The Perfect Summer Job for Vancouver Teens: Caddying for a Chance at a College Scholarship

There are plenty of summer jobs out there for Vancouver teens to choose from, but what about one that could lead to more than just a paycheck and could even change the course of a life?

Each year, more than 800 deserving golf caddies across the country attend college on the Chick Evans Scholarship, one of the nation’s largest privately funded scholarship programs. Supported by the Western Golf Association, the Scholarship provides full tuition and housing at leading universities across the country, including the University of Washington. The requirements are straightforward: earn good grades, have a strong caddie record, demonstrate financial need and display outstanding character.

With college tuitions on the rise, the need for scholarship opportunities continues to grow. There are 222 Evans Scholars alumni currently living in Washington, and 12 Scholars currently enrolled at University of Washington. Stockton Pendergast, a current senior at the University of Washington from Vancouver, can attest to the role that caddying has played in driving his success both on and off the golf course.

Pendergast got his start caddying at Royal Oaks Country Club in Vancouver. He initially heard about the opportunity and chance at the Scholarship through his sister Rachel, an Evans Scholar alum and graduate of University of Washington. After speaking with his sister, it didn’t take long for Pendergast to begin working his way toward the Scholarship.

“Caddying was a time-consuming endeavor. It was something I did on the weekends in spring, summer and fall and even after school in the spring and fall,” said Pendergast. The basic caddie requirement in order to qualify for the Evans Scholarship is caddying consecutively for two years.

In addition to caddying, Pendergast was heavily involved in other extracurricular activities in high school, including football, basketball, volunteering for local charities such as Share House and Youth Philanthropy, and student government, where he served as president during his senior year. He also balanced his caddying job and outside activities with his academics, graduating as a top 10 student academically in his class.

Pendergast’s dedication and persistence on and off the golf course paid off. He was awarded the full housing and college scholarship after a long application process, multiple interviews and receiving his acceptance letter to the University of Washington.

“Caddying 50 times within two years is a lot of work, but if you’re willing to put in the time, the payoff will come,” said Pendergast. “It’s a very exciting experience.”

He will be graduating this year with a degree in political science, with plans to attend law school in the Northwest this coming fall with an intent to practice criminal law.

So how can other Vancouver teens start working towards earning the Evans Scholarship?George Bryant, WGA director at Royal Oaks Country Club and Evans Scholar alum, says that Royal Oaks is always looking for more students with the academic accomplishments and drive to quality for the scholarship. Once the prospective caddie has reached out to the club directly, the application process and orientation begins.

“Most, but not all, caddies are familiar with golf before they get started,” said Bryant. “Of course, even if they start with little knowledge of the golf game, by the time they become successful caddies they will have learned a lot about the game and be qualified and ready to apply for an Evans Scholarship.”

During orientation the club will cover all of the expectations of being a caddie, including when training will take place, best days to caddie, rules and regulations, uniforms and benefits. For extra guidance on becoming an effective caddie, the WGA offers a training video, training manual and exam under the Caddie Resources tab on its website, www.wgaesf.org.

A day in the life of a caddie starts early, often with an arrival time between 6 to 7 a.m. and waiting to get assigned to a caddying job, called “a loop,” with a golfer. Once the connection is made, the caddie helps get the golfer’s gear ready for the round. When the round commences, the caddie has a number of responsibilities, including carrying the golfer’s clubs, watching the ball, keeping the clubs clean, knowing distances from the ball to the pin, raking the bunkers, attending the pins, cleaning the ball once the green is reached and generally assisting the entire foursome when moving around the golf course.

Caddying offers more than just a summer job for young men and women in Vancouver. It offers exposure to successful role models (some of the community’s most successful people, who often mentor the young caddies), lifelong connections, new friends and life lessons about humility and respect, discipline, persistence and determination that can lead to a once-in-a-lifetime shot at a full college scholarship valued at more than $80,000 over four years.

To apply for the scholarship, applicants must have caddied regularly for a minimum of two years and are expected to caddie and/or work at their sponsoring club during the summer after they apply for the scholarship. To learn more, please visit www.wgaesf.org.