Father/Son Challenge gives rare opportunity for look at legends

CHAMPIONSGATE, Fla. -- They stood on the practice putting green, admittedly somewhat more slouched and stooped these days, enjoying a brilliant Saturday morning.

Jack Nicklaus watches -- and probably has some words for -- longtime rival Arnold Palmer putt. (AP)

Rivals for decades, first as golfers and later as businessmen and course architects, they carried the sport on their capable backs for what felt like a half-century, trading shots and major championships so frequently, they sometimes seemed to be flipping coins to determine the winner.

So being in such close proximity was no surprise, really. Arnold Palmer, putter in hand, was raking balls toward the hole as Jack Nicklaus, the man with whom he battled for decades, offered him a few observations. Back in their prime, this would be like Gorbachev saying to Reagan, "Hey, the aim is off on your ICBM, pal. You'll never hit the White House lawn like that."

At the Del Webb Father/Son Challenge, the détente-turned-friendship between the King and the Bear has become one of the best storylines in the game, an annual pairing of two charismatic players who dragged the game into the television era and beyond. Nowadays, they drag each other around the ChampionsGate Golf Resort.

Neither plays formal tour golf anymore, so their every public appearance should be greeted with both open arms and wallets. Nicklaus has been in competitive hibernation for a couple of years and Palmer stopped playing in Champions Tour events in mid-2006. Thus, the only chance to watch the two most important, impactful players of the 20th Century, who won a combined 25 major championships, is at the Senior Skins Game or the Father/Son.

That fact was hardly lost on Jack's son Gary, a former PGA Tour pro who was probably watching and listening as much as he was playing. He has played with Palmer only a couple of times over the years and had a solid grasp on his good fortunes Saturday.

"You're playing with two legends," Gary said. "Arnold has been loved by fans for years and will be for many years to come."

Pairing them together and watching them trade barbs for five hours is doubly delicious. Fans should savor it, because it won't last forever. For some of us, it's hard to believe we get paid for drawing such enjoyable duty.

"Once in a lifetime," said Richard Adair, an Osceola County sheriff's deputy and avid golfer who was assigned to follow the group.

Adair, like the 250 or so fans who shadowed the Nicklaus-Palmer foursome, grew up watching the pair change the sport's landscape. The pity is that, for whatever reason, the event has never drawn much of a crowd since it moved to Orlando five years ago. In fact, the Golf Channel's Rich Lerner on Saturday called the event "the most underappreciated spectator experience in golf."

Fans not only get close enough to watch the greatest stars ever to slip into a Velcro glove, but hear them trade snarky asides. When you've logged as many miles in cleats as Palmer and Nicklaus, their interaction these days is frequently sharper than the golf itself -- and arguably more entertaining.

These two are like listening to an old married couple giving each other golfing guff. Wily tournament officials began pairing the two icons in the first round four years ago, mindful that it provided an increasingly rare opportunity to watch the lions in winter. For fans, the aura and energy supplied by the pair is more important than the so-so scores they have mostly posted.

While playing in regular events presents problems, the Father/Son provides some protection. Played in a scramble format, the 78-year-old Palmer was accompanied by long-hitting grandson Sam Saunders, 20, a talented starter at Clemson. Nicklaus, 67, teamed with Gary, 38, who recently had his amateur status reinstated. In the format, each player hits a tee shot, the best ball is selected and the team continues from there.