
Editor’s notice: “In Case You Missed It” is a GGP+ function that highlights a narrative from World Golf Publish‘s Monday journal.
Randy Sonnier rummaged by way of his dad’s outdated recordsdata and data, attempting to maintain his feelings in examine. It was 2003, and Sonnier’s dad, Ollie, had simply handed away. In his search, Sonnier had discovered mementos from Ollie’s 30 years as an Air Pressure fighter pilot. He seemed by way of household data, particularly a folder labelled “Randy.” It contained many newspaper clippings and journal articles from the youthful Sonnier’s golf profession.
“After which I see it: a duplicate of the letter he wrote to Arnold Palmer asking him to jot down to me,” stated Sonnier, 77. “My dad by no means stated a phrase about it.”
A retired business airline pilot, Sonnier is a golf teacher who additionally owns an organization that gives scorecards and different printed supplies to golf programs throughout the nation. Inducted final yr into the Texas Golf Corridor of Fame, he’s a two-time Texas State Beginner champion (1986, 1991), a Texas Mid-Beginner champion (1985), was a member of the 1984 United States World Beginner workforce and a part of the victorious 1985 American Walker Cup workforce. He additionally performed in two Masters and three U.S. Opens in his heyday.
It’s not a stretch to say that none of this may have occurred with out Sonnier’s dad and the letter to Palmer.
“I used to be probably the most blessed man on the planet,” Sonnier stated.
Sonnier didn’t begin out eager to change into a golfer. He initially hated the game as a result of his dad would wake him up Saturdays at 4 a.m. to caddie for him on the Lackland Air Pressure Base golf course exterior San Antonio.
“I hated caddying for my dad as a result of I used to be lacking Saturday morning cartoons,” Sonnier stated.
As Sonnier continued to caddie, he began to grasp what membership a participant ought to hit in every situation, which deepened his appreciation for golf. Sonnier says it helped that there have been nice gamers at Lackland, together with the bottom commander who was a scratch golfer. He recollects a whole bunch of cadets weeding the greens and retaining the course in immaculate form. It wasn’t Augusta, however Sonnier says it was the perfect course he’s ever seen.
“With out that surroundings, I wouldn’t ever have been a golfer,” Sonnier stated.
He began to take golf severely, taking part in on his highschool workforce. In his personal phrases, he wasn’t superb, usually capturing within the excessive 70s. Skilled golf appeared out of the query, so he utilized and was admitted to the College of Southwestern Louisiana as an structure main.
However the summer time earlier than he enrolled, Sonnier nonetheless performed in junior tournaments, and his breakthrough got here on the 1965 State Junior in San Antonio. Humorous sufficient, he didn’t journey there for golf.

“I truly went again to see an outdated girlfriend,” Sonnier stated.
One thing clicked, and Sonnier’s recreation began to enhance. He completed prime 5 in San Antonio earlier than profitable junior tournaments in Texas and Louisiana.
“Rapidly I used to be seen as a golfer,” Sonnier stated. “They recruited me to be on the golf workforce, and that by no means had entered my thoughts ever.”
Within the fall of 1965, Sonnier lived together with his grandmother in Lafayette, Louisiana, as a university freshman. Then, the important second. He acquired a letter within the mail from Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Sonnier knew immediately that it should be from Palmer.
“It principally stated: ‘I perceive you’re a very good participant, and you’ve got your entire life to be a golfer. Proper now simply concentrate on college,’” Sonnier recounts.
To Sonnier and his household, this was an enormous deal. He intently adopted Palmer by way of the papers and on TV. He and his siblings who performed golf additionally mimicked the King’s swing.
“Our entire household simply idolized Arnold Palmer,” Sonnier stated. “He was God strolling on earth.”
The novice golfer in his first Masters and one of many biggest to play the sport chatted about quite a lot of issues. When Sonnier requested Palmer how he bought the tackle to ship the letter 20 years prior, Palmer stated he didn’t know.
The one query: how did Palmer get Sonnier’s tackle? On the time, Sonnier believed Johnny Pattern, a spokesperson for Arnold Palmer Enterprises whom he had change into mates with, should’ve handed it alongside.
Quick ahead 20 years to 1985, the yr of Sonnier’s first Masters look. Sonnier was hitting balls on the vary together with his dad watching him. Then, his idol walked up and set down his bag about 10 yards away. Sonnier labored up the braveness and approached Palmer.
“I can’t think about how freaked out my dad needed to be,” Sonnier stated.
The novice golfer in his first Masters and one of many biggest to play the sport chatted about quite a lot of issues. When Sonnier requested Palmer how he bought the tackle to ship the letter 20 years prior, Palmer stated he didn’t know. Each left the dialog believing it should’ve been Pattern who supplied the tackle.
After that second, Sonnier continued to have success in golf as each an novice and an teacher. Nevertheless, discovering his dad’s letter to Palmer was particular. Even at present, Sonnier chokes up when speaking about it.
“That’s who my dad was,” Sonnier stated. “He wasn’t in any respect a cocky, stereotypical fighter pilot. He realized the lesson that may happen years later when I discovered the letter was extra necessary than him taking credit score for something on the time.”
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