Minnesota Golfer - Summer 2021 - 31

CADDIE CORNER
Keeping a Good Thing Going
T
he rich caddie tradition at Madden's on Gull Lake
has been in place since the first course, Pine Beach
East, opened in 1926. Back then, due to the Great
Depression, caddies only made 25 cents per round. For 25
cents in 1930 you could get a haircut or an ice-cream cone, a
cup of coffee, a doughnut, a bottle of Coke and a Hershey bar.
From the late 1920s to the 1950s, the
staff of Pine Beach East would drive
down a dirt road in a pickup truck
owned by the resort to Brainerd to
pick up kids to caddie for the day.
Once all the kids had caddied, they
would drive them back to Brainerd
in the same pickup truck.
In addition to Pine Beach East,
Madden's features The Classic, Pine
Beach West and the Social 9. Between
the late 1950s and 1990, there was
little caddie activity between the
four courses. That changed once
they opened The Classic in 1997, as
Madden's wanted to provide a championship
experience at its premiere
track. The caddie program kicked
off with caddies aged 13-16 years
old and ran for three years, ending
in 2000.
When Director of Golf Glenn
* BY JACK MENDESH *
Madden's hopes to become a pipeline for future Evans
Scholar candidates. The Evans Scholarship Foundation provides
full scholarships to golf caddies who have financial need
and strong academic and leadership records.
The caddie program at Madden's sets it apart from other
courses in the area. Hagberg is quick to recommend that other
destination golf courses and resort
courses start caddie programs.
" It adds to the experience of playing
the golf course and it provides more
jobs to the community, " he says. " Some
of our caddies have made connections
with players that have led to jobs and
networking opportunities. "
" The course is
Hagberg was asked what would add
value to his department's golf experience
in 2013, he answered " caddies. "
From that moment on, the caddie
program has been a staple at The
Classic.
" The course is meant to be walked,
and caddies add to the experience of
walking The Classic, " Hagberg says,
explaining why he brought caddies
back.
Each year the caddie program has grown and gained
momentum. The first four years, there were 25 adult caddies,
and it was an optional service. Starting in 2017 (as a result
of positive feedback from golfers), caddies became required
before 10 a.m. in June, July and August.
meant to be walked,
and caddies add
to the experience
of walking The
Classic. "
-Glenn Hagberg,
Director of Golf
Classic Caddie Training
Currently, The Classic has 40 caddies:
35 adult and five youth. They go
through a rigorous training program
to ensure they provide the best possible
experience to golfers. The caddies begin
the program by watching a Western
Golf Association training video, followed
by reading a caddie manual and
then go onto the property to learn the
course.
The next step is passing a 150-question
test that asks questions ranging
from the history of Madden's to the best
steak in town and how far the resort is
from the MSP International Airport.
Finally, prospective caddies go through
on-course training and must receive a
passing grade to start caddying.
" Going through this type of training
ensures that we receive caddies
who are serious about the job and will
provide the best experience possible to
any golfer that may play, " Hagberg says. " We have a number of
guests that come from out of state, so we want to ensure that
every golfer receives a high level of service. "
Jack Mendesh is the MGA's new caddie program manager, and can
be reached at caddie@mngolf.org.
mngolf.org
Summer 2021 MINNESOTAGOLFER
31
http://www.mngolf.org
Minnesota Golfer - Summer 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Minnesota Golfer - Summer 2021
