▁the ▁highest ▁level ▁of ▁the ▁game ." ▁When ▁rep or ters ▁there ▁asked ▁Gene ▁L itt ler ▁who ▁the ▁young ▁gol fer ▁was ▁that ▁was ▁crack ing ▁balls ▁on ▁the ▁practice ▁te e , ▁L itt ler ▁said : ▁" That ' s ▁Arnold ▁Pal mer . ▁He ' s ▁going ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁great ▁player ▁some ▁day . ▁When ▁he ▁hits ▁the ▁ball , ▁the ▁earth ▁sh akes ." ▁ ▁After ▁winning ▁that ▁match , ▁Pal mer ▁quit ▁his ▁job ▁s elling ▁paint ▁and ▁played ▁in ▁the ▁Wa ite ▁Memorial ▁tournament ▁in ▁Shaw ne e - on - Del aware , ▁Pennsylvania . ▁There , ▁he ▁met ▁his ▁future ▁wife , ▁Win if red ▁Wal zer , ▁and ▁they ▁remained ▁married ▁for ▁ 4 5 ▁years ▁until ▁her ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁ ▁On ▁November ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 9 5 4 , ▁Pal mer ▁announced ▁his ▁intent ions ▁to ▁turn ▁pro . ▁" What ▁other ▁people ▁find ▁in ▁poetry , ▁I ▁find ▁in ▁the ▁flight ▁of ▁a ▁good ▁drive ," ▁Pal mer ▁said . ▁ ▁Career ▁Pal mer ' s ▁first ▁tour ▁win ▁came ▁during ▁his ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁ro ok ie ▁season , ▁when ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁Canadian ▁Open ▁and ▁earned ▁$ 2 , 4 0 0 ▁for ▁his ▁efforts . ▁He ▁raised ▁his ▁game ▁status ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁several ▁seasons . ▁Pal mer ' s ▁char is ma ▁was ▁a ▁major ▁factor ▁in ▁establish ing ▁golf ▁as ▁a ▁comp elling ▁television