UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State golf courses have partnered with the Western Golf Association Caddie Academy this summer, offering caddie opportunities to at-promise high school students from across the country who are pursuing the WGA's prestigious Platt Evans Scholarship. A total of 15 participants are currently working at the Blue and White courses from June 20 to August 5.
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. While working as caddies, students get the opportunity to earn summer income, meet role models and embrace the valuable life lessons that the program offers. After successfully completing three summer programs, participants then become eligible to apply for the Platt Evans Scholarship, which is a full tuition and housing college scholarship.
Participants live and work together for seven weeks at the Penn State Evans Scholars House during the summer. To date, four Eastern Caddie Academy participants have been awarded the Scholarship to Penn State and two have been awarded it to Notre Dame. In 2022, more than 150 boys and girls will participate in the Caddie Academy, which has grown from the initial 12 in 2012.
For area golfers, this offers a unique opportunity to play a vital role in the success of the program while receiving the services of caddies at the Blue and White courses. There is no direct caddie cost to golfers who utilize their services through the program as the individuals are funded by the academy and are a gratuity-only based program. The recommended gratuity for a job well done, per caddie, is $10 for nine holes and $20 for 18. Of course, golfers are free to choose the gratuity of their liking.
The services the WGA caddies offer included:
- Bag carrier or Cart/Fore-Caddie
- Care of your clubs during the round
- Track down your golf ball once hit
- Provide yardages to the middle of the green
- Fix divots
- Raking the sand
- Tend the flagstick
- Clean clubs and golf ball
- The one thing they cannot do is drive the cart for you, as they are not 18-years old
If area golfers are interested in a caddie or fore-caddie at any time this summer, email Joe Hughes at the Penn State Golf Courses at joepro@psu.edu . Caddies are available Monday through Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 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 throughout their seven-week program.