Going Above and Beyond – A Caddie Story

Cover Story

Going Above and Beyond

Elevating the Golf Experience

By Tom Mackin

Here are the job requirements: You need to be a club cleaner, green reader, weather forecaster, ball washer, bunker raker, yardage getter, spirit lifter, and overall customer service guru. And do all of that for up to four people across 4-5 hours at a time. Sound good? Then welcome to the world of caddies. When Troon acquired CADDIEMASTER in 2015, it brought on board experts well-versed in the training and managing of caddies. Founded in 1993 by Mike Granuzzo, the company is based in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, and oversees 3,000 caddies at 70 courses in 24 states and three countries. That total includes 14 Troon-managed facilities in Arizona, Florida, and Nevada.

IN THE BEGINNING 

The company’s origins date back to 1988 when Granuzzo, then a kicker for the University of Richmond football team, had his athletic abilities challenged by a friend named John Krikorian. That led to a wager centered around nine holes of golf. Brand new to the game, Granuzzo lost the wager, but was hooked on golf. Krikorian, who retired as COO of CADDIEMASTER last year, then introduced Granuzzo to caddying at a New Jersey country club while on summer breaks from college. After graduation, he started caddying at private clubs in the Washington D.C. area. 

“Mike learned early on that caddie programs were not managed very well,” said Dan Costello, president of CADDIEMASTER. “There were zero standards in appearance, attitude, behavior, or performance. But Mike had all of those for himself. They were run completely differently than any other department at most clubs. He thought that was odd considering no one spends more time with a member or guest than the caddie.”

One caddie manager asked Granuzzo to recruit other caddies like him and also train them. The lightbulb went on. He soon pitched the idea to Bethesda Country Club, which took him up on it. A company was born. 

ON THE JOB

“When a client hires us to manage a caddie program, they are 100 percent relieved of the burden of overseeing the program. It’s on us,” said Costello. “We handle 100 percent of the vetting and onboarding process each caddie goes through. That also includes the day-to-day managing of the program, like invoicing, risk mitigation and indemnification, and taking on the liability inherent with what is often the largest department at a course or club.”

Becoming part of Troon eight years ago elevated the company to a new level, according to Costello. “Just the support on a larger level from a financial and personnel perspective was a big part of that transaction,” he said. “What also changed was access to the terrific resources that exist at Troon, especially the skill sets of the many talented people there. And it opened doors for us at other facilities and in different parts of the country.”

No matter where they are, every caddie needs to be able to read their player(s) relatively quickly. “That means figuring out if the player is someone who wants to hear stories or prefers a quiet round,” said Costello. “Is she or he looking for specific detailed advice on every shot, or just for you to hand them the club and keep them occupied with non-golf conversation? It’s understanding what each player wants as soon as possible.”

“My philosophy is, you’re not working in the golf industry,” said Tyson Baughman, a CADDIEMASTER program manager based at Troon North Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, since 2020. “You’re working in the hospitality industry. At a course, you might spend five to 10 minutes in a golf shop, a few minutes with the outside services staff, and maybe an hour with the bar or restaurant staff after your round. But you spend four to five hours with a caddie. You have to be a personality who can get four other personalities to jive with each other for up to five hours. It’s about going above and beyond to create a great experience.”

For those afraid of having their game judged by a caddie, Baughman says that’s a needless concern. “We’re not worried about how you play,” he said. “We’re there to get you through the course as efficiently as we can. People come in thinking it will be intimidating having a knowledgeable caddie with them and watching their shots. But the quicker we can get you around, the better.”

LIFE CHANGING

Whether you are carrying a single bag or two, or serving as forecaddie, the job of a hustling caddie is physically demanding. But you never know who you are going to meet or what off- course opportunities the job can create. Just ask Bella Luna Carl.

A freshman at The Ohio State University, she was recently named the first recipient of a new scholarship created by CADDIEMASTER, Troon, and the Western Golf Association/Evans Scholars Foundation. The scholarship provides $25,000 per year for five years to pay for tuition, room, and board.  

“Receiving the Evans Scholarship means more than words could ever explain,” said Carl, who will be back caddying this summer at the Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio. “Working to earn this scholarship taught me that hard work pays off and to never give up, even when times get tough. The Evans Scholarship was the light at the end of the tunnel which kept me going. I finally have financial freedom from the burden and stress of student loans, which is something I am very thankful for. I am beyond grateful to have this opportunity to share a little bit about my story and hopefully motivate someone else to start caddying and try something new.” 

Coming soon is a new initiative CADDIEMASTER is developing in conjunction with Troon. “We are working with Kendall Murphy (director of  Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Troon) to increase diversity among caddie ranks,” said Costello. “That involves a program focusing on reaching underprivileged kids in the Washington, D.C. area and teaching them how to caddie at the National Links Trusts courses (Langston Golf Course, Rock Creek Park Golf, and East Potomac Golf Links). We want to create a pipeline for our company, for Troon, and for golf in general to bring new people into the game. They could potentially advance from caddies to become caddie trainers or management. These are people who are not well represented in our industry and should be. This could open doors for them.”

LOOKING FORWARD

Costello believes the caddie business is healthier than it’s ever been. “Virtually everywhere we work, and have worked for a period of time, caddied rounds have increased,” he said. “Clubs and courses see what a great caddie experience can do for members and guests. I can’t think of a new high-end club or new construction property that opened in the last several years, or is in the process of being built and opening in the next year or two, that did not or will not open with a caddie program. If we had the ability to compare the number of clubs, caddies, and caddie rounds that occur today versus when we started 30 years ago, it would be significantly larger.” 

CLUB UP

Last summer, Troon acquired ClubUp, a leading golf technology and service company based in Charlotte, N.C., that currently works with 65 golf clubs and resorts operating caddie programs domestically and internationally.  “The team at ClubUp is very excited to be part of Troon,” said ClubUp Founder/CEO Matthew Rose. “We remain committed to providing a world-class platform for the over 8,000 independent contractors using ClubUp to provide caddie services. Our business model and operations will remain unchanged. The support and investment from Troon will enable us to add even more value to our customers.” ClubUp will also be integrating its platform into CADDIEMASTER operations at the club level with the goal of streamlining caddie scheduling and communications.