Tony Rizzo isn’t an avid golfer, but you wouldn’t know it when you step into his ‘man cave’ — or rather the room his wife allows her hubby to fill with rare memorabilia.

Walls lined with decades-old tournament decanters, and photographs of Tony at golf tournaments with legends like Clint Eastwood, Jack Lemmon, James Garner and Jack Nicklaus tell a story far bigger than the game itself. 

Tony, 83, has lived quite the life. 

He grew up in Brooklyn, amid the noise and hustle of the city, shining shoes outside bars,  picking up quarters from regulars and earning five or six dollars a day, a small fortune for a child. 

Tony remembers feeling like “King Kong for the week,” reveling in bubble gum and the small luxuries a quarter-a-shine could buy . . . until his family relocated to Miami when he was 12.

Tony completed high school in Florida and joined the Navy, where he gained life experience and discipline that would serve him well in decades to come. 

After his service, Tony found his first true profession in the beauty industry, becoming what he jokingly calls a “Ph.D.—Professional hairDresser.” He worked alongside his first wife, also a hairdresser, and the pair moved to New Jersey where they ran a large, successful salon.

“Then came the divorce,” says Tony, who felt the need to make a change. “So, I moved out to California.”

Inspired by a dream to see the state, Tony and some friends packed up and drove down the coast. When they reached the quiet, elegant streets of Carmel (officially called Carmel-by-the-Sea), Tony was struck by the beauty and charm of the place. He met a real estate agent at Clint Eastwood’s restaurant, The Hog’s Breath Inn, an encounter that set wheels in motion. Within weeks, he had returned to Jersey, packed up his salon, his possessions, even his speedboat, and moved permanently to Carmel.

Tony quickly established a new salon in town and built a life among the artists, actors and well-heeled residents of the Monterey Peninsula. His charisma, wit, and intuitive knack for connecting with people made him a sought-after stylist and his client list soon included local elites and celebrities. Among them was Eastwood, who occasionally had Tony cut his hair.

“We became good friends and we’d hang out or he’d come over to my house,” Tony says. “We were good buddies.” 

When the salon life began to wear on him, Tony was offered an opportunity by a longtime client, the president of Pebble Beach. 

“He said, ‘Come manage a restaurant for me because you know everybody in Carmel,’” Tony recalls.

Tony accepted and managed the Tap Room at The Lodge at Pebble Beach, one of the most prestigious golf resorts in the world. There, his life intersected with numerous powerful figures in business, entertainment and sports.

The Tap Room was downright electric during the Pebble Beach Pro-Am tournaments.

“My room was elbow to elbow,” Tony says. “All the biggest CEOs in the country used to come off the golf course.” 

While most people might be starstruck, Tony kept his cool, never asking for autographs or bowing to a celebrity. In fact, he became known for treating everyone the same—whether they were a golf legend or a dishwasher. 

“I never envied anybody,” he says about a philosophy that shaped much of his outlook on life.

Tony’s golf memorabilia collection began with a few Crosby Pro-Am decanters bearing unique designs that were given away each year at the tournament. 

“I just got carried away from there,” he admits. 

His collection expanded rapidly as he accumulated tournament mementos, eBay finds, gifts and personal photographs. From 1970s decanters to a limited-edition flag signed by Hall of Fame female golfers, his home became a gallery of golf history—even though, ironically, Tony himself never played. 

“I have the patience of a gnat,” he says.

The collection’s true value, however, is not just in the items, but in the stories behind them. There are photos with Hollywood icons like James Garner and Larry Gatlin, snapshots of Tony and Eastwood playing bocce and shots from Tahoe and classic tournaments. One particularly prized photo shows him walking the course with Clint Eastwood, Greg Norman and Jack Nicklaus during a practice round—a memory few can claim.

Even after moving away from Carmel, Tony’s life remained rich with creativity and entrepreneurial energy. In Sacramento, he pivoted again, this time to high-end furniture sales and interior design. He quickly became the top sales representative at his company for nine years running. It was in Sacramento that he met his wife, Dona. The couple eventually made their way to The Villages, where they’ve lived for 27 years.

Dona became well-known in the community through her work in real estate, while Tony took a job with the district government before finally retiring. Today, their lives are filled with quiet joys.

True to form, Tony has also dabbled in art and photography, and even launched a whimsical side project with friends called “Blueprints for Food”—artistic layouts of classic American meals like fried chicken and burgers. He tells how one of his designs was even mimicked by McDonald’s, though unofficially. “They used another pickle,” he said, only half amused.

Today, Tony is starting to think seriously about what happens to his golf collection should something happen to him. “I’d like to sell the collection because I want it to be taken care of when I’m gone.”

Looking back, Tony wouldn’t change a thing. 

“I’ve done everything I wanted to do,” he says. “I’ve traveled all over the world, except Asia. I’m going to Greenland, maybe Australia again if I’m not on a stretcher by then. In all seriousness, I’ve had a great life. If I check out tomorrow, I have no regrets.” 

Photos: Cindy Peterson