The following is a true story from Stick and Hack member #284, Tim Gerking:
I was lucky enough to get in on the ground floor with Softspikes in late 1994. While working the PGA show every year I got to meet and talk golf with many of my favorite and not so favorite touring professionals.
One year, it was 1997 or 1998, I was manning the Softspikes booth with a gentleman named Don Albert. Don was a member of Sciota CC where Jack Nicklaus grew up playing and was very well connected in the golf industry. Softspikes had a prime booth location on a corner so it was large and open on 3 sides, so you had to keep your head on a swivel to meet and greet visitors.
It was around lunchtime so it was slow, Don and I are talking when I felt a pain in my shoulder. I looked and saw a large hand gripping my shoulder, it felt like a vice clamped on. It was painful.
Then I heard his voice!!
“Don Albert you old fart, what are you doing here”. The vice grip loosened, I turned around and it was the King! I was awestruck. Don wasn’t because he and Arnold were old friends. Don introduced me and the three of us stood there talking golf for about a half-hour.
I have a lifetime memory of talking golf and spending some time with Mr. Arnold Palmer. The stories of Arnold Palmer’s grip are true.
I was never so glad to have my shoulder be in pain.
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