Times Golf Correspondent recounts the legend's windswept return to the Old Course
David Cannon/Getty Images)
Arnold Palmer finds the centre of the 1st fairway as he begins his round at St Andrews.
John Hopkins, Internet Sports Writer of the Year
Arnold Palmer, who will be 80 in September, is currently the subject of a special online project, organised by the United States Golf Association, to celebrate his life. One recent episode in Palmer's life is worth recalling.
Palmer, having finished his business in Wales, flew to St Andrews to play in the Spring meeting of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, of which he is an honorary member. Palmer played with Hamish Ritchie, the current captain, and Graeme Simmers, a past captain.
It was a spectacularly windy day, one that would send the scores soaring, with the wind blowing directly into competitors' faces on the 1st tee. Palmer arrived looking, according to one report, "like Scott of the Antartic." Word had leaked out of the great man's presence and though there were not quite the thousands who watched Bobby Jones, the amateur, all those years ago, one estimate was that 200 spectators had defied the conditions and gathered to see the man who had been runner-up to Kel Nagle in the 1960 Open at St Andrews before going on to win the Opens at Royal Birkdale and Royal Troon the next two years.
All did not begin as they would have wished. Though Palmer's drive bored into the wind and found the centre of the fairway, the wind swept the initial drives of both Ritchie and Simmers out of bounds, one left and one right.
On the 3rd hole, Palmer said: "I don't normally walk golf courses any more. I use a cart." One was offered to him but he declined. On the 4th the great man observed that the wind was very strong, so strong in fact that many competitions in such conditions would have been delayed because of the danger of the golf balls moving on the greens.
The three-ball battled on until, on finishing the 6th, Palmer signed some hats and autographs before turning for home, saying: "This old horse ain't going to last the course."
Once Palmer reached the clubhouse, he spent a couple of hours socialising with the members as well as presenting prizes to R & A staff. Those present remarked on Palmer's conviviality and, by one account, he enjoyed his visit too, the weather notwithstanding.
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