Making your guests at a dinner party feel comfortable is an important goal. While I don’t know if Arnold Palmer, the great golfer, was a Supper Clubber, I do know that we all can take a lesson from his playbook in how to make guests feel welcome and special. Arnold Palmer passed away three years ago and it is truly amazing how many people have Arnold Palmer stories where he had a positive impact making his fans feel special.
In 2002 I went with a group of buddies on a golf trip to Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Florida. We had played 9 holes on the golf course and there on the range (near the hot dog stand) was Mr. Palmer, practicing for one of his last Masters tournament. My friends headed right over to meet him, even as I protested that we should not disturb him while practicing.
Arnie was as gracious as can be and quickly asked what the guys thought of the course. One guy responded that the course was great, but the greens were a little rough. Arnold explained that they were just transitioning from the winter over-seed to the summer Bermuda grass. To which my friend responded: “At Germantown Country Club in Germantown Tennessee we have Champion Bermuda grass on our greens and we have a great year round putting surface”. I was mortified, my friend was telling the great Arnold Palmer, that had forgotten more about grass than my friend would ever know, what kind of grass to put on his greens.
The amazing part of the story was Mr. Palmer’s response. Instead of telling my friend to pound sand, he said: “Really? I will have to look into that.” To this day, my friend thinks Arnold Palmer learned something from him. He made the guy feel special.
So often in social situations, we focus on ourselves. I have a tendency to half listen to people, thinking about what I am going to say versus listening and thinking of others. Arnold Palmer has a legacy of making people feel special, something that every supper club host/hostess can aspire to.
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