This summer, golfers at the Penn State courses who sign up for a caddie are doing more than arranging for someone to carry their bag and fix divots. Golfers also are helping promising high school students pursue a Platt Evans Scholarship for college.
For the second year in a row, through the Western Golf Association’s Caddie Academy, bright high school students with financial need are living together for seven weeks at the Platt Evans Scholars Scholarship House at Penn State while caddying at the Blue and White courses. The students are among more than 155 who are participating in the program across the country.
After successfully completing three summers on the golf course as part of the program, participants become eligible to apply for the Evans Scholarship—a four-year, full-tuition and -housing grant to college. More than 150 Caddie Academy alumni have gone on to earn the scholarship since the program began in 2012. This fall, more than 95 participants from Caddie Academy will be in college as Evans Scholars. Three of last year’s Penn State participants received Evans Scholarships and are attending college at Penn State, Rutgers University and Howard University.
“The continued growth of this unique summer program allows even more young people the opportunity to earn money, meet role models, learn invaluable life lessons and ultimately apply for a life-changing scholarship,” says Kara Chin, director of the Caddie Academy and scholarships at the Western Golf Association.
This summer’s Caddie Academy at Penn State includes twelve participants plus six junior counselors; the junior counselors are current Evans Scholars and past Caddie Academy participants. All eighteen attend or graduated from Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School.
Caddies are available at the Blue and White courses Tuesday through Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., through August 4. When the students are not on the golf course, they are preparing for SAT/ACT tests and taking part in other academic studies, as well as hearing from various guest speakers.
There is no direct caddie cost to golfers who utilize their services through the program. The student caddies are funded by the academy, although gratuities are welcome. To arrange for a caddie, email Joe Hughes, golf course general manager, at [email protected].
The caddies offer services including:
- Serving as bag carrier or cart/fore-caddie
- Caring for clubs during the round
- Tracking down golf balls once hit
- Providing yardages to the middle of the green
- Fixing divots
- Raking sand
- Tending the flag stick
- Cleaning clubs and golf balls
The one thing the WGA caddies cannot do is drive a cart because they are not eighteen years old.
The Caddie Academy moved its eastern location to Penn State last summer after several years at clubs in the Philadelphia area.
“Our participants are striving to earn a full college scholarship, and their living together in the Platt Evans Scholarship House for seven weeks will give them a wonderful feel for the community living aspect that makes our Evans Scholars Program so unique,” Chin says. “We’re excited for our students to have this experience and for all the new leadership and development opportunities they will now enjoy.”
The WGA’s mission is to provide summer caddie opportunities to under-resourced high school students who excel in the classroom and their communities. Participants in the program are chosen early in their high school careers (freshman year) based on their outstanding academics, leadership and character, as well as financial need. Most students are minorities, and they have an average household income of $30,000.
For more information on the WGA Caddie Academy, visit wgacaddieacademy.org. T&G
Tracey Dooms is editor of Town&Gown.
