(Web Tuck and Steven Wall)
Written by: Steven Wall, Student, KU College of Golf & Sports Medicine: “I was fortunate to get the opportunity to caddy in the 2015 Honda Classic – Pro Am tournament held on the 25th of February. I was paired up with Retief Goosen’s group who were representatives of the Bic Corporation. The amateur golfer I caddied for was Emmanuel from France who had been playing golf for five years. This was the first time I had the opportunity to caddy in a major event and found it extremely enjoyable. My player had a great time and felt very appreciative to have a caddy to judge distances and wind direction, read greens and assist in club selection. He thoroughly enjoyed getting the “pro tour” experience. Having graduated from KU College of Golf with an associate’s degree and the course work I’m currently taking in their bachelor’s program, I was very prepared for this. The coursework there had given me extensive knowledge in the rules of golf, golf etiquette, tournament operations, and many other aspects of the golf industry.
Retief Goosen and his caddy were the nicest guys you could meet. They were assisting the other players throughout the round, joking with the players, and making them feel at ease. It was refreshing to see a player and caddy, at their level, being so approachable and “real”. For me, it gave me an appreciation for what these pro caddies go through, carrying loaded down golf bags for up to 7.5 miles a day for 5 days, week after week. I just did it for one day and needed to soak my feet all night because they were so sore. All-in-all it was a wonderful experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat.”
Written by: Web Tuck, Student, KU College of Golf & Sports Medicine: “Excited as I was about being able to walk with Ernie Els, I had to take a step back to remember why I was there, caddying for the amateur partner. We were given instructions about how to handle ourselves, where to stand, how to hold the flag, and keeping up with the group. Being a student of the game and having the knowledge I have learned during my time at KU College of Golf, I wanted to be able to show off my knowledge and help my player perform to his best abilities but again, I had to step back and not give any advice unless asked.
I was very lucky with drawing the player I did. Although he was a 20 handicap player, he played very well for most of the round. Once he learned I was a student at KU, he was comfortable enough with me to ask advice. I was honored to be able to help him with reading greens and aligning his shots and he seemed to be appreciative of my assistance.
As we worked our way around the golf course, my player as well as others in the group were asking about the College of Golf and what we were planning upon graduation. I was pleased that these highly successful individuals were interested in what we were studying and how we liked the curriculum. This made the day enjoyable.
Being a student at KU has given me many opportunities to work with Special Olympics, Kids Golf, 3 national club professional events and caddying in the LPGA Wilkinson Cup but being able to be part of an event this large was an experience I will remember for a lifetime.”
STUDENTS: Please email your submissions/questions/comments to the ELSE Student Editor, Kayla Bianchi at: [email protected]
My instructors believed in me. They were more than instructors, they tried to get to know you as a person and tried to understand your goals so they could push you towards them. Student services helped me find a job before I even graduated. Everyone was dedicated to my overall success.
