Golfing legend Palmer left his mark on several Hawaii courses

Many of Hawaii’s army of sports lovers are among those saddened by the death of the great American golfer Arnold Palmer, 87, on Sunday in Pittsburgh. Arnie made many trips to Hawaii to take part in golf events, some broadcast nationally by TV, and design courses. He, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player launched the beautiful Mauna Kea Beach Hotel course in 1964. Their match was filmed for “Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf” in December 1964. The show was broadcast in March 1965 when the hotel and course were opened to the public. I watched Arnie play in the Senior Skins Game at the Mauna Lani, also on Hawaii island, with Nicklaus and golfing legends Lee Trevino, Ray Floyd and Chi Chi Rodriguez in the 1990s. Arnie always seemed to enjoy himself at the Skins Games parties.

I wrote a golf column for the Star-Bulletin at the time and was invited to sit in with Arnie and talk story at Oahu’s Hawaii Prince Golf Club. The course there had been designed by Arnie and Ed Seay. I had a great time talking with one of the greatest golfers of all time. His eyes lit up when I told him I had just played the newly opened Hapuna Golf Course on the Big Island, another he had designed with Seay. Arnie had not played the course yet and wanted to know how I liked the links, which offered incredible ocean views from every hole. That day Arnie was carrying a 7 iron with a huge face, which I figured was a fun club he would probably pull out when he was fooling around on a course with his buddies. I looked at that giant club face and figured that club had to help my game, plus it would be a tremendous treasure from the legend. So I asked Arnie if I could buy it from him. He would not sell …

ACTRESS Katie Lowes, best known for her role as Quinn Perkins in the ABC political drama series “Scandal,” celebrated her birthday with five friends at Sky Waikiki’s VIP Sunset Table Saturday. Kerry Washington stars in the show … C.S. Wo &Sons Chairman Robert Wo will be inducted into the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame on Oct. 23 in High Point, N.C., during the High Point Market. Wo will be one of five inductees. Donny Osmond will headline the event …

SINGER Jeff Apaka, son of singer Alfred Apaka, organized a group of people from the Waikiki Community Center, where he works, to go on a walking tour of Diamond Head Cemetery, where his father is buried. The Aug. 25 tour was led by cemetery historian Nanette Napoleon. Napoleon and Apaka gave a brief biography of Alfred in front of his impressive outdoor memorial. At the end of the talk, Napoleon whipped out her cellphone and played from it Alfred Apaka singing one of his signature songs, “Mapuana.” “It was truly a chicken-skin moment and delightful musical tribute for all,” she said …

Ben Wood, who sold newspapers on Honolulu streets in World War II, writes of people, places and things. Email him at bwood@staradvertiser.com.