Holding the Green
Story: Joseph Bell, Rob Biertempfel | Photography: Liz Palmer
(and Gold)
Every golfer seems to have the same set of ambitions: hit long, accurate drives that find the fairway; strike spot-on iron shots that safely land on the putting surface; and have the ability to roll in putts from all over the green. For the select few who can put together those lofty aspirations, memorable rounds of golf will surely follow.
Saint Vincent College’s partnership with Latrobe Country Club—now owned by the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation, and home course of the golf icon—gives the Bearcats a storied venue on which to compete, train, and chase those unforgettable rounds. As they continue to show greater consistency and competitiveness, the golfers’ commitment has deepened and their desire to improve has grown stronger. Playing on the picturesque yet challenging course has paid off in dividends for the athletes who feel both pride and pressure in carrying on Arnold Palmer’s, D’96, rich legacy. “It’s demanding,” Saint Vincent head golf coach Samm Firestone, C’17, G’19, said of the country club, “but that’s what makes it beautiful.”
It’s also fitting because, like the Palmers, the foundation is committed to youth character development and improving the future for the next generation. “To see the golfers from Saint Vincent working on their games but also appreciating the history of our club and what it stands for—the high standards of conduct expected by my dad both on and off the course—would have pleased him greatly,” said Amy Palmer Saunders, daughter of Arnold and Winner Palmer.
The storied golf layout occupies a big piece of Owen Miele’s heart. The course is a second home for the senior Bearcat standout, a computer science major whose first round at the Country Club came eight years ago as a member of Greater Latrobe Senior High School’s golf team. “For myself personally, every time I drive up the entrance, through holes one and eighteen, I’m struck with this powerful sense of pride,” he said. “My first round in 2018 as a high school freshman all the way to what I’m sure is nearly my 100th as a college senior, that feeling never leaves.”
Walking on the very same grounds, and oftentimes quite literally the exact same spot, as the beloved Latrobe native known to the golfing world as “The King” is not lost on the SVC athletes. While the course’s natural beauty can sometimes lead the mind astray, junior Matthew Edwards, a sports management major, said he sometimes takes a proverbial step back to remind himself that it’s a blessing and honor to play on the same ground where Palmer honed his skills.
The Palmer name looms large and proud at the country club, especially on the challenging par-4 18th hole. Before teeing off, Matthew typically takes a few more seconds than normal as he admires the clubhouse situated atop the hill before striping his tee shot down the narrow, pine tree-lined fairway. Halfway up the fairway on the left side, golfers are greeted by a statue of Palmer’s father, “Deacon,” who was once greenskeeper and head professional at the country club.
“What other people may find in poetry, I find in the flight of a good drive.”
-Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer and Amy Saunders at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando.
Reminders of Palmer’s impact are sprinkled throughout the Latrobe area. He enjoyed a close relationship with Saint Vincent College, and with the late Rt. Rev. Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B., P’63, C’68, S’72, D’95, former archabbot, with whom he shared a friendship of over 50 years. Palmer was the main speaker for the May 1996 commencement celebrating the 150th graduating class of SVC and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. He was among the first members of the advisory board for the College’s Threshold Lecture Series. He; his first wife, Winnie; and daughter, Saunders, all served on the Saint Vincent College Board of Directors. Winnie was instrumental in protecting the integrity of land surrounding SVC from commercial development.
Following her death, the golfing legend created the 50-acre Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve located adjacent to campus. “She loved being outdoors and sharing nature with family and friends,” Saunders said of her late mother, “and so, our family is happy to have the Bearcats at Latrobe Country Club.”
All golfers—from Palmer to weekend hackers—understand the game is a mixed bag of feelings. It can be frustrating, disappointing, fulfilling, and exciting, all in the span of a few minutes. Palmer was a sharp intellect who was oftentimes looked to for advice from peers and amateur golfers alike. Amongst his more thought-provoking remarks, Palmer once said, “What other people may find in poetry, I find in the flight of a good drive.” The quote reverberates with SVC’s golfers, particularly Owen. In the flight of his own good drive, Owen is reminded of all the hard work he has put in at Latrobe Country Club—work that has helped shape his demeanor.
“Life will never go exactly as planned,” Owen said. “It’s important that we be thankful for the good and have a positive outlook on the bad. When I see that perfect flight, I think back on how much time I put into preparing for that singular one-second swing and appreciate that God blessed me with the opportunity to play such a beautiful game.”