There isn't much in this world Billy Casper hasn't seen or done as a superstar golfer who once struck fear into the likes of Arnold Palmer. A craftsman with a golf club, at one time he was considered the best putter who ever lived.

A few weeks ago, I stood on the No. 18 tee box at Riverside Country Club with Casper and was lucky enough to share thoughts as fathers, husbands and men. Aside from his lofty 51 PGA Tour victories, Casper was candid, open, sensitive and humbled by the bounty of life lived.

Casper, whom Golf Digest lists as the No. 15 best golfer of all time, stood on the 18th tee for photos with fivesomes who came through during Cougar Day. Somehow, I found him alone, just us. I'd played nine holes with Casper at a Provo Open media day a few years ago. This day, I asked him about David.

The legendary Hall of Famer spoke of a world apart from golf, the dynamics of his 11 children whom he loves dearly. He has a son, David, who is in prison after a lifelong battle with drugs. He has other children and their lives form a matrix, the whole gamut, some of it just as emotional if not more. At that moment, 51 tour victories might have been on Mars.

Within just a few minutes, Casper and I discussed issues that brought tears to both our eyes, things in life that are sometimes worse than death. He spoke of a visit with LDS President Thomas S. Monson and his counsel as a father and grandfather.

Then it was time to move on and hit another tee shot.

There was no notebook, no tape recorder, no quotes to make their way into a column or blog. It was private, just us two.

But after those precious few minutes, something that amounted to about the length of time it would take to play half a hole, I was once again struck by the scope that events can take in our regular lives behind the scenes. Stardom and fame don't make one immune from climbing hills — experiencing peaks and valleys.

From 1964 through 1970, Casper won 27 PGA events. That's more than Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player won combined during that span. That's how good Billy played. He won two U.S. Opens and a Masters jacket. His shot-making was artistry.

Once you've had your time in the sun and the spotlight doesn't shine as bright, many star athletes find it tough to manage retirement as the drive subsides and the boost that competition gives disappears in the rearview mirror.

That day, I found this golf superstar charitable, kind, unpretentious, gracious and trusting.

A week later, another Hall of Fame golfer, Johnny Miller, commented on Casper at a press conference to kick off the Champions Challenge at Thanksgiving Point next week.