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NEW ADVOCACY GROUP ESTABLISHED BY WESTERN GOLF ASSOCIATION AND LEADING GOLF ORGANIZATIONS PROMOTES YOUTH CADDYING, HELPS DEVELOP YOUNG GOLFERS
WGA partners with World Golf Foundation and other organizations on Carry the Game initiative to create more opportunities for youth to work as caddies, learn the game of golf
GOLF, Ill. – Together with a number of leading golf organizations, the Western Golf Association (WGA) announces today a groundbreaking initiative centered around promoting youth caddying and golf called Carry the Game.
Carry the Game is an advocacy group that introduces young students to the game of golf by creating additional opportunities for them to train and work as caddies and encourages them to become lifelong players.
Through caddying, young people learn valuable life lessons, develop a strong work ethic and money management skills, and make professional contacts on the golf course. In addition to being a great way to learn about the game, caddying provides life-changing benefits that are instrumental to their individual growth.
Carry the Game operates under the organizational umbrella of the WGA; participants in the effort include the World Golf Foundation, United States Golf Association, PGA of America, The First Tee and Youth on Course, among other groups. This special collaboration to promote the role of youth caddying within the game of golf will help ensure Carry the Game’s long-term success while encouraging a new generation of young golfers to play the game.
“Over the past few years, numerous leading golf organizations have discussed the importance of creating a governing body for youth caddying, and we’re excited to see that the WGA is spearheading this important initiative,” said World Golf Foundation CEO Steve Mona. “The WGA is a recognized leader in youth caddying, and we’re all looking forward to working together to help bring this effort to life.”
Carry the Game will be a resource for anyone interested in becoming a caddie or forming a youth caddie program. In 2018, the group will begin an extensive research project to provide qualitative data on the current state of youth caddying and inform the initiative’s work.
The overall goal of Carry the Game is to increase the number of youth caddies – and the diversity of those caddies – by helping to establish additional caddying opportunities at golf clubs nationwide. Carry the Game will also promote youth caddie programs as a way to create future golfers and preserve and enhance the tradition of caddying within the game of golf.
It will offer resources including caddie training materials and certification, a caddie club locator, best practices on creating and managing programs, media and public relations support, and knowledge and expertise on all caddie-related topics.
“Through Carry the Game, our goal is to provide young people with an early introduction to golf by creating life-changing opportunities to work as a caddie,” said WGA President and CEO John Kaczkowski. “Ultimately, we believe the experiences and mentorship gained through caddying are invaluable to a young person’s development and will help cultivate a lifelong passion for playing golf. Some of golf’s greatest players, as well as many of the world’s most successful executives, emerged from the caddie ranks. We look forward to supporting current and future caddies as they continue the legacy of a game so beloved and carry it forward for years to come.”
Carry the Game will also share and promote local and national caddie scholarship opportunities and resources.
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About Carry the Game
Established in 2017, Carry the Game is a golf advocacy group that creates more opportunities for young students to train and work as caddies and encourages them to become lifelong players. Under the WGA organizational umbrella, Carry the Game provides resources and training materials for those interested in youth caddying, aiming to increase the number of youth caddies nationwide and promoting the tradition of caddying within the game of golf.
About the Western Golf Association
The Western Golf Association conducts three national golf championships and oversees the Evans Scholars Foundation, which provides full tuition and housing college scholarships for golf caddies. Headquartered in Golf, Illinois, the organization was founded in 1899 by 11 Chicago-area golf clubs to promote their interests in golf. In addition to the BMW Championship, the WGA conducts two prestigious amateur championships, the Western Amateur and the Western Junior. To learn more, visit www.wgaesf.org.
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