The Loss of a Legend: Remembering Arnold Palmer (1929 - 2016)
/Yesterday, the game lost one of its most innovative and charismatic pioneers. Arnold Palmer will forever be remembered as one of golf's most influential men. Today, we as fans, and lovers of the game, remember and mourn a hero, and true legend of the sport. The man we called, "Arnie."
Arnold Palmer passed away on Sunday, September 25, 2016 at the age of 87.
LOPATCONG, NEW JERSEY — The Architects Golf Club is a course built on the long-standing and time-honored traditions of the game of golf. The golf course's entire concept is built on representing the game's most prolific architects spanning 70 years of great design styles, from 1885-1955. One man that is not recognized or paid tribute to at one of our 18 holes, is the legendary Arnold Palmer who died Sunday, September 26, 2016 at the age of 87. Palmer was a wildly popular player on the PGA Tour. Extremely lovable and generous. Always humble, yet competitive. Though many younger fans of the game never watched him prowl the golf course or compete on the PGA Tour, his impact on it will last a life time.
After his playing career came to an end, Arnold Palmer continued his legacy, founding The Golf Channel. Today, The Golf Channel is owned by NBC-Comcast, and is one of their most popular television networks. In addition to expanding the game's coverage and exposure on television broadcasts, Palmer's Golf Channel had adapted into a modern driving force behind the golf industry as a whole. The Golf Channel's business development division, Golf Channel Business Solutions, is the backbone of their immensely successful GolfNow tee time sales website, as well as dozens of other popular golf booking sites across the web that are also included in The Golf Channel's network of websites. There's no doubt that GolfNow has changed the golf market for good as we see industry trends changing, and changing quickly. Though a controversial topic for many course owners and operators, GolfNow has made available technology and marketing resources to partner courses that may have had no other way of ever accessing said resources. GolfNow could perhaps be the last major notch in Palmer's belt. A thriving entity, driving the future of the game and its culture.
Arnold Palmer points to his name on the leader board at the 1960 U.S. Open tournament in Denver, Colorado on June, 19, 1960. Palmer won the tournament with a score of 280.
Arnold Palmer was more than an exceptional professional golfer. He was a visionary. Among all of his amazing accomplishments throughout his career, his most recognizable may be the drink made after his namesake, half iced tea, and half lemonade: The Arnold Palmer. Today, we'll all be drinking Arnold Palmers and remembering Arnie, his greatness, and the amazing memories and lasting impact that he left on the game and all of us involved in the industry.
