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MY MENTORS
Needless to say, the most important mentors in my life were my Mother and Father. There were none better.
MY GOLFING MENTORS
Without this man, I wold not have been in the golf business. He did an outstanding selling job in convincing my Mother and Father that the golf business could not survive without me. They had hoped that I would try to make an honest living.
His name was Lou Galby. He was a Cello player and played in a symphony orchestra. He was "moonlighting" playing in a little combo playing dinner music at a place in Nassau, when he won the Nassau Amateur championship. The pro at the club was Jock Hutchison. Hutchison had won the National PGA, the British Open, and runner up in the National Open. He too a liking to Galby and took him as his assistant, and as Galby later said, "I put the fiddle down and never picked it up again."
He was about as flamboyant as a person can get. When he walked into a place, everyone knew he was there, and when he left, everyone knew he had been there. He was known by everyone and extremely popular. He wore expensive Taylor made clothes, drove a 16 cylinder Cadillac, ate at the best places, was a big tipper, carried a roll of bills in his pocket that could choke a horse, and owed everybody. He, like Walter Hagen, "Didn't want to be a millionaire, but just wanted to live like one." I worked for him from the age of 12 until I was voted into the PGA when I was 22. He hired a replacement for me when I went into the service, with the understanding that I was to get my job back after I received my discharge, which I did in 1946.
Back in the early days, when I worked for him, we were at a little summer resort club in Connecticut, the season only lasted about 4 months. One year we were catching it with bad weather, and he decided that he would have a pro tournament. He named it the Shore Line Open. It outdrew the Connecticut Open, and became a regularly scheduled tournament until he retired/ Winners were, Harry Cooper, Toney, Manero, Vic Ghezzi, Porky Oliver, Gene Sarazen, and Tommy Armour. For the first seven y ears that tournament was held, it rained.
After I graduated from high school I had to pay five dollars a week board, as long as I was staying at home. I use to hitch hike 4 miles to the club in the morning, and hitch-hike back after the club closed. I usually didn't get home until after nine. My Mother used to have to hear up my food for me when I got home.
By this time I had never received any pay. I got a percentage of the caddy fees, club repair work, and tips. There were times when I had trouble getting up the five bucks. One day I complained to him, and told him of the problem I was having making my five bucks. He said I will give you five dollars a week. This was great, but every week, there would be a time when nobody was around and he would say, "Lets play the 4 hole loop." I would carry his bag and use his clubs, and he would win the five dollars back. This went on for a while, and I complained to him that I still wasn't making any money. He said. " I will raise you to ten." Damned if he wouldn't win the ten back. When I complained again, he said, "Son, You have to pay for education."
When I returned after the war, he had moved as Pro-Mgr. of a large club. I lived in the clubhouse, got my meals, had a salary, and all of my lessons. I did well that summer, but I had lost 4 years in the military, and I wanted to have my own club, but as long as I stayed with him, I would be an assistant forever. That Fall I told him that I had to strike out on my own. I was going to go to Florida for the winter months, and had a place to stay and teach, and then keep looking for something else. Tommy Armour was his best friend, and was there that day. He said Tommy will get you a job At Boca Raton for the winter, and then you come back here with me next summer. Tommy said he would, but as tempting as that was, I still was going to be and assistant, and I turned it down.
Spalding told me there was an opening at the Hermitage C.c. in Richmond, Va. It was a big club, and was to be host to the National PGA in 1949, and was known as a jumping off place for young assistants. Spalding set up the appointment, and I had to go through a four day interview to get that job. I had to play, teach, work in the shop , eat with the members, etc. When I left that interview, I didn't know if it was worth it. A few days later the call came, "Laddy, "The job is yours."
I loved Lou Galby like a father. I was part of his family, I could run the place by myself, I knew his every mood, and knew all of his faults, and could cover up for him. He was a complete opposite of my parents, and I am glad to say that their influence governed my life. I had to filter out a lot of his influence. He finally died after a series of strokes, and his wife died a number of years later. His daughter, who I helped raise from the age of five, died a couple of years ago from breast cancer. I kept in touch with them constantly until their deaths. Lou Galby was a work of art, and I owe him my life in the golf business.
Early in my golfing career, I was surrounded by Italian pros. Galby, Sarazen, Manero, the five Ciuci brothers. The 5 Turnesa brothers, and many others. My move to Richmond moved me into the world of the old Scotch pros, Gallowey, Cruikshank, and Brodie. That is another story.