Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024 - 37

CADDIE CORNER
Eight Minnesota Caddies
Earn Evans Scholarship
"
Caddieing changed my life. It broke
me out of my shell, " reflects Savannah
Hartinger, a senior at Totino-Grace
High School and caddie from North Oaks
Golf Club. " I used to barely be able to talk
to anyone, let alone adults, and now I'm
able to confidently give a 40-minute presentation
in front of all of my teachers and
give a speech in front of my whole school. "
Caddieing at North Oaks made it possible,
says Hartinger.
One
suspects
that
there's more
to
Hartinger's success than carrying a golf bag
over 18 holes, but her story of poise gained
on and off the links, and her hard-earned
grades in school and beyond, is emblematic
of all caddie-scholars who have earned
the coveted Evans Scholarship.
So it went on February 1 at Wayzata
Country Club, where eight Minnesota
high school seniors (winnowed from a
group of 26 Evans Scholar applicants) met
with an audience of more than 100 participants,
including Evans alumni, donors,
educators, golf club staff and Western Golf
Association (WGA) staff and directors.
With some attending virtually, the hybrid
format allowed everyone to meet the highly
accomplished young men and women who
were selected based on their academic
record, leadership activities, caddie record
and their family's financial need.
The eight high school seniors join the
largest caddie scholarship program in
the country. More than two dozen similar
selection meetings were held recently,
awarding 340 scholarships to 24 colleges
and universities in the fall. There are currently
a record 1,130 caddies enrolled as
Evans Scholars across the nation and over
12,000 alumni. Minnesota has more than
700 alumni.
After winning the 1916 U.S. Open at
The Minikahda Club in Minneapolis,
mngolf.org
Chick Evans turned down his golf prize
money and other related revenue to start
the Evans Scholarship Program for young
caddies. The first Evans Scholars attended
Northwestern University in 1930. In 1954,
Jim Lange from Midland Hills CC was the
first Evans Scholar to attend the University
of Minnesota.
In 2030, the WGA will celebrate the
100th anniversary of the Evans program.
They have established ambitious goals for
the centennial, including increasing the
annual number of scholars from 1,000
to 1,500, making the organization more
diverse and doubling the number of youth
caddie opportunities. The Minnesota
WGA volunteer directors, working in concert
with local club staff, club leaders, community
leaders,
MGA Member Clubs
with Caddie Programs:
the WGA/ESF and the
team at the MGA, are creating plans to
strengthen local caddie programs to support
those goals.
Jack Mendesh is the MGA's caddie development
manager and can be reached at
caddie@mngolf.org.
* Bearpath Golf & Country Club
* Edina Country Club
* Elk River Golf Club
* Golden Valley Country Club
* Hazeltine National Golf Club
* Hiawatha Golf Course
* Interlachen Country Club
* Keller Golf Club
* Madden's On Gull Lake - The Classic
* Midland Hills Country Club
* Minneapolis Golf Club
* Minnesota Valley Country Club
* North Oaks Golf Club
* Northland Country Club
* Oak Ridge Country Club
* Olympic Hills Golf Club
* Somerset Country Club
* Spring Hill Golf Club
* The Minikahda Club
* Town & Country Club
* Wayzata Country Club
* White Bear Yacht Club
* Windsong Farm
* Woodhill Country Club
James Austerman
Minnetonka H.S.
Wayzata CC
Peter " Gus " Bolin
St. Louis Park H.S.
The Minikahda Club
Savannah Hartinger
Totino-Grace H.S.
North Oaks GC
Cal Havlicek
Chesterton Academy
Minnesota Valley CC
Kiersten Lawrance
Wayzata H.S.
Interlachen CC
William Moyer
Washburn H.S.
The Minikahda Club
Harrison Sand
Minnetonka H.S.
Interlachen CC
Jacob Taggart
St. Agnes School
Hazeltine National GC
Spring 2024 MINNESOTAGOLFER
37
PHOTOS: W.P. RYAN
http://www.mngolf.org
Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Minnesota Golfer - Spring 2024
