Tom Johnson -- NOTEBOOK

As the editorial staff met this past week and discussed our planned

coverage for the Toshiba Senior Classic, I made sure I was on hand.

As publisher, I thought maybe I could cherry-pick a great assignment.

Who wants to write on some of the volunteers? We need someone to write

about where the proceeds are going. Maybe some close-ups of people

involved in the operation of the tournament. Blah, blah, blah.

Then it came ... we need someone to walk with Arnold Palmer for 18 holes.

Bingo! And so it was.

I first spotted Arnie on the near side of the driving range hitting

balls. The crowd surrounding him was bigger than that on the first tee

sending off the other players.

People of all ages waited with golf balls, pictures, golf caps and boxes

of Wheaties adorned with “the King’s” likeness -- waiting and praying for

that elusive autograph.

Shortly before his scheduled 9:40 a.m. tee time, he headed under the

ropes and back up the first fairway.

And from the crowd came the calls -- “Go get ‘em Arnie.”

“We love you, Arnie.”

“Hey Arnie, it’s great to have you in Newport Beach.”

Former Newport Beach Mayor Tom Edwards had the honor of announcing the

players to the first tee.

The crowd swelled.

“Ladies and gentlemen, playing out of Bay Hill, Florida, Arnold Palmer.”

The crowd cheered loudly.

Palmer didn’t disappoint. His drive split the first fairway. A wedge and

a couple putts later, and he was on his way.

You knew, however, that this round of golf was different.

And it had nothing to do with his playing partners, Lanny Wadkins and

Larry Nelson.

No, this was about Arnold Palmer.

On the second hole, cheers came from several floors up the Marriott Hotel

tower as Palmer passed.

“There he is, Mom!” a youngster yelled to his mother.

On No. 3, you could see people looking over the fences or through an

opening in the ivy. Business people -- blue- and white-collar, young and

old.

On No. 5, parents lifted young children to their shoulders and whispered

“There he is.”

On the seventh hole, as Arnie blasted from a greenside trap, one lady

yelled “In the cup” almost simultaneously to his club hitting the sand.

The ball nestled up to some 15 inches from the hole.

On his way from the seventh green to the eighth tee, the crowd engulfed

Palmer.

“Played with you at the Vintage,” one man yelled.

“I remember,” Palmer answered and smiled.

“Do you remember me?” a women asked. “I bought a new car at your

dealership back East and drove it all the way home here to the West

Coast.”

“Surrrre,” Palmer responded and winked.

Everybody knew him or wanted to.

As he approached the ninth hole, the crowd cheered.

On No. 10, Palmer tapped in for double-bogey and the crowd still cheered.

On No. 17, three gardeners took a break from their daily chores and came

to the fence for a glimpse.

One lady held up a sign that said “We love you Arnie.”

Palmer played 17 like many of us before. His tee shot found the water

short of the green. His next shot went left of the green.

This was a day that wasn’t about great golf. Sure, Palmer still hits the

golf ball better than most. And his playing partner Larry Nelson fired an

impressive 67. Palmer himself even knocked in a four-footer on 18 for

birdie.

No, today was about seeing a legend.

During a Thursday outing, I played with Senior Tour professional Bob

Charles. He told me about the three times he had played with Ben Hogan.

He told me about his greatness.

Hogan is gone now, but it made me think about Arnold Palmer.

Hopefully, Arnie will be back for years to come.

But why wait. The man who made golf what it is today is in Newport Beach

for two more days. Get the kids, get the walking shoes and give yourself

a treat.

* TOM JOHNSON is publisher of the Daily Pilot.