On Thursday, April 10, Wake Forest students across campus gathered on Manchester Plaza to celebrate the life and legacy of Arnold Palmer during the annual Arnold Palmer Day. Students, faculty and staff enjoyed cake, t-shirts on sale and ice-cold AriZona Arnold Palmers.
This year marked the 14th annual Arnold Palmer Day, which began in 2011 to honor the distinguished alumni. Organized by the Traditions Council, the event is hosted each year on the first day of one of the most prestigious golf tournaments, The Masters. The council aims to foster old traditions and create new ones through informing students about the university’s past and future as a way to connect with generations of Demon Deacons who came before.
“I love being able to celebrate such a legend in golf and hand out tallboys to students on their way to classes,” Traditions Council member and senior Ashleigh Hampson said. “It’s a great reminder of the amazing alumni that once walked our campus.”
Known as “The King,” Arnold Palmer was one of the greatest players in the history of men’s professional golf. He attended Wake Forest College from 1947 to 1951, winning the NCAA’s individual championship in the spring of 1949.
He participated in The Masters 50 consecutive times from 1955 to 2004, totalling 19 Top-25 finishes and taking home the championship trophy four times, adding to his total of seven major championship titles.
“Being able to celebrate such an incredible person and notable alum is one of my favorite parts about being on the Traditions Council,” Co-Chair Charlie Kost said. “He was a Wake Forest legend.”
Palmer brought the school motto Pro Humanitate, everywhere he went, embodying the qualities of a Demon Deacon and living with character and honor in every phase of life. He was named the Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year in 1960 and won the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004, exhibiting his profound impact on and off the golf course.
“Palmer was not only an incredible golf player, but he truly embodied what it means to be a Demon Deacon, both in his fondness for his time here and in how he carried his Wake Forest experience out into the world,” Kost said.
Palmer had a significant impact on Wake Forest as well, serving as a University trustee for 14 years and becoming a life trustee after his term concluded. He received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1962 and established the first golf scholarship in honor of his friend Buddy Worsham. Other than the iconic Demon Deacon statue, the Arnold Palmer statue is the only other one standing on campus, unveiled in 2013 to remember and celebrate Palmer’s long-standing commitment to his alma mater.
“It is very evident what Palmer meant to the Wake Forest community, and his legacy is still felt on campus,” senior Grace Vanoort said.
For many seniors, this day has been a hallmark event every spring to commemorate the final weeks of the school year and Palmer’s continued support throughout his years. Palmer passed on September 25, 2016, and since then, Wake Forest students and faculty have strived to honor and pay tribute to the legend through events like these.
“Attending my last Arnold Palmer Day was sentimental, but I can’t wait to see all they do with the event in the coming years, celebrating such an amazing person and alumni of our school,” Vanoort said.
