Her first benefactor was the manager of the Fengyuan Country Club where she worked as a caddy, who presented her with a set of golf clubs.
涂阿玉是他打高爾夫時的球僮。楊董事長慧眼識英「雌」，將她推薦給曾支助不少職業好手的日本豐臣會社社長中村一治。中村一治帶她到台北，並請淡水球場名教練陳金獅教她打球，那時涂阿玉十七歲。