Asked about golf scholarships to college, many might think of college tuition assistance for talented high school golfers, swinging clubs in contests against other high school players.
Fewer would think about college scholarships going to hardworking high schoolers, not swinging clubs, but carrying clubs for adult players – in other words, caddying.
But that is the case with Chick Evans Scholarships, full-ride four-year scholarships to prestigious colleges and universities which can be earned by caddies who meet four criteria: a successful record as a caddy, good grades, strong character, and financial need.
Sponsored by the Western Golf Association, headquartered in Glenview, Ill., the program offers students a chance to caddie each day, earn money, meet role models and learn valuable life lessons on the golf course. After completing three summers, participants, both young men and women, are eligible to apply for the Evans Scholarship.
The WGA has supported the Chick Evans Scholarship Program through the Evans Scholars Foundation since 1930. Known as one of golf’s favorite charities, it is the nation’s largest scholarship program for caddies.
Recently announced scholarship recipients include several from the Elmhurst area.
Sam Hemmersmeier, a 17-year-old senior at Montini Catholic High School from Elmhurst, was one of those receiving a scholarship. Hemmersmeier began caddying as a 12-year-old at Butterfield Country Club in Oak Brook.
In an email exchange with Pioneer Press – edited for space and clarity – Hemmersmeier discussed the program.
Pioneer Press: How did you first connect with the Chick Evans and/or Western Golf associations and learn about the availability of Evans scholarships?
Hemmersmeier: I first learned about the availability of the Evans Scholarship through Butterfield Country Club member Larry Ryan, a former Evans Scholar who speaks annually at the caddie banquet specifically about the scholarship. His talking points include the requirements for the award—a strong caddie record, good grades, outstanding character, and financial need—and encouragement for every caddie who qualifies to apply. Without Mr. Ryan and his help not only with learning of the scholarship but also throughout the application process I would not be so fortunate as to call myself an Evans Scholar.
Pioneer: How long have you been caddying? How did you get started?
Hemmersmeier: I have been caddying since I was twelve years old in the spring of 2019. I first got started when two of my best friends from grade school decided to get jobs as caddies at Butterfield. By the end of the first summer, I was the only one left standing.
Pioneer: Did you need to know or play the game of golf to get started?
Hemmersmeier: One does not need to know the game of golf to get started; in fact, I had never touched a golf club nor knew one single thing about golf when I started caddying. Of course, knowing the game instead of frantically searching up common golf terms the night before starting a new job would be ideal but far from necessary.
Pioneer: What does the scholarship award mean to you and your family?
Hemmersmeier: This scholarship really is a burden lifted off the shoulders of my parents and myself. Currently, I have two brothers and a sister attending college and this scholarship will allow me to finish undergraduate studies with nothing to pay back. Also, this scholarship to me is proof that hard work pays off as I have worked diligently over the past five years on the golf course, in the classroom, and in extracurriculars, which I am so grateful the committee recognized me for. For years, I have done everything in my power to be in a position to attend a prestigious university but was uncertain that I would be able to afford it. Now, with the Evans Scholarship, I can truly accomplish my dreams.
Pioneer: What school will you attend and what is your field of interest?
Hemmersmeier: While official school placements aren’t yet finalized for Evans Scholars, my top choice is the University of Notre Dame. There I would like to study chemical engineering on the pre-medicine track with hopes of attending medical school in the future.
Other area Evans Scholarship recipients include:
• Abraham Caballero of Elmhurst attending York Community High School;
• Joseph Rinchiuso of Elmhurst, also attending York;
• Trenton Parker of Oak Brook, also at York; and
• Charles McKerr of Western Springs, attending Lyons Township High School North.
Caballero also responded to Pioneer Press about the importance of the scholarship, saying in an email: “This scholarship signifies more than just sending another kid in our family to college. I am the third person in my family to go to college from a very large family, as my grandma had 13 children. This signifies that any other kid in my family has the ability to go to college if they work hard and look for opportunities in the world. My top two choices currently are Indiana University and Miami University (Ohio), with the intended field of study being finance and accounting.”
More information on the Western Golf Association Evans program is at:
WGAESF – Caddies
Information on a local caddying opportunity can be found at:
2024 Caddie Registration.pdf (butterfieldcc.org)
A few last words from Hemmersmeier:
Pioneer: Anything else you’d like readers – or potential caddies – to know?
Hemmersmeier: Dreams are for real.
Graydon Megan is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
