My Very First Job in Golf

I was 13 years old and headed for my first job interview at a very exclusive country club in Western Massachusetts a few years back.

I was very nervous. But I did have one advantage. My older brother worked at the Country Club as a caddie, the very job that I was applying for.

Initially, I was told that the minimum age to caddy was 14 years old. But the caddy master liked my brother and suggested a compromise. He said, “We can hire you on a trial basis but you’ll have to carry singles (one bag).”

That didn’t bother me. I readily accepted the job offer, not fully comprehending that I would make half of what my brother made since he carried doubles.

That summer turned out to be one of my best summers I experienced. Not only did I learn a lot about golf, I got to play at the country club for free on Mondays which was caddies day. And I did play every single Monday.

By the time the summer ended, I felt like a veteran caddy. I knew just about every nook and cranny of that golf course. I couldn’t wait for the following summer.

By the following spring, I had turned 14 and was ready to carry doubles. Now, I had big-time competition at the Caddy Shack---16 and 17 year olds who had been caddying for a few years and many of the members had their favorite caddy. I figured out that the best way to stand out in the crowd was to work hard, gain more knowledge of the course itself and be able to give good advice to the members when asked.

I did all of that and felt pretty confident by the time the summer ended. There was no doubt in my mind that I would return for a third year. While some of my friends at the country club including my older brother began to think about other work for the following summer, I knew I had picked the right job.

I turned 15 the following spring and all of the hard work the previous summer was now beginning to pay off. More members were asking for me and I ended up working six days a week that summer. On the seventh day (Monday) I played golf at the country club.

What was really gratifying and fun was to caddy for members at tournaments, in particular, those tournaments where club pros participated as part of the field. There we would be, on the par-5 fifth hole and one of the guests (sometimes a club pro) would ask me what they should use for their second shot. To be able to hand that guest the right club and have the player hit the green was just an unbelievable feeling

When I think back to those glory days, I recall that I made a lot of money as a young kid, but more importantly, it was the friendships and the camaraderie that gave me the most satisfaction.

So, here I am at Hank Haney International Junior Golf Academy, serving as Director of Communications, many years later. I have come full cycle, sort of speak. And the lessons I learned as a teenager apply today….hard work always pays off.

Richard Bisi
Director of Communications
Hank Haney IJGA