Letter: Rye Golf Club Youth Caddie Program
The following is a letter to the editor from Rye resident Mitch Pineault:
Dear Editor,
Attached is a proposal for a Rye Golf Club Youth Caddie Program.
Tonight [Wednesday, May 28, 2014] at the RGC Commission meeting, there will be a discussion regarding the legal issues surrounding this proposal.
This program has the potential to create an immeasurable positive impact on our youth and community. Attached is a summary.
Should you or anyone in your readership have an opinion, please drop a quick email to the RGC General Manager, Jim Buonaiuto at [email protected] or call him at 914.835.3200 x 11.
Sincerely,
Mitch Pineault
Rye Golf Club Youth Caddie Program (Updated May 20, 2014)
A successful RGC Youth Caddie Program will contribute to the overall health of our club and members. The most important benefit will be rewarded to our youth and the Rye community.
Benefits to our Youth
- This Caddie program will provide an opportunity for RGC to give something back to the young women and men in our community. Caddying provides a safe working environment along with introducing positive role models to our youth. Caddies develop good work habits, learn about the game of golf, improve their communication skills and learn the value of money.
- These young men and women will learn honesty and integrity, self-control, independent decision-making, personal responsibility, loyalty to a cause and group, control of personal finances and the satisfaction of a job well done. Caddies develop into well-rounded and responsible citizens, capable of being productive in the complex personal and professional world. Caddies encounter a few of the adversities of life, and learn how to cope with them. This experience is an integral part of life training. See ‘Resources’ below for Camp Sankaty Head model.
Benefits of a Caddie Program for RGC
- Allows an opportunity for golfers to walk which adds enjoyment to a round of golf and is better for overall health and fitness than taking a cart
- Caddies speed up play
- Help golfers focus by providing yardage, wind conditions, replacing ball marks & divots, finding golf balls
- Contributes to a better conditioned golf course
- Well-trained caddies have a positive effect on the condition of a golf course by replacing divots and ball marks
- The use of caddies significantly impacts the condition of the golf course by reducing the number of golf carts that are used
- The two most damaging things to a golf course, outside of Mother Nature, are the failure to repair ball marks on greens and the use of golf carts
Criteria:
- For boys and girls aged 12-18.
- To be eligible, prospective caddies must complete a training / certification class administered by the MGA.
- Graduates become eligible to caddy at the following rates:
- 18 Holes – $40 per bag/ $10 per putter
- 12 Holes – $30 per bag/$8 per putter
- 9 Holes $20 per bag/$5 per putter
- After year 1, a Caddy Grading System will be put in place as an incentive to reward better Caddies – see resources, The Caddy Team.
Resources:
- https://campsankatyhead.org/; https://www.teachingkidsbusiness.com/caddietrainingmanual.htm
- https://www.thecaddyteam.com/caddy-grading-and-training.html; https://www.lib.niu.edu/1998/ip980541.html
