De acon " ▁Pal mer ▁( 1 9 0 5 – 1 9 7 6 ) ▁in ▁Lat ro be , ▁Pennsylvania , ▁a ▁working - class ▁steel ▁mill ▁town . ▁He ▁learned ▁golf ▁from ▁his ▁father , ▁who ▁had ▁suffered ▁from ▁pol io ▁at ▁a ▁young ▁age ▁and ▁was ▁head ▁professional ▁and ▁gre ens keeper ▁at ▁Lat ro be ▁Country ▁Club , ▁which ▁allowed ▁young ▁Pal mer ▁to ▁accomp any ▁his ▁father ▁as ▁he ▁maintained ▁the ▁course . ▁ ▁Pal mer ▁attended ▁W ake ▁Forest ▁College ▁on ▁a ▁golf ▁scholar ship . ▁He ▁left ▁upon ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁close ▁friend ▁Bud ▁Wor sh am ▁( 1 9 2 9 – 1 9 5 0 ) ▁and ▁en list ed ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Coast ▁Guard , ▁where ▁he ▁served ▁for ▁three ▁years , ▁ 1 9 5 1 – 1 9 5 4 . ▁At ▁the ▁Coast ▁Guard ▁Training ▁Center ▁in ▁Cape ▁May , ▁New ▁Jersey , ▁he ▁built ▁a ▁nine - hole ▁course ▁and ▁had ▁some ▁time ▁to ▁continue ▁to ▁h one ▁his ▁golf ▁skills . ▁After ▁his ▁en list ment ▁term ▁ended , ▁Pal mer ▁returned ▁to ▁college ▁and ▁compet itive ▁golf . ▁ ▁Pal mer ▁won ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 4 ▁U . S . ▁Am ateur ▁in ▁Detroit ▁and ▁made ▁the ▁decision ▁to ▁turn ▁pro ▁in ▁November ▁of ▁that ▁year . ▁" That ▁victory ▁was ▁the ▁turning ▁point ▁in ▁my ▁life ," ▁he ▁said . ▁" It ▁gave ▁me ▁confidence ▁I ▁could ▁comp ete ▁at