The website www.fishinggolfer.com states that "if you even remotely follow sports, no matter your age, you have heard of "The King". I doubt that there are very few that would disagree with that statement...Arnold Palmer is truly the "King of Golf". In the 1960's and early 1970's, I played in six charity tournaments where Arnold Palmer was the special guest. He played with the club pros and current club champion, gave clinics and spoke at the lunch that followed and took time to be photographed with persons who played in the tournament. Palmer is a charismatic person who connects with people of all ages, has a great sense of humor and a great contributor to charities and charity events. Arnold Palmer was born in 1929 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania where he learned golf from his father, Deacon Palmer, who was the head professional and greenskeeper at Latrobe Country Club. Arnold started playing golf at age seven, attended Wak Forest University on a golf scholarship, served three years in the Coast Guard and returned to competitive golf in 1954. Palmer won seven major championships: The Masters in 1958, 1960, 1962 and 1964; the U.S. Open in 1960 and the British Open in 1961 and 1962. He played on six Ryder Cup teams and was the captain of the 1963 and 1975 teams. There is so much more to say about Palmer's golf accomplishments, however there is so much to say about his other endeavors as well. He has had a golf business career including owning the Bay Hill Club and Lodge which now is the home of the Bay Hill Invitational. He formed the Arnold Palmer Design Company and built the first golf course in China. He has designed and built numerous other golf courses in the U.S. and elsewhere. Palmer has been a major contributor to health and wellness. He founded the Arnold Palmer Pavilion at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, Florida. In 2006, an addition to the children's hospital was built and re-named the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies, after his wife Winnie. One of Palmer's favorite drinks is a combination of half iced tea and half lemonade. This drink is called the "Arnold Palmer" and is available at golf clubs, most restaurants and in grocery stores under the label "The Original Arnold Palmer Tee". Palmer and the founder of Luna Vineyards, Mike Moone, have collaborated to develop Arnold Palmer wines. The current offerings are Arnold Palmer Santa Barbara County Chardonnay and Arnold Palmer Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, both are premium wines and from select California vineyards. There are many more accomplishments and endeavors that could be written about the multi-talented Arnold Palmer...he has impacted the lives of so many golfers and contributed to the improvement of lives for many more.
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