Arnold in the Booth

Arnold Palmer spent some time in the booth during The Golf Channel's early round coverage of Bay Hill. It's always nice to hear the King. The man speaks his mind, yet never crosses the line of proper decorum. If a question nudges him in a direction he doesn't want to go (such as questions about Indefinite Leave), he politely declines to respond and moves on. Even at eighty years of age he remains the finest ambassador for the game since Bob Jones.

During his short time on air, Palmer made several interesting points. On the renovation of Bay Hill, I of course waited for him to speak to the need to rein in the golf ball. That did not happen. But he did make a good point when speaking to the lengthening of the par four fifteenth. He remarked that the modern pros complain when they are forced to play long iron shots into par fours. Back in Palmer's day that was a common occurrence. Check out a rerun of All-Star Golf. A generation ago pros played long irons and woods into par fours on a regular basis. It was a recognized part of the game. Nicklaus, for instance, separated himself from his competitors, in part, by his ability to hit high, soft long irons. That's a skill that has been lost in the pro game. Long irons/hybrids are played from tees or into par fives--places where there is a larger margin for error. Make them hit greens with three and four irons and today's pros get a little twitchy.

Another interesting point arose when Palmer was talking about coaching his grandson, Sam Saunders. He spoke to a few technical issues, but then brought up an issue that applies to everyone who plays the game. He said he asked Sam about what kind of player he wanted to be. The point goes to the matter of identity. How does a golfer see himself? As an aggressive, gambling Palmer type? Or a calculating, controlled player like Hogan or Nicklaus? On the surface, it seems a simple concept. But on the course, situations arise when a player must make a do-or-die decision. Making a decision that conforms to the player's own paradigm of play simplifies the situation. There are myriad ways to play the game of golf. Putting some thought into own's personal style simplifies the game and gives every player a better chance of enjoying their time on the course.