Question:
That’s just American hype, when Golf Channel calls Arnold "the heart and soul of golf", it attracts viewers, bottom line, any golfer worth his salt knows about St. Andrews and the Morris Clan and after them : Bobby Jones and Henry Cotton, Sarazen, Snead, Hogan and Nelson and Nicklaus, the game itself is the heart and soul, it need no mere mortal to personify it. Red
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I think Arnold Palmer is a great man and obviously a great golfer. Here comes the "but" I really believe it is a disservice to all of the other great golfers who helped make the game what is today to brand one man with the title of "heart and soul". I believe this applies to all sports and other facets of life. Give credit where credit is due, just don’t give it all to one man. Cheers dj – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Coming from someone that lives in "Arnold Palmer" country (just about 25 miles from Labrobe,Pa. I would say I agree somewhat, it’s hard to connect with someone that hasn’t won much of anything for decades,it’s not his fault he’s old.This is from the perspective of a younger golfer, I’m sure older golfers will feel differently Bill your welcomed to check out my website at: http://freeweb.digiweb.com/sports/GolfBalls99 I can’t help but wondering if anybody else out there thinking the same thing as I do. "Arnold Palmer, golf’s heart and soul…" COME ON! Give me a break! I don’t know how other pro players think, especially those from Europe and other continents. Is this a prime example of arrogant Americans? It is true that Palmer brought so much more to the game of golf but personally I do not think he IS golf. Besides, the fact that TGC is owned (partically?) by Palmer made me feel funny about this whole show. Isn’t that rather shameless to say "hey look, I AM the heart and soul of golf!" 
Please comment and I am sure I’ve started fire… I meant flames! LOL
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I don’t think Arnold can be held responsible for what other people write about him. He evokes a lot of sentimentality from a lot of writers because of his long association with the game, but I don’t think he’s really arrogant enough to promote himself in such a way. He’s done a lot for the game in being the first player to be seen by millions on television and making the game more popular in that way.
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Coming from someone that lives in "Arnold Palmer" country (just about 25 miles from Labrobe,Pa. I would say I agree somewhat, it’s hard to connect with someone that hasn’t won much of anything for decades,it’s not his fault he’s old.This is from the perspective of a younger golfer, I’m sure older golfers will feel differently Bill your welcomed to check out my website at: http://freeweb.digiweb.com/sports/GolfBalls99 I can’t help but wondering if anybody else out there thinking the same thing as I do. "Arnold Palmer, golf’s heart and soul…" COME ON! Give me a break! I don’t know how other pro players think, especially those from Europe and other continents. Is this a prime example of arrogant Americans? It is true that Palmer brought so much more to the game of golf but personally I do not think he IS golf. Besides, the fact that TGC is owned (partically?) by Palmer made me feel funny about this whole show. Isn’t that rather shameless to say "hey look, I AM the heart and soul of golf!" Please comment and I am sure I’ve started fire… I meant flames! LOL
– Bill your welcomed to check out my website at: http://freeweb.digiweb.com/sports/GolfBalls99
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I am not trying to "pound" Arnie (and I know who I am, and I am sure that me merely raising a question could do ANY demage to Palmer LOL). I merely raised a question about whether it is appropriate for The Golf Channel, which’s owned by Palmer, to use such lines as "heart and soul".
I think maybe what you should have started was a thread "Shameless Golf Channel." Having worked various media outlets, I can assure you that the folks producing those segments aren’t taking direction from Arnie. It’s just the sloppy exaggeration that passes for quality these days. Pick your sport and your channel and every moment is "the most important moment in so and so’s career." Is Arnie the heart and soul of golf? Hell, what is the heart and soul of golf? Arnie was an aggressive, charasmatic golfer that brought a lot of personality to the game. Class, well I’d like to think he perpetuated the class of the game rather than instilled it. Certainly he has emodied the spirit of sportsmanship and competition that moved the Tour, and golf in general, forward.
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Maybe so, but if you want to video conversations with him, you’ll need the services of a medium. Hillary Clinton, perhaps? Remsleep
:Bobby Jones is the heart and soul of golf. :
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or Mother Theresa! That woman choked on the last day of the Masters. 
But seriously, Annie brought golf to the common man; he really caused a golf course construction boom; before him, it was played only by pompous stuffed shirts at the country club. (CLIP)
You’re right… only pompous stuffed shirts like Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Gene Sarazen, Walter Hagen et al, came before Arnie … however, I must admit that NO ONE was as instrumental as Arnie in popularizing the game with the public. — "How Can You Not Like A Game Where It’s Okay To Get Teed Off, Tote A Six-Iron, Shoot Birdies, and If You’re Under Par It’s A Great Day!" (from "Frank & Ernest" by Bob Thaves — used with permission)
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I have a great deal of respect for Palmer, but the marketing of Palmer is, to me, a bit much. When the voice over sya "Arnold Palmer….the heat and soul of golf" Forrest Gump comes to mind. I saw some well meaning preacher give a speech where he was trying to build on what he though was students great respect for Forrest Gump as a role model, about 1 year after Forrest Gump came out, and he kept saying Forrest Gump…..blah blah blah on some point or another in the same tone of voice as the Palmer voice-over. The problem with his presentation was that the students didn’t exactly see Forrest Gump as a role model (to put it mildly) and the preacher actually made a complete fool of himself. The Palmer ads do a bit of the same thing. There are a lot of people who don’t really know anything about Palmer, and the commercial assumes a reverence that most viewers probably don’t have (although a lot clearly do). Thus it could be making a bit of a fool of Palmer. Rob.
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or Mother Theresa!
That woman choked on the last day of the Masters. But seriously, Annie brought golf to the common man; he really caused a golf course construction boom; before him, it was played only by pompous stuffed shirts at the country club. Most golfers take these things for granted. Jack
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Geesh, even Arnie gets pounded on this newsgroup, who’s next Mother Thersa?
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or Mother Theresa!
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Bobby Jones is the heart and soul of golf. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a great deal of respect for Palmer, but the marketing of Palmer is, to me, a bit much. When the voice over sya "Arnold Palmer….the heat and soul of golf" Forrest Gump comes to mind. I saw some well meaning preacher give a speech where he was trying to build on what he though was students great respect for Forrest Gump as a role model, about 1 year after Forrest Gump came out, and he kept saying Forrest Gump…..blah blah blah on some point or another in the same tone of voice as the Palmer voice-over. The problem with his presentation was that the students didn’t exactly see Forrest Gump as a role model (to put it mildly) and the preacher actually made a complete fool of himself. The Palmer ads do a bit of the same thing. There are a lot of people who don’t really know anything about Palmer, and the commercial assumes a reverence that most viewers probably don’t have (although a lot clearly do). Thus it could be making a bit of a fool of Palmer. Rob.
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Geesh, even Arnie gets pounded on this newsgroup, who’s next Mother Thersa?
Eric, I am not trying to "pound" Arnie (and I know who I am, and I am sure that me merely raising a question could do ANY demage to Palmer LOL). I merely raised a question about whether it is appropriate for The Golf Channel, which’s owned by Palmer, to use such lines as "heart and soul". I did acknowledge his greatness in my post. == If you can’t take different opinions and have to bring your mommy to rescue, then you might want to go back to grade school. As far as my IQ goes, for sure it’s higher than yours. Thank you for your concern. == To Joe Cartpath/Steve C/Geoff, As you can see from my original post, I don’t disagree about what Palmer has done to the game of golf. Please do not avoid confronting my question (or maybe you agreed with my questioning??): Is it appropriate for Palmer to essentially self-claim to be "golf’s… heart and soul"?! Personally, I hesitate to raise the question myself, as we all know that even Palmer himself said on the show that he doesn’t see himself as "the king". But I do think it is a valid question. Please enlighten me, intelligently I hope << Original Post follows I can’t help but wondering if anybody else out there thinking the same thing as I do. "Arnold Palmer, golf’s heart and soul…" COME ON! Give me a break! I don’t know how other pro players think, especially those from Europe and other continents. Is this a prime example of arrogant Americans? It is true that Palmer brought so much more to the game of golf but personally I do not think he IS golf. Besides, the fact that TGC is owned (partically?) by Palmer made me feel funny about this whole show. Isn’t that rather shameless to say "hey look, I AM the heart and soul of golf!" Please comment and I am sure I’ve started fire… I meant flames! LOL
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He helped rejuvenate US interest in the British Open. His legion is legendary. Numbers don’t lie! Jim – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I watched Palmer at number of tournaments 20 years ago. The guy is a class act from the word go. What he did for golf, IMO, is immesurable. Now, let’s contrast him with what another man can do; Bill Clinton. Yes, Palmer is a real class act. My wife was at Westchester years ago [she was 17 at the time] and he had a bad round. Before he went to the scorer’s tent he walked over to her and said that he noticed she was there on every hole, and signed her scorecard. The guy has always gone out of his way to be nice to people. I see to many of the dead pan players these days who seem to forget that without the galleries, they’d be working at a range. In a world where we tear our heros down, this man has stood up to the task through 40 years or more. Just my $.02. — Steve Conlon Conlon’s Custom Clubs and Repairs Middletown, NJ http://www.hominyhill.com
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I’m not sure what planet you’re from, but Palmer is one of (if not THE) most respected players - all over the world! I suppose you missed the reception he got at his final British Open. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I can’t help but wondering if anybody else out there thinking the same thing as I do. "Arnold Palmer, golf’s heart and soul…" COME ON! Give me a break! I don’t know how other pro players think, especially those from Europe and other continents. Is this a prime example of arrogant Americans? It is true that Palmer brought so much more to the game of golf but personally I do not think he IS golf. Besides, the fact that TGC is owned (partically?) by Palmer made me feel funny about this whole show. Isn’t that rather shameless to say "hey look, I AM the heart and soul of golf!" Please comment and I am sure I’ve started fire… I meant flames! LOL
Response:
I can’t help but wondering if anybody else out there thinking the same thing as I do. "Arnold Palmer, golf’s heart and soul…" COME ON! Give me a break! I don’t know how other pro players think, especially those from Europe and other continents. Is this a prime example of arrogant Americans? It is true that Palmer brought so much more to the game of golf but personally I do not think he IS golf. Besides, the fact that TGC is owned (partically?) by Palmer made me feel funny about this whole show. Isn’t that rather shameless to say "hey look, I AM the heart and soul of golf!" Please comment and I am sure I’ve started fire… I meant flames! LOL
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Arnold Palmer IS the class act of golf. If you have ever seen him interviewed, play, or interact with the fans, it is a textbook example of a gracious human being. And he is a champion. There are tons of stories about Arnie. My two favorite: A few years ago a chef I know was in a local place. He doesn’t know jack spit about golf. He says some guy came in and was buying the bar and yucking it up with everybody. Absolute gentleman tho. Was Arnie. Other one was Arnie’s goodbye at Oakmont. Someone overheard a group of old old timers talking on the terrace. "Hey" they said, "let’s go to 18. I think Deke’s boy should be finishing soon" Arnie is the KING. Doesn’t mean he was the best golfer, just means he is the KING ! Long live Arnie ! Geoff Morristown, NJ.