loses its commander it becomes even stronger,” Meacham said. “And I think that will happen with Arnie’s Army.”
His blue collar go for broke attitude appealed to fans who were new to the game, and despite everything, he never lost sight of what he was in the game for. There was nothing that excited him more than winning a golf tournament and he paid importance to the prize money as he played the sport for a living at a time when the cheque was not so substantial.
Palmer added that during his playing days a golfer really had to earn a cheque as the tour had a different scene altogether. He said that golfers were very competitive and went neck to neck for victories as they knew that they had no sources of income apart from their prize winnings.
His advice to young players was, to work hard and stick to this opportunity of a lifetime through ups and downs. He always demonstrated a continued passion for the game and a hope for the game to continue to thrive.
