A self-taught golfer, Phil Galvano became the ultimate golf pro for the stars. Young Phil Galvano, born in 1915 to Sicilian immigrants, grew up in New York City. He worked as a caddy on Staten Island, eventually started playing the game and then ultimately began teaching it. Bob Hope’s agent was so impressed he sent Hope for lessons, and the rest is history. Galvano’s client list was a who’s who of celebrities at the time – Morey Amsterdam, Milton Berle, Joey Bishop, Carol Burnett, Johnny Carson, Perry Como and Vic Damone all became became clients.
Phil Galvano and his wife, Betty, moved to Anna Maria Island in 1969. After dying of cancer in 1996, his son, Bill Galvano began the Phil Galvano Golf Classic that has raised millions of dollars for Manatee County Schools. A local legend indeed!
