An interview with:
ARNOLD PALMER

RAND JERRIS: It's a distinct pleasure to welcome Mr. Arnold Palmer. Mr. Palmer is the 1960 U.S. Open champion and 1981 Senior Open champion. He is playing in a record 23rd Senior Open this week at Inverness.

Arnold, perhaps can you start us off this morning by talking a little bit about what the Senior Open has meant to you the last 22, 23 years.

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, thank you. I think first of all the Senior Open has become a major championship and one that I think The Players look forward to it and I know that as is exhibited by the crowds here in practice rounds that it's very successful from a fan standpoint. And, of course, you, the media, I think have done a great job to get across to the people that it is a competition. It's a good competition. It is moving in the right direction and I think it will continue. But as the Champion's Tour and the Senior Tour has done over the years, it is now a very popular event.

And, of course, I know from experience and from other people, players, that they look to this championship as part of the game of golf and particularly the professional game even though it's not professionals alone.

And to win it is, if you are a career person such as myself, or a lot of people out here, it's one of the most important titles that you can win.

RAND JERRIS: Since have you played an awful lot of major championship venues can you spend a moment and talk about the course here at Inverness and how it compares with other major courses.

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, you heard the question and, of course, I think that is part of what has transpired over the last 24 years with The Open. The golf courses have become extremely competitive. And I don't think it matters where you go from when I won at Oakland Hills to today, this championship right here is of the same venue as The Open, the regular Open.

The golf course here, I have played starting in 1957, and I think every event that has been at Inverness over those years, the golf course hasn't really changed that much. It's longer with some new tees and some other things. But the golf course itself is much the same as it's always been. I have had trouble here. I haven't played particularly well here and it is a golf course that I should play well on simply because it's much the same as my club at Latrobe. Small push-up greens, narrow fairways and all of the ingredients. If you ask me to explain why I haven't played well here, I can't. I really can't. Maybe this year I will play well.

But it's a golf course that is right up on the top of the run as far as difficulty is concerned and figuring it out. You need to really do some heavy thinking in addition to playing well. If you are playing and hitting the ball the way you want to, of course, a lot of that becomes less important, but still, putting the ball in the right position in this golf course is probably key as it is in any golf course that we play a major championship on.

RAND JERRIS: We will take some questions.

Q. Good morning, Arnold?

ARNOLD PALMER: Good morning.

Q. You mentioned that it had been 24 years, it's been since '79 that a USGA event was here. After your practice round yesterday would you endorse this as a course that should return to some sort of open rotation for the regular Open?

ARNOLD PALMER: On, I don't think there is any question about it. This golf course is one that is very capable of hosting an Open championship and, you know, there has been a lot of -- and kind of answering that question a little further which you didn't ask me to do, I will do it anyway.

Q. Please do?

ARNOLD PALMER: And that length on this golf course is key like it is on any golf course. But length here is not the major criteria on this golf course. It is a golf course that positioned off the tee is as important as anything and, of course, with the small greens and the undulation in the greens and the speed of the greens, it's one that just hitting it long isn't going to be the secret.

And, of course, those of us who think that the ball is too fast, which it is, and will be the topic of lots of conversations until something is done about it, this course takes some of that away; the speed of the golf ball for distance that you hit the golf ball.

I played with some guys yesterday like John Harris who hits the ball long, and his key situation here playing, even in a practice round, is getting the right club in the right position off the tee and a lot of the times he wasn't hitting drivers, I can tell you that.

Even I hit -- I'm not hitting it long, but there are positions that I had to hit a little shorter club to get it into the right position to get it into the greens.

So it's a golf course that takes some thinking and distance isn't a major criteria.

Q. Can I ask one more hometown question if I can? You mentioned the crowds out here are for practice rounds; is it similar or more than you normally see at any senior event or major championship?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, yesterday was my first day in some time. I thought the crowds were tremendous. They were huge. And that is something to be said for the area and the fans. I think that -- and with the weather shaping up pretty good, it looks like I think this weekend will be a tremendous success.

Q. Time marches on. You and Jack and Gary Player seem to be playing less professional tournaments in the recent years, is there some point where you are going to say my career is over, I'm just going to go out and enjoy the game and not be competitive on the TOUR?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, I haven't said that but you can probably read between the lines and know what's going on. I'm not playing very much. I'm playing the major tournaments right now and that will go away pretty soon. But at the moment, you know, I'm still hitting it a little bit, as long as I can hit it and walk the 18 holes I will probably try it. It may mean that this is the last year. It may mean next year is the last year. But you know, I'm not going out every week and beating the TOUR, that's done.

I'm going to the British Open and, you know, it's this and the British Open are tournaments that I enjoy. I enjoy the surroundings and what is happening here. Going over there next month, you know, I can go do some work, golf course work on the way, do design work and then just pop right into Turnberry which is a great place to play a golf tournament, and I love that.

You know, that will be for at least the immediate future, and the immediate future is tomorrow. I'm going to enjoy that.

Q. Arnold, we interviewed a lady yesterday that said that she had been in love with you for 45 years; are you amazed at sometimes you take a little time out to maybe look around and see how the following, how your fans have stayed with you for all of these years and they keep following you everywhere you go?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, of course, the previous question, my answer sometimes relates to your question. And that is the fact that the people out here yesterday were unbelievable. I saw stuff in the gallery as far as photos and reminiscing to so many years ago. And it wasn't just one or 2. It was a whole group of the gallery. Am I surprised? I suppose I'm surprised to some degree that they lived that long and that I lived that long. But you know, when I say to you I do a lot of autographing, well you see what happened here, but, you know, I spend a couple of hours on the average every day returning pictures or sending pictures to fans that range everywhere in the United States and Europe and Japan.

So I'm not overly surprised simply because it's part of my work ethic and part of the thing that I do every day. And I hear from these people. You know, it's amazing. As I say there are a lot of them. And I am very proud of that.

Q. You mentioned that, of course, you are in golf course architecture and design, you have a number of courses all over, as you probably know Art Hills is a member here at Inverness?

ARNOLD PALMER: Yes.

Q. He as Toledo man, he got in the architectural game as well. Would you care to comments on the type of courses that he has designed and what do you think of him as an architect?

ARNOLD PALMER: What was the last part?

Q. What do you think of Art Hills as a golf course architect?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, I think every -- I respect every golf course architect. I have no qualms. They do their golf courses; I do mine. And I give them the respect that they are due. If a man does more than one golf course and people hire him, then they must like his work.

My golf course design business is presently very good. We are doing quite a number of golf courses. I'm not dead yet, and that's something that I enjoy. As I said, I will be going to do some work when I go to the British Open. Well, I'm flying to Dublin, actually, and I have done two golf courses at the K Club. One of those golf courses is a venue for the Ryder Cup. So I will check that work. And it's a nice way. It's something that I kind of thought about years ago when I was slowing down with my playing and getting off the TOUR that if I wanted to go and do some golf courses along the way and play in a golf tournament I had the privilege of doing that. And thank goodness I can knock on wood and say it's happening that way and I enjoy it. It makes my life fun right now.

Q. I want to be sure of something: You said that the '57 Open would have been the first time you played here; you didn't play it previous while you were at Cleveland?

ARNOLD PALMER: I didn't play here.

Q. That's what I'm saying. You never played Inverness until the '57 Open?

ARNOLD PALMER: No, I don't think so. I could be wrong. I played at Sylvania and won the Ohio Amateur; that was '54 or '53. Do you know?

Q. '54?

ARNOLD PALMER: '54. And as far as I know, that was it. I was here when Dick Mayer didn't show up -- how many of you guys know that? Dick Mayer didn't show up for his starting time and won The Open; now you figure that one out.

Q. Arnold, with your legendary status in the game of golf have you ever had the chance to just sit back and think about what you mean to the game of golf obviously with the fans that follow you all around and people talk about Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus but many people give you the credit of making golf the game it is today, have you ever had a chance to sit back and think of your impact on the game of golf?

ARNOLD PALMER: No, I don't spend a lot of time doing that. I'd like to think that maybe I have had some influence on the game and for the better. That would make me very happy. The game is changing and has changed so much in the last 50 years that I hope that some of the things that my father taught me about the game and how to react to situations, that maybe I have let rub off a little on the people that are coming into the game now. I see some things that I'm not overwhelmed with, but generally I think what has happened in the game is pretty good.

Q. Arnold, you discussed very briefly touching on the golf ball and how far it's going, I was wondering if you were going to take any opportunity this week with this venue to discuss the golf ball with anybody from the U.S. Golf Association?

ARNOLD PALMER: I take every opportunity that I have to discuss the golf ball and it is with every organization that has anything to do with golf including the USGA. And I spend some good moments with a lot of the USGA officials who are friends of mine. And aside from the official capacity, and I continually urge them to think about the golf ball. But that goes from the USGA to the PGA TOUR to any organization that will listen to me about slowing the ball.

I think that we have so many great golf courses and some of them are old golf courses, some of them are new golf courses that are fun to play. And I would like to think that those golf courses will be fun for years and years.

The fact is that the golf ball can continue to make it fun, but it has to slow down. They are making it some good, and it goes along with all of the technology that we are experiencing in everything that we do today. It's going to get better and better as time goes on and unless we slow it down and find a mutual ground to do that, it's going to hurt the golf courses that we're playing.

Q. Is the solution a tournament ball for professionals and let the amateur play whatever he wants?

ARNOLD PALMER: That has been a suggestion to give -- hand the players a golf ball. Everybody has the same ball when they play; that isn't -- I don't find that the most desirable way to do it. That may be the ultimate solution where everybody plays the same golf ball.

But you got to think how that affects the business of golf, too. Now, all of a sudden you can't -- the companies that are doing the golf balls can't say, hey, the players are playing our golf ball. It's the best golf ball because now that just takes that out of the scenario.

But if they slow the ball overall to the same statistic, then they can still keep the same business attitude that they have now whether they can say ours is the best ball and it is inside the boundaries; it is the best ball you can play.

And what's the difference, really? There is restrictions on the golf ball now. It's just lowering those restrictions, that's all.

Q. Good morning, sir, I am a local guy. We are very glad to have you here. You said you have been coming to the Toledo area since 1957. What makes Toledo stand out in your mind and what is your favorite part about the Toledo area?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, I came here before that. I came in '54 at one of the Ohio amateurs at Sylvania. I played exhibition here over the years. I find the area very golf supportive. The people and this area have been wonderful to me. I have enjoyed my trips here and have had a lot of fun playing golf.

Q. How much distance have you lost the last 40 years considering the ball and the clubs; have you lost much distance?

ARNOLD PALMER: How much distance have I lost and what else?

Q. Considering the ball and the new drivers?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, you know it's pretty amazing. I was thinking about that very thing yesterday as I played and to what I could remember about playing here in '57 versus 2003. And my drives were almost in a lot of cases in the same position they were then. Now, you think about that. That's 40 years, a little over 40 years ago. The equipment, the ball, have increased to the point that I can almost do the same things that I was doing then, and the shots that I was hitting then and I recalled some of them, I couldn't remember them all. But hell, there wasn't a lot of difference. That's all of the technical advances that we made because my body sure as hell hasn't kept up with it.

Q. Sir, with your competitive drive have you done anything in the last couple of weeks or will you do anything today to try to get your game to be at it's best come tomorrow?

ARNOLD PALMER: I have done some things, yes. I have had some physical problems with my shoulders mostly. And it's arthritis, whatever; rheumatism, whatever you want to call it. But it has restricted my swing a little bit, and I have been doing a lot of working out, physical working out from bench presses to stretching every day one or two times a day. Just about any exercise that you can think of. I had to  -- because of the restrictions on getting my arms up in the air and free motion, range of motion, so I started swimming, and I swim a couple of times a day also. I do things like backstroke which is something that has given me a little more range of motion and that's what I'm trying to do.

Has it helped me? It has helped distance-wise. Yesterday I noticed that I was hitting the ball a little further and that was encouraging. Of course, there is something that you can't, you know, you can do all kinds of things, or can you do all kinds of physical exercises, but you know, you're limited to what you can do when you get to be my age. What the hell, that's just part of it. But you can improve it. I have had a trainer that I worked with. He says that he can help me and we have worked for over a year and he thinks that he can get me back to somewhere 60, 55 in age which would be pretty damn good if I can get there. But I still get tired after a hot day on the golf courses which I used to not do. I mean I just had to just go. I didn't know what tired was. I'm beginning to find it out.

Q. The best case scenario how well do you think a great week for you, what kind of finish would that be?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, my objective is to make the cut. Let's start there, and if I could make the cut that will mean that it's working to some degree and then we won't argue too much from there? Do I think I can win this tournament? It isn't very likely but I still have it back here somewhere that lightening might strike and it will come out that way.

Q. Arnold, last week at Buick Tiger talked about the media and how we think he may be in a slump and he said that he has talked with you a lot about media coverage as it's gone along throughout the years and how it might be maybe over the top to some extent. If I could get your feelings on how you see the media today and what it was like when you first came out and if you think, in fact, that maybe it's too much scrutiny?

ARNOLD PALMER: Well, I think there is a lot of people playing the game of golf that we would like to be in Tiger's slump. That's to start with. And as far as media is concerned, and the relationship with Tiger in the media or me in the media, you know, I went through a -- media-wise -- a slump in '62, I guess I won about eight tournaments in '62. I was in a slump in '63; it wasn't too good. And '64 it came back and it was okay again. And that has happened to me over the years in probably 25 years of playing really competitively on the TOUR, I was probably, on, three, four slumps such as you are talking about. But I was winning a tournament or two every year. You are in media; aren't you? And do you know the media?

Q. Yes?

ARNOLD PALMER: You do? Hell, you got to have something to fill the newspaper up with. You got to have something to write about. I never had a problem. The media are the best guys that I know. Some of my best friends are, even bald-headed guys.

I understand. I understand what you have to do. And Tiger is a hot number. You know, you can write about Joe over here. Who in the hell is Joe? But they know Tiger. And people will read what you put up there about Tiger. And you know it, And I know it. And if that's what you have to do, get him in a slump, get him in a slump, what the hell? That's the way it is. He will come out of it and he will win. He is going to win majors and then you got a real headline because he is out of his slump and that's the headline. You understand, and I understand.

RAND JERRIS: Arnold, thanks very much for your time. We wish you luck.

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