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Start with the lemonade – you don’t want a watery foundation. Purists will tell you the true formula is half and half, but I like to go 2/3 lemonade to tea, especially if I’m out somewhere that only has fountain machine supplies available. 2/3 lemonade, then pour tea in until the color changes to that perfect golden hue. After that, polish it off with just a splash more of lemonade.
The Arnold Palmer. My go-to drink whenever I’m out. It’s the first thing I reach for when I’m headed to the tee and it’s a concoction that has been a universal treat for all participants of the game regardless of handicap and is hands down the easiest thing to mix with liquor while on the course. I can’t even tell you how many of those I’ve drank while playing. Those giant 99 cent cans have perpetually rolled around empty in the back of my truck ever since I bought the thing, and late this afternoon their namesake passed away, causing me to pause and reflect on just what it is about this simple cocktail that I love so much.
I stumbled across the news late last night when I opened Twitter to check on the Cowboys score because my attempts to stream the game were failing miserably. Rather than a flood of game updates, the first thing on my feed was a picture of John Daly and Mr. Palmer from John Daly’s Twitter account, with a sentimental caption followed by that acronym that has adorned too many great celebrities’ names in 2016, “RIP.” I couldn’t believe it, so I quickly clicked over to the litany of golf accounts I follow, and PGA, PGA Tour, GolfChannel, Hank Haney, Callaway, all were inundating their pages with memories of Arnie.
I immediately began texting my regular golfing crew to see if they’d heard the news, wondering if I was alone in just how deeply the news of Mr. Palmer’s passing had affected me. All were similarly upset, some remarking on how empty The Masters and Bay Hill would feel next year, others joining me in my sense of urgency to find the first can of Arizona Arnold Palmer Half & Half we could and pour a little out for The King. Separated by miles, we all held similar lamentations on the news, and I realized then that it was never the drink we were after, it was Arnold himself.
There are dozens of imitation Arnold Palmers. Gold Peak, Peace Tea, Snapple, hell, even his good friend Jack Nicklaus has Golden Bear tea that attempts to mimic the simple perfection of the original Arnold Palmer. I’ve tried them all and none come close to replacing Arizona’s brand. I think this is less to do with some sort of vastly superior product, and more so that when I drink Arnold’s original brand I get a happy nostalgia.
Looking at that can with his younger profile on it and being reminded of his lifetime of effort for the game of golf is akin to visiting the statue of a great dignitary and feeling chills when you look up and are suddenly reminded of the achievements they accomplished to deserve such a remembrance. Arnold Palmer was the greatest ambassador the game of golf ever had. He was cheerful, gracious, and so passionate for the game that one couldn’t help but want to get back out to the tee whenever they were around him. For me he was the guy that all my idols looked up to. Watching Tiger and Phil get overcome with a childlike nervousness when Arnold walked up to give them a hug or a handshake was exactly how I knew I would have felt had either of them stopped to talk and compliment me while I was on the range.
When my buddies and I drank Arnold Palmers on the course, we were chasing a little bit of that, hoping one of those cans might have a little talent and inspiration in it and bring out a low round. When I ordered them off the course, I realize now it was a little bit of the ambassador he was that I was trying to capture. Order after order came with the secret hope that someone might hear me and want to talk about not only Mr. Palmer, but our respective games as well. That I might be at a bar and ask for a “John Daly,” or a “Twisted Palmer,” and someone next to me would give me a knowing look, forming a kindred bond over our affection for this great game and this even greater man. Even last night as I walked up to the counter of the gas station with five of those cans spilling out of my arms, I hoped the guy at the register might say something. Anything. One remark about the same emptiness I was feeling and reassure me that I’m not irrational for being so upset.
In honor of The King, I’ll be mixing up Arnie Palmies exclusively today and the rest of this week. If I make it out to a bar, it’ll be John Daly’s I order so that I’ll get to explain to the bartender the difference between the two, hopefully sparking an interest to learn more about the greatest gamesman for golf since Bobby Jones. Mr. Palmer was and still is the best asset this sport has had in almost 100 years, and I hope I’m a tenth the value to the game that he was. See you on the tee..
Image via Youtube
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BBisgard45
Golf Pro in B/CS TX trying to trick the PGA into certifying me to give swing advice for a living.
@BrianBisgard
I don’t typically care when celebrities die, but this one seems different. He was such a genuine person.
I went down to Bay Hill a few years ago to stay and play with my dad. We went to dinner at the restaurant on site. Halfway through Arnie and a group walk in and were seated at the table next to us. When it came time to order another drink, I skipped the usual beer, looked over at Arnie, and proceeded to order an Arnold Palmer. It just felt right. We got rained out the next day, but it didn’t matter, I was lucky enough to have an hour in the presence of the King.
I’ve read so many stories like that. I don’t know why this one feels so different either. I played 9 today and shot well but I couldn’t shake that my practice rounds had lost a little of their value now
He built a children’s hospital in Florida and would send congratulatory letters to young golfers who won tournaments. Even if you’re not a golf nut that’s pretty amazing in its own right.
The King! Any true golfer who has a love and fervor for the sport knows this man defined the spectacle of the sport. It went from a “gentlemen only” game to a “I’ll show you anyone can play” game. This man is a true legend and will be sorely missed. This one especially hits home for me since he was my favorite growing up. I never got to see him play, but his style of play was always something I desired. And of course, any great man has a drink named after him!
Never laid up and always went right at the pin, not a bad way to live life. Thanks for everything, Mr. Palmer.