Arnold Palmer’s daughter says Trump’s speech was ‘unfortunate way to remember my dad’
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Less than a day after Donald Trump made an odd outburst about the famous golfer Arnold Palmer, the sportsman's eldest daughter swiftly brushed off the former president's crude remarks regarding her father's manhood.
Peggy Palmer shared with The Independent her belief that it was an unfortunate way to honor her father.
During a campaign event on Saturday at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Latrobe, Pennsylvania — where Palmer was born — the ex-president began his speech with a rather vulgar story about the celebrated athlete, taking up the first 12 minutes of his address to share it.
Trump remarked, "This guy was truly masculine. He showered alongside the other professionals, and when they emerged, they were amazed, saying, ‘Wow, that’s incredible.’ I just had to mention it."
On Sunday, Peggy, who is 68, remarked that Trump’s crude humor would have been deemed “improper” in any public place, but it felt especially out of place to recall him like that in front of a big crowd from his hometown. Nonetheless, she mentioned that she isn’t dwelling on it or allowing it to bother her too much.
"My dad was quite humble," Peggy went on. "In this country, we seem to have lost our ability to feel upset about just about anything, and I’m not sure that’s right… There are other aspects of my father that deserve more attention."
After "The King" passed away in September 2016, fellow legend Jack Nicklaus remarked that Palmer elevated the game and raised the overall level of the sport.
He responded to every fan letter that came his way, spending more than $100,000 annually on postage for his replies. He also established the first modern golf course in China. Growing up in a working-class family, he started playing golf at the local course where his father, who had overcome polio in his youth, was employed as a groundskeeper.
Deacon Palmer taught his son a different set of principles than those shown by Trump. In 2018, Peggy Palmer shared with The Sporting News that her father was “appalled” by Trump's conduct during the 2016 presidential campaign, just before he passed away.
"My father couldn't stand those who behaved as if they were superior to others," she explained. "He despised cruelty and rudeness in people. Disrespect towards others was something he simply wouldn’t tolerate. My dad had zero tolerance for individuals who belittled others in public or those who were deceitful and dishonest. He valued discipline and aimed to set a positive example. As he observed Trump's uncivil behavior and what he viewed as a deficiency in character, he felt a deep sense of disappointment."
Barack Obama, who was president at the time, remarked that Palmer was "just as remarkable on the golf course as he was kind to other people." James Dodson, who collaborated with Palmer on his 2000 autobiography, A Golfer's Life, remembered him fondly as someone who embodied all the wonderful aspects of the game of golf.
In comparison, Trump faces 34 felony convictions.
Palmer's daughter took issue with Trump's tendency to mention respectable individuals, suggesting that he does so to associate those positive characteristics with himself.
She wishes that it doesn't succeed. "I'm worried about anyone who can't see beyond that," Peggy Palmer expressed.
She had no intention of verifying Trump's statements regarding her father. "Honestly, I’ve never seen him without clothes. That was never something he... well, I mean, I'm just not sure," she remarked.
Cori Britt, who used to be the vice president of Arnold Palmer Enterprises and met the legendary golfer when she was just 12 years old, shared on Sunday that Palmer felt like a father figure to her. She also mentioned that Trump didn’t present any unique ideas during his speech in Latrobe.
Britt shared with The Independent, "All I can say is that I've heard that tale told previously. Regardless of whether it's true or made up, it's not a fresh narrative. Moreover, it's also not suitable."
