Golf programs create opportunity across Florida
GLENVIEW, Ill. – The Western Golf Association (WGA) is working to expand youth caddie opportunities across the state of Florida, partnering with public and private golf clubs and community organizations to introduce more young students to the game and the opportunity to earn a life-changing full college scholarship.
The WGA oversees the Evans Scholars Foundation (ESF), which awards full tuition and housing college scholarships to promising young caddies who have financial need. Currently, seven students from Florida are enrolled at universities across the country as Evans Scholars, and organization leaders are working to increase the number of opportunities for young people to caddie.
“These programs are about more than golf. They are about opening doors,” said Jack Druga, the ESF’s Vice President of Development and the WGA’s key state leader in support of growing youth caddie programs. “Florida is a key growth region for us, and we are excited to work alongside clubs and community partners who believe in giving young people meaningful opportunities through caddying.”
Among the newer programs the WGA is helping to support is The Park in West Palm Beach, which began a youth caddie program three years ago. More than 20 local students caddie on weekends during the school year and during the week in the summer, gaining valuable experience in course knowledge, professionalism and customer service.
"Developing a strong junior caddie program has been a priority at The Park since before our grand opening,” said Cody Sinkler, Director of Golf Operations at The Park. “To fulfill our mission to ‘positively impact lives,’ we set out to build a program that combines experienced professional caddies with meaningful opportunities for underserved youth in our community."
Caddie manager Dean Casello said that since the start of the program, 26 junior caddies have participated, getting a chance to meet business leader and learn time management. “Most importantly, they’ve created lasting memories for their golfers and grown tremendously, not just as caddies, but as young people preparing for whatever comes next,” he said.
In Vero Beach, the WGA has partnered with the Indian River Golf Foundation to train and place eight students at clubs including RedStick Golf Club, Quail Valley Golf Club, John’s Island Club and The Moorings at Hawk’s Nest. The program, in its first season, offers structured instruction and on-course opportunities similar to those provided by First Tee programs nationwide.
“This program is about more than golf. It is about opportunity,” said Noel Thompson of the Indian River Golf Foundation. “We are proud to partner with the WGA and Evans Scholars Foundation to help young people build confidence, develop life skills and earn access to meaningful educational pathways.”
“This program is about more than golf. It is about opportunity,” said Noel Thompson, Director of Development and Strategic Growth for the Indian River Golf Foundation. “We are proud to partner with the WGA and Evans Scholars Foundation to help young people build confidence, develop life skills and earn access to educational pathways like the Evans Scholarship.”
For Roger Van Dyke, Founder and President of the Indian River Golf Foundation, the program’s impact begins with the everyday lessons caddies learn on the course.
“We hope this program helps teach important life lessons that come through caddying — character, respect, good manners and responsibility,” Van Dyke said. “Developing those life skills is at the forefront of what we’re building.”
At Quail Valley Golf Club, one of the participating sites in the Indian River program, leaders see the effort as beneficial for both students and club members.
“Our caddie program started just a few months ago, and the goal is to create exciting opportunities for kids and for our membership,” said Clark Sisson, Caddie Manager and Manager of Outside Golfer Services at Quail Valley Golf Club. “My dad grew up caddying, and he always talked about the discipline, work ethic and life lessons that come with it. We’re looking to build on that tradition and help young people in our community develop those same qualities.”
Along Florida’s Gulf Coast, Sara Bay Country Club in Sarasota launched a new youth caddie program in November under the leadership of longtime WGA/ESF executive Jeff Harrison, introducing a new generation of students to caddying. Seven kids are working on weekends during the school year.
The momentum and support throughout the state of Florida comes on the heels of youth caddies from notable clubs such as Seminole Golf Club, Old Marsh Golf Club and The Bear’s Club all earning Evans Scholarships in recent years. There have been 11 caddies from Florida to earn the Scholarship in total, with the first recipient in 1999.