Orlando, United States: Golf is today mourning the loss of Arnold Palmer, one of its best-known and most-loved characters.
Widely described as ‘golf’s greatest ambassador’ and known as the ‘King of Golf’, Palmer passed away at the age of 87.
“Thanks Arnold for your friendship, counsel and a lot of laughs,” said Tiger Woods via Twitter on Sunday. “Your philanthropy and humility are part of your legend. It’s hard to imagine golf without you or anyone more important to the game than the King.”
Palmer turned pro in 1955, winning a tournament in his first year on the Tour. He went on to claim seven Majors – six of them in the five-year period between 1960 and 1964. Four of his Major triumphs came in The Masters as Augusta National.
Cheered on by ‘Arnie’s Army’, Palmer enjoyed a distinguished playing career spanning four decades before becoming a hugely successful businessman.
Palmer became one of golf’s leading golf course designers. Especially he left his imprint on China as the designer of the first course at Chung Shan Hot Spring Golf Club. Opened in 1984, it was the first modern-day course in China.
Among his other work in Asia, Palmer sculpted one of the courses at The Orchard Golf & Country Club in the Philippines, a Golf Course Facility Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.
In his book Memories, Stories and Memorabilia, Palmer devoted an entire chapter to Bringing Golf to China. He wrote: “In more than 30 years as a professional golf course architect I’ve had the pleasure of creating what I hope are some timeless, challenging and enjoyable golf courses, but none has been more unique than the one my partner, Ed Seay, and I designed and built at Chung Shan.
“What I didn’t know when we took on this design project was that no golf course had been built on the Chinese mainland since World War 1.”
On a pre-opening visit to the site, Palmer was astonished to see thousands of workers – China’s very own of Arnie’s Army – effectively building the course by hand because there was no heavy machinery.
He also related an anecdote related to the construction that illustrated how new golf was to China at that time. “It turned out that the Chinese crew had assembled the irrigation system perfectly. The pipes and heads were all in place, except they were above rather than below ground,” he said.

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said: “It is with great sadness that we have awoken to hear the news of Arnold Palmer’s passing. He was a true gentleman, one of the greatest ever to play the game and a truly iconic figure in sport.

“His contribution to The Open Championship was, and remains, immeasurable. He will be missed and forever remembered by all at The R&A and throughout the world of golf as a charismatic and global champion of our game.”

A statement from the United States Golf Association said: “We are deeply saddened by the death of Arnold Palmer.
“Arnold Palmer will always be a champion, in every sense of the word. He inspired generations to love golf by sharing his competitive spirit, displaying sportsmanship, caring for golfers and golf fans, and serving as a lifelong ambassador for the sport.
“Our stories of him not only fill the pages of golf’s history books and the walls of the museum, but also our own personal golf memories. The game is indeed better because of him, and in so many ways, will never be the same.”