Parents & Guardians

What is caddying?

A golf caddie is a person who carries a player’s bag over the course of 18 holes. It is a demanding, physical job, not to be taken lightly. A caddie must walk approximately 5-6 miles over the course of a round, up and down hills, carry a bag that can weigh up to 30 pounds or more, and do so in all kinds of weather. Caddies can, however, make very good money in relation to the time spent working when you factor in a tip.

How is ForeUs different?

ForeUs gives Twin Cities youth (age 13 and older) the opportunity to experience the skill and discipline of the game of golf by connecting and training our participants to be top notch caddies at private golf courses. ForeUs promotes good citizenship by expecting all participants to maintain good grades and exemplify good character. Through ForeUs, young people and their families have an opportunity to learn a lifelong sport that teaches humility, discipline, honesty, integrity and self-respect. Participants make a commitment to the program and enjoy the rewards of establishing and following through with long-term goals. As an added benefit, these young people have the opportunity to earn income and free rounds of golf by working as caddies. And some exceptional young people receive scholarship funds to assist them in post-secondary endeavors.

For kids not old enough to caddie, or for those kids not wanting to be a caddie, we are re-launching our golf playing component. This will give your child a chance to play the game and interact with other youth with similar interests.

ForeUs gives Twin Cities youth (age 13 and older) the opportunity to experience the skill and discipline of the game of golf by connecting and training our participants to be top notch caddies at private golf courses. ForeUs promotes good citizenship by expecting all participants to maintain good grades and exemplify good character. Through the ForeUs, young people and their families have an opportunity to learn a lifelong sport that teaches humility, discipline, honesty, integrity, and self-respect. Participants make a commitment to the program and enjoy the rewards of establishing and following through with long-term goals. As an added benefit, these young people have the opportunity to earn income and free rounds of golf by working as caddies. Additionally, some exceptional young people will receive scholarship funds to assist them in post-secondary endeavors.

For kids not old enough to caddie, or for those kids not wanting to be a caddie, we are re-launching our golf playing component. This will give your child a chance to play the game and interact with other youth with similar interests.

Caddie Training & Employment

Our partner courses expect the best and therefore ForeUs training is quite extensive. It consists of four 2-hour training sessions held in late March at the Urban League and on-course in early April at Theodore Wirth Par 3 Golf Course. After the completion of training, caddies are tested and matched with a private course for the golf season.

We partner primarily with The Minikahda Club, who has established a joint commitment with us wherein twenty of their members serve as ambassadors to ForeUs caddies. This gives our kids more opportunities to caddie throughout the summer with golfers who have an interest in our program. But we’re not limited to just one course. We also have partnered through the years with The Town & Country Club, Midland Hills Country Club, Golden Valley Country Club, Oak Ridge Country Club and Hazeltine National Golf Club.

Special Caddying Opportunities

The Program Director actively works with local golf professionals to find golf tournaments and other special events for ForeUs caddies. Certain events only accept a limited number of caddies and only top performers will be selected. In the past, we have had caddies at The Lewis Sports Foundation Fundraising Tournament and the 3M Open Pro-Am.

Parental Responsibilities

Transportation and support are the primary role for parents. Attendance is critical to the success of your child and our organization. Any child that does not attend all of the training sessions, or does not complete required testing materials, will not have adequate training and will not be allowed to participate in the program. Golf facilities will not tolerate half-trained caddies. We also ask that parents and guardians support their child’s pledge to the ForeUs to be a good citizen and good student and always act in a way that reflects on themselves, their family and the organization.

Nice to meet you

Caddie Program Standards and Compensation Guidelines

As part of our strategic plan to assist our caddies and in the best interest of the ForeUs and the community it serves, we have developed the following caddie standards and compensation guidelines.

ForeUs Caddie Standards

Attend ForeUs caddie school and graduate (8 hours of training)
Know the difference between irons, woods, putter and uses of each
Show the correct way to enter and rake a bunker
Demonstrate ability to find and fix ball marks
Know how to correctly attend the flag stick and where to stand
Know correct procedures for: water hazard, out of bounds, ball in bunker, putting green etiquette, teeing ground etiquette, and conclusion at the end of the round
Show desire to earn Honor Level caddie status
Have excellent knowledge of all rules and etiquet

Honor Level Caddie Standards

Demonstrated commitment to the program for at least two years
Completes three loops per week consistently
Demonstrates physical strength to carry doubles for eighteen holes
Shows an interest in helping to train new recruits

Note: Honor Level Caddies are eligible for ForeUs scholarship assistance