In 1955, Arnold Palmer played with Gene Sarazen, the 1935
winner, in his first competitive round at the Masters. He dined frequently with
Bobby Jones, battled Jack Nicklaus in his prime and has known every significant
golfer since.
What is it about golf that he most values and wants to pass along
to a younger generation?
"The integrity of the game. It's hard to describe what
I mean by that. You immediately think of honesty, but it's more than that. It's
a lifestyle. It's something people see. It's something that golf delivers to the
public like no other sport.
Truthfulness is part of it. Most of the golfers I've known
along the way had good character. Certainly the best ones did. That doesn't
mean they never did anything wrong. They all had a drink now and then, but the
top golfers generally have all been upstanding. I think that's very important
to impress on the young players.
Integrity, in Palmer's mind, isn't far removed from style.
The way a player dresses and walks and comports himself feeds into the way he
plays. You could spot Hogan or Nelson halfway across the course, just walking,
not even swinging, and know instantly who they were. They owned who they were.”
