Nearly 20 New Jersey students get college scholarships for golf caddying
Some have heard about students receiving scholarships for playing golf, but what about for carrying the clubs? Nearly 20 students from New Jersey will be going to college for free, thanks to caddying scholarships.
More Stories
Some have heard about students receiving scholarships for playing golf, but what about for carrying the clubs? Nearly 20 students from New Jersey will be going to college for free, thanks to caddying scholarships.
It may not be the most glamorous job, but there is more to being a caddy than lugging around golf clubs.
Kenneth Maher, 18, didn’t really know that when he took a job at Baltusrol – one of America’s top golf courses. He says that he didn’t really have a clue about golf.
“I definitely came into caddying as someone who thought golf isn't a sport, it's just a bunch of guys walking around swinging their clubs,” he says.
It is OK that he thought that? Part of the mission of the Chick Evans Scholarship is to grow the game of golf, while helping the next generation grow their network.
“If you’re interested in business economics finance, chances are you’re gonna caddy for someone in that field who’s successful and an industry leader,” says Brian Bianchi, senior director of the WGA Evans Scholarship Foundation.
Bianchi helps run the program. He got his start in golf as a caddy at Baltusrol nearly 30 years ago.
Caddying scholarships go back decades but are not well known. About 1,100 students across the nation are getting thousands in scholarships to pay for tuition and housing to college. The money comes from a fund that pulls from donors and professional tournaments.
The women’s PGA Championship will be held at Baltusrol next week. It is an event that Maher can now appreciate.
"I never used to watch golf before. But now it's like, ‘Yeah, I'm gonna watch the Masters. I'm gonna watch the Majors,” he says.
Maher says he has learned the nuance of his craft – that a caddy has to know the course, serve as an advisor and have a proper read on the green.
