The 2023 Caddie Summit was hosted by Denver Country Club and featured presentations and conversations on a variety of topics, including an update on Colorado State Legislation and the Evans Scholarship Program.
Caddie leaders from around the state met on March 1 at Denver Country Club for the 2023 CGA Caddie Summit. The mission of the summit is to share the best practices among caddie clubs to motivate and inspire these programs.
The Summit is sponsored by the Colorado Golf Foundation, the charitable arm of the CGA to provide funding for Colorado-based golf organizations and programs, using golf to build important life skills and instill hard in young people.
The CGA Caddie Summit, which began in 2012, attracted 68 caddie leaders representing 18 clubs from around Colorado.
CGA Lobbyist Jennifer Cassell kicked off the event by giving an update on the latest trends and happenings in the Colorado State Legislature. Cassell explained how numerous aspects of state politics, such as the Democratic Party continuing to hold a majority in both chambers in the 2023 session, continue to impact golf.
Afterward, Ashley Harrell, CGA Chief Operations Officer, provided an update on the organization’s mission. Harrell emphasized numerous aspects that the CGA strives for, including providing value through innovative benefits and programs targeted to membership segments.
She then passed the mic to fellow CGA representative Emily Olson, the organization’s Director of Caddie Development. Olson broke down the details of their caddie programs survey, explaining recent trends and their significance.
Following the presentation on the survey, Brian Bianchi (left), Todd Melrose (right) and Paul Knue (not pictured) of the Western Golf Association led a best-practices discussion around caddie recruitment, training and promotion to club members. The conversation was focused on youth caddies and improving systems to recruit and vet prospective caddies.
This conversation would continue into the Q&A segment hosted by Denver Country Club Caddie Manager Zane Stone and CGA Executive Director Ed Mate.
In addition to furthering the dialogue surrounding the mission of the Evans Scholarship, representatives from CaddieNow and ClubUp discussed their platforms and its benefit toward caddie clubs throughout the state.
