Meanwhile, Palmer's early-on relationship with Nicklaus, his on-course rival, was the talk of golf, with Palmer serving as the reigning champion and Nicklaus his rising challenger. Many fans were far from neutral, but Palmer said his connection with Nicklaus has never been anything other than close.

"We were good friends. You must remember that I was almost 11 years older than Jack. And when he came along to play the tour, I was the guy that was talking to him . . . well, he came to me first and we talked and I helped him, kind of get him acquainted to what was happening on the tour and what he was going to have to do. He signed up with Mark McCormick and it was through me that that happened.

"We were always good friends, from anytime that I can remember. That didn't mean we weren't out to beat other, because we were. We tried like hell to beat each other from the day we started. It never changed."

Nicklaus maintains any personal rivalry with Palmer was contrived by the media.

"Arnold and I have been friends," Nicklaus said in an interview with GolfDigest.com recently. "Sure, we've had our differences. Absolutely. I mean, two guys don't walk around in euphoria all day long. I mean, we were obviously competing, and when you compete, you have issues. But if I ever needed anything, I know Arnold would be there for me."

It was in the 1960 U.S. Open at Cherry Hills Country Club outside Denver, where Nicklaus captured everyone's attention as an amateur, that Palmer impressed even more. He had already become well known for his making a charge out on the golf course, and maybe the most famous of them was at Cherry Hills. Palmer started the final round seven shots behind Mike Souchak and five shots behind Ben Hogan, but drove the green at No. 1 and birdied six of the first seven holes. He won. Nicklaus was second, by two shots.

It turned out to be Palmer's only U.S. Open triumph, although he was second or third four other times. Palmer was either second or third in 11 majors.

These days, Palmer no longer plays much golf, because he isn't happy with the standard of his game, although he enjoys the company of a small circle of friends on the golf course in friendly matches.

Just don't say he's mellowing. Mike Weir is pretty clear that isn't happening after he skipped playing Bay Hill a couple of years and then ran into Palmer.

"He gave me a little stare-down, like 'You'd better start showing up,' '' Weir said. "The fire was still there. I got a kick out of that."

Palmer said he is indeed no pushover. "I don't know that I'll ever be mellow. When I do things, I still compete. And I hope that I compete until I can't get out of this chair."

So Palmer is getting closer to beginning his ninth decade. Growing older is part of the game, another part of life, he says, just as death is part of the game as well. He knows he's getting older.

"I'm afraid I do."

Palmer's personal losses bother him deeply. He's not afraid of dying, he said, and death has accompanied him for so long already that adapting to loss is something to which he has grown accustomed.

"It's not easy. You go back to my father, my mother. And of course, Winnie. We raised a family; we were married for 45 years. You just can't walk away and forget things like that. A lot of my friends. (Longtime design partner) Ed Seay is gone.

Palmer said his first encounter with a painful loss was when his Wake Forest roommate, Bud Worsham, was killed in an automobile accident. Worsham was the brother of 1947 U.S. Open champion Lou Worsham and the one who had helped convince Palmer to come to the university.

Palmer said it was Homecoming at Wake Forest when Worsham, along with Gene Scheer, died when their car ran off a road and overturned.

"I was supposed to be with him, but I got tired and went to bed. Things like that, you don't ever forget. I'll always remember. He was a brother."

And Palmer's voice broke.

He is as famous for carrying his emotions on his sleeve as he was for rolling up those same sleeves to show off his biceps.

Player said it is entirely in Palmer's character for his friend to reveal his emotional side.

"Don't be too proud to laugh in life; don't be too proud to cry in life," Player said.

If things go right, Palmer will have a lot more to laugh about, more Bay Hill tournaments to watch over, more grandchildren to add to his seven, more travel plans with his wife, Kit, who he married in 2005, and more time to remember how many lives he's touched simply by being himself.

But on this morning, on the back of the golf cart, Palmer isn't thinking about that. He's remembering the words his father said to him long ago about what's really important.

"I will never forget, they are embedded in my mind and have been for all my life. He stressed without any question, just treat people like you'd like to be treated.

"I suppose I'd like to be remembered as someone that made his contributions to the game and to people and helped them maybe understand what it's like to be a good guy."

At that moment, someone shoved a program in front of Palmer. He signed it. He smiled.

"Hello, what's your name?"

The King and his court are still in session.

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