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Biographies by old warriors and old jocks usually are just not that good. Palmer has been one of my "heros" since I was eight years old or so, so, in my eyes, he could do little wrong, including writing his autobiography. The book is well written, informative and actually rather inspiring.
I have followed Mr. Wish there were more like him in the world of sports today. This one is different.
As I suspected, I could not find one line in the book to lead me to a different opinion, one I have held for years, that this is a true gentleman. Palmer's career from the start, and after reading this work, felt I knew him much better. It was pure Palmer.
On the other hand, as hinted at above, Mr. Recommend the read for anyone.
His family roots run deep and it's evident. What a life. This is fine book about a man with deep principles that have continued to deepen and nourish his life. Maybe influence some parents to such as well.More enjoyable read than assumed. From golfing legend to aviator to business entrepeneur to course designer to philantropist to family man to cancer recoverer et al.One of the true heroes of our time. Growing up with this guy, we baby boomers need one like this to exude what it truly is about -- not the titles or record or such, but how one played the game and treated others.Such neat memories from AP's life: earning nickels hitting over the ditch for ladies when young; his detest for media's microscopic view; his leaving the French Open after being mistreated by the Frogs (guess things never change); his opinion of the PGA's historical problems; his committment to his word; his enjoyment of piloting immediately after tournament, whether win or lose.Guy is first class and leaves us with much to emulate and pass on. This guy has given so much to the development of the sport we love. His views should not be lightly glanced over.
I have to give this five stars because Arnold Palmer is my all time, all time sports idol, but I think the writing could have been better. Also, I disagree that he doesn't see Jack as the best of all time, because he's said that numerous times. That is evident in the people who thought Arnie was not candid about his feelings on Jack. In numerous other accounts, those feelings are explored in depth, so if there is a problem in that regard it is a failing in the author, not in Arnie. If there was rancor there on Arnie's part, it was probably because he felt that in Jack's younger days he didn't respect the fans enough, which is probably why I sense some rancor in some of the things Arnie now says about Tiger. In any event, this is a purely classy guy, who deserves all the accolades he's gotten, and this book gives a good glimpse into his soul.
Palmer deserves his reputation as one of the most respected figures in professional sports. Arnold Palmer looks back over a fantastic career with no lack of humility, but with personal glimpses in sufficient depth to maintain the interest at all times. This book, with its down-home style is far above the mind-numbing blow-by-blow accounts of careers hardly justifying the ink and paper which clog the sports book shelves. For this, his collaborator, golf writer, James Dodson, must be due for a large share of credit. But more than this, Palmer gives fascinating insights to his business life and associations with the famous in other fields, from presidents to show business personalities, to his fellow-golfers over six decades, always making it clear that his first love is his family. Palmer may be a little old-fashioned in his outlook for some of today's readers and indeed the schmaltz might be a little thick at times, but this still rates as a sports book of excellent quality.
Hogan was a hard man and while Palmer speaks highly of Ben's skills, you can see that he did not like him personally.The section about Nicklaus is fascinating. There are countless people who can testify of how nice a man he is.Good book. He talks of his joy the first time that happened. Palmer is not overly introspective, so he does not try analyzing his popularity very much. And he spares no words in discussing the death of his best friend while he was at school at Wake Forest, a death he still somewhat blames himself.However, the story about the Ku Klux Klan meeting and his mother's reaction to it (live and let live) is rather naïve.Palmer brings up an interesting theory about his career, that his decision to stop smoking played a factor in it. But I admire him for not starting again, even if it cost him some strokes.
That was extremely odd, she usually does not watch golf. Nicotine creates a dependency, physical and psychological, no doubt about it. His talent and achievements fall short of those of Nicklaus, Hogan and even Gary Player. It was him that drew fans across income and class lines.To many people, Arnold Palmer is old-line establishment. His stories of growing up are wonderful and I feel a good sense of the man and his roots. He speaks highly, yet evenhandedly, of Clifford Roberts and the Masters. He tells a great story about Jim McKay getting all noisy and excited in the 1960 Masters and interrupting Palmer's concentration. Palmer feels that cigarettes helped him concentrate.
Yet Palmer with his amazing charisma can arguably be considered the most important golfer in the last 50 years.A few years ago I was watching a Senior tournament. It was Arnold Palmer.The portraits that Palmer draws of his parents, especially of his father, are wonderful. Palmer also talks little of his own fight with cancer and the remarkable recovery he has made. There is a major rivalry in many ways between the two of them, there is no question about it. His decision to keep quiet and "work within the system" again shows naivity beyond belief.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book, by its candor and by how well-written it was. She is no longer with us and my heart aches for Mr. Nor does he talk about all the money he has raised for research of prostate cancer. But Palmer has some wonderfully nice things to say about President Clinton, so he is even-handed. He does say that he loves to perform, to show off and entertain people. And his apparent tolerance for many of the racist policies of the PGA is galling as well.
One of the ideas is that he comes across as a blue-collar worker in a rich man's sport. So do his grandchildren and his fans, if he had not stopped, he would not be here today.Palmer talks about several people in the golf world at length. My wife came by and became enraptured by what was on. Palmer could have done more to bring the PGA into the 20th Century.
Charisma has nothing to do with skill, he certainly was not the most skilled or accomplished golfer. A section of Feinstein's "A Good Walk Spoiled" discusses Palmer from a fan's perspective and also from a fellow player's. I daresay that there are others who would not agree with that opinion.It is obvious that Arnold did not get along with Ben Hogan, but few people did. Instead, he just smiled and McKay realized what was going on. Palmer could have snarled or been nasty. It minimized many warts, but there is still some bite to it.Arnold Palmer defines what charisma is. It gives a different perspective on the man.Palmer has always been treated well by the press.
But he deserves a lot of the credit himself. Give me a break. The book slows when he talks of the rich people he is friends with. In particular, I was repulsed by a golf course he built with an airstrip within, so one can land one's private plane and then tee off. She asked me who the man on the screen was that was so fascinating.
Palmer and his loss. Palmer makes some very astute observations about their divergent styles and personalities.There is much greater kinship with Gary Player and the stories about Player are quite funny.People have tried to analyze Palmer's appeal for years. He was a close friend of Eisenhower, and of Bob Hope. You can get more with the carrot.At the time this book was written, his wife Winnie had just been diagnosed with cancer. There is very little about his daughters as well, or his family life beyond his early married days.In an ESPN show, one of those daughters said on-camera that her dad loved being Arnold Palmer.
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