My Love Affair With Bay Hill, The Arnold Palmer Invitational, and the King Himself…

This week, the city of Orlando, the greater Central Florida area, and nostalgic golf fans worldwide celebrate the remarkable man at the core of one of the PGA TOUR’s signature events, Mr. Arnold Daniel Palmer.

Reflecting on my own experiences at Bay Hill and the Arnold Palmer Invitational, I am reminded of the wonderful memories I have made there.

The Bay Hill Club and Lodge

I have had the privilege of playing Bay Hill Club and Lodge a dozen times with many of my students, friends, and golf coaches who work for me at my academy. If you add in the many rounds that were unfortunately cut short due to Florida’s summer afternoon storms, I have played at least two to three more rounds on top of those dozen complete rounds.

Regardless of what was thrown at me, be it storms, heat, a strained back, or even poor play, I have always enjoyed my time on the course at Bay Hill.

The golf shop has also been a favorite go-to spot of mine when visiting Arnie’s place…ask my wife about that, as she will claim that I have more Arnie and Bay Hill hats than any one man needs.

From gentlemen having to remove their hats when inside the clubhouse to the storied locker room and on to indulging in delicious meals, the Bay Hill Hill Club and Lodge is a very special place indeed.

You are in for a treat once you get out on the course. Before his passing, you would always have a good shot of seeing Mr. Palmer when he was in town and staying out of the cold of Latrobe, PA. Even after his passing, his spirit looms large. He has a permanent spot on the range, and the now infamous 13-foot statue, a replica of the one at his alma mater at Wake Forest, sits directly behind Bay Hill’s first tee. His swashbuckling finish to that memorable swing has lived on in full display at Bay Hill since 2017.

The course itself is magical and filled with memorable moments from APIs gone by. Almost every hole has an instance that you can recall from past tournaments, and you can even try to emulate those for yourself…all except maybe for that drive Bryson hit on the Par 5 sixth.

As you come up the finishing hole, you can feel Mr. Palmer there. Perhaps you’ll think of his final competitive round, where he hit a driver off the deck and up onto the green in two. I know his grandson, Sam, who was on the bag that day, remembers it well. Maybe you catch his spirit greenside as you walk off the 18th, in that spot where he always was, waiting to shake hands, hug, and laugh with the event winner.

Perhaps the infamous 18th brings back memories of Robert Gamez’s hole-out eagle to win or Tiger’s many final-hole heroics on the green. I can’t lie; I, too, threw my hat on the 18th green, but, unlike TW, my made putt was for a hard-fought double after my ball took a dip in the pond in front.

Oh, Bay Hill is a special place indeed.

The welcoming atmosphere at Bay Hill makes it feel like home and reminds me of the courses I grew up playing in Central New York. It is laid-back, comfortable, stern yet fair, and just about as close to heaven as any fan of the game could ask for.

The Arnold Palmer Invitational

I have shared the magic of the API with my family, including my golf-enthusiast father, my wife, and even my children. I even walked inside the ropes one year on a Pro-Am day, serving as a North Florida PGA Section chaperone. The pro in my group that day was Graeme McDowell. I learned a lot from him and his caddie as we strolled the course. In fact, many of the nuggets I give my students, to this day, on how to play in competition come from what Graeme shared with me.

My Most Cherished Bay Hill and Arnie Memories

When I won the 2017 PGA National Youth Player Development Award, the PGA produced a video telling my story, and most of that piece was shot at Bay Hill. The backdrop that day was my Little Linksters youth golf organization hosting one of our Tour Events for 75 kids, right there, on Arnie’s hollowed grounds.

In 2010, I attended the North Florida PGA Section Annual Meeting and Hall of Fame Inductions. Mr. Palmer himself was to be inducted that evening. What transpired that day and into the evening were among some of the most influential moments of my career.

Arriving at Bay Hill that morning, and right after I parked in the lot, I was in awe when I saw Mr. Palmer walking his dog right in front of my car. He waited until I got out and greeted me. As we spoke for a few minutes, I felt like I was having an out-of-body experience.

Later that evening, during cocktail hour and right before the Hall of Fame dinner, I again bumped into Mr. Palmer. My wife was with me this time, and she, too, got to meet him. I was in awe that he remembered me from earlier in the day as he asked how I enjoyed my day at Bay Hill.

I had the privilege of chatting with Mr. Palmer a few more times over the years before he passed away. He was down-to-earth, warm, and attentive to everyone he ever met. He is famous for that, and I was honored to have met one of my childhood heroes on the occasions I did.

After that first visit to Bay Hill, I wrote a letter to Mr. Palmer thanking him for his hospitality and congratulating him on his induction. It should have not been a surprise, but when I received a letter from Mr. Palmer a few days later, I was inspired like no other moment in my career to that point.

I still keep that letter in my office to this day.

Golf has been a true blessing in my life, and this week, as the golf world celebrates Mr. Palmer through the Arnold Palmer Invitational, I, too, remember the King and the brief moments I spent with him.

That first moment, however, in 2010, was responsible for reigniting my passion for the game and was the catalist to my future successes in the business.

Thank you, Mr. Palmer, for everything you meant to this game. Your memory will forever live on.

Check out more from me here on Almost Average Golf by Clicking Here. 

To learn more about me, check out my website at https://brendonelliott.com/