How our partnership with the Western Golf Association and Evans Scholars Foundation turns a summer job into a path to a full scholarship
For a lot of the young people we work with, First Tee starts as a place to learn the game. We want it to also be a place that opens a door to their first job.
What caddying is really about
Caddying is one of the oldest jobs in golf, and one of the most overlooked. For a young person, it’s often their first real job: their first paycheck, their first time being trusted with responsibility by an adult outside their family, their first experience of the professionalism that golf expects on the course. Caddies learn how to read a course, manage a bag, and work alongside golfers who are often successful professionals and community leaders. Those conversations on the course can expose kids to careers and paths they might not otherwise see.
It’s also flexible work. Caddying fits around school, sports, and other summer commitments, which makes it a realistic option for teenagers who need income but can’t take on a rigid schedule.
The Western Golf Association and the Evans Scholars Foundation
The Western Golf Association has supported caddie programs for decades, and its Evans Scholars Foundation is best known for one thing: turning a caddying job into a college education. Caddies with strong academics and financial need can earn the Evans Scholarship, which covers full tuition and housing for up to four years of college. Today, more than 1,130 Evans Scholars are enrolled at leading universities across the country.
It’s a program built entirely around the idea that the character and work ethic a caddie develops on the course translate directly into success in the classroom.
Why this partnership matters for our kids
Golf skills and character development are at the core of what we do, but we also want our participants to see where those skills can lead. Caddying gives them a concrete next step: a job that pays, a network of mentors, and, for those who stick with it, a realistic shot at a scholarship that changes the trajectory of their education.
That’s why we host caddie information sessions for our participants and anyone else in our community who wants to learn more. These sessions walk kids through what the job actually looks like, connect them directly with local golf clubs, and introduce them to the Evans Scholars pipeline before they ever pick up a bag.
Connecting a kid to their future might be the most sustainable kind of support we can offer, and it’s a partnership we’re committed to growing.
Questions about caddying or the Evans Scholars program? Reach out to us at [email protected].