‘Icon’ Palmer key to PGA growth: Cloverdale’s Collins fondly recalls encounters with golfing legend

The death of golfing legend Arnold Palmer last month at age 87 did not necessarily come as a shock to the sport and its followers, due to his age and declining health, but presented a final chance to honor Palmer for his contributions to the sport.

Palmer won 62 times on the PGA Tour, his last victory coming in the 1973 Bob Hope Desert Classic. He won the Masters four times, along with two titles at the British Open and one at the U.S. Open.

Palmer finished runner-up three times in the PGA Championship, the only major that eluded him, and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.

Cloverdale’s Chad Collins, who will start his eighth year on the PGA tour later this week, is one of many current and former professional golfers who have benefited from Palmer’s contributions.

“If it wasn’t for him, the PGA tour wouldn’t be as big as it is now,” Collins said last week. “It wouldn’t have the crowds that it does or have the money that we’re playing for. He just was a good, all-around guy.”

Collins admits that Ben Hogan, another legend, was his favorite golfer from that era.

“Arnie was unique because of his swing and his work ethic,” Collins said by telephone from Dallas, where he was enjoying a final week off before the grind of the tour resumes. “Arnie’s swing was unique and different, and he did it his way.”

While Palmer’s tourney track record is obviously impressive, he is not often mentioned as the best golfer in history. Hogan, Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods more frequently come up in such subjective debates.

Collins thinks that how Palmer parlayed his successes into even bigger off-the-course financial triumphs also makes him special.

“He was into a lot of other things,” Collins noted. “He was flying his own plane, had all these sponsors and he made a lot of commercials. He made the game bigger into more of a business, and he was the icon for getting the game where it is now.”

Alastair Johnson, CEO of Arnold Palmer Enterprises, said last month that Palmer died of complications from heart problems. Palmer was admitted to the hospital prior to his death for some cardiovascular work and weakened over the next few days.

Collins first met Palmer about five years ago in California.

A friend of Collins’ was a memorabilia collector and knew Palmer well. He arranged a meeting at the Bob Hope Classic in Palm Springs.

“Arnie had a home there in Palm Springs, and he also had a restaurant,” Collins recalls, noting specific details as if the encounter happened last week. “We went to the restaurant, and it so happens he was there that night. My buddy asked me if I wanted to meet him, and I said ‘sure’.”

Palmer then walked into the bathroom, and upon exiting Collins’ friend began to set up the meeting.

“He chit-chatted with Arnie a little bit, then he waved me over and introduced me to him,” Collins recalled. “He asked me where I was from and how I was playing, and he asked me if I was going to play in his tournament [Bay Hill]. I said I hoped so, and he said he’d try to get me in it.”

Collins said that the gentle, kind demeanor that Palmer demonstrated in public was typical of how he acted in such a private setting.

“He was just a super nice guy to me and to everyone else around,” Collins said. “He just was a genuine nice guy who never had anything bad to say about anybody. Everybody was really respectful of him.”

Collins noted that Palmer was particular about rules of etiquette and manners.

“You had to take your hat off at Bay Hill [Palmer’s course] when you went into the locker room or the dining room. He was the epitome of the golf professional.”

Collins admits the initial meeting, and those which came afterwards, was “a big deal” to him.

“He was playing before I was even born,” he said. “I don’t know that he was ever really an idol to me, but he was obviously somebody that we all kind of looked up to for what he did for the game.”

This year, Palmer sat in a chair for the first time at The Masters while fellow legends Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus hit the ceremonial opening tee shots.

Collins saw Palmer on occasion over the past few years, and could see the effects of aging.

“The last few times I saw him, he wasn’t doing very well,” he said. “His knees and his legs were not quite as stable.

“There are stairs that go up to his office at Bay Hill, and he fell down a few times there. He wasn’t getting around as well and was slowly going downhill.”

Palmer’s passing was still sad, Collins said, despite its impending approach.

“You knew it was just a matter of time, just like anybody,” Collins said. “It’s part of life but it’s still sad when you lose someone who was that big of an icon for your sport.

“We all respect and appreciate what he did, and we valued his values.”

COMING WEDNESDAY: Chad Collins talks about his PGA career, the golfing life and his future goals.