The Professional Caddie Association Foundation announces its class of 2006 inductees into the PCA Worldwide Caddie Hall of Fame. Honorees will be inducted into the PCA Worldwide Caddie Hall of Fame to be held at the 2007 PGA Show in Orlando, January 26, 2007 at 4pm. Please help us tell the PCA-HOF story for the kids and the game. Contact PCAF@PCAFhq.org for more INSIDE LOOPER information.
THE EIGHT GREAT 2006 mentors of the game. Inductees into the Caddie Division are:
Walter "Cricket" Pritchett: 62 is now residing In Madison AL. Pritchett started caddying at the age of 9 in Houston in 1952, Texas growing up without a father. In 1963 Walter heard from some traveling caddies that he could work on the PGA Tour and thought that was something that he would like to do and he was right. Walter ended up working on Tour for six years when his travels took him to Atlanta where he met his wife and settled down to raise his family. During his tenure on TOUR Cricket had 4 wins but his best experience happened in 1971 when he won the Masters with Charles Coody. Cricket just new Coody was going to win so he took off from work under the guise of finishing up some business in Texas and headed to Augusta. He wore a towel over his head so his boss wouldn’t recognize him and know that he skipped work. Walter has never lost his love of the game and recommends that any young person who has the opportunity should get involved in golf in some way to do so.
Bradley S. Klein, Ph.D. 51, Bloomfield CT Klein is former PGA Tour and club caddie and is now a respected golf industry leader and powerful longtime advocate for caddies. Author of the Rough Meditations: from Tour Caddie to Golf Course Critic, an Insider’s Look at the Game, where he devotes an entire section to caddying and the history of caddying. After reading the first three chapters, the PCA Worldwide was honored by the fact that a majority of the caddies mentioned in the book are inductees in the PCA Worldwide Caddie Hall of Fame. Bradley owes his success to caddying. His hard work and determination qualified him to become a recipient of the Long Island Caddie Scholarship Fund in 1971, which enabled him to attend college, earn his B.A., and eventually go on to complete a Ph.D. in Political Science. While in graduate school and even afterwards, Brad caddied on the PGA Tour, 1976-1986. Brad has combined his love of golf and his love of writing in form of numerous articles, not only about course design but also (often) about caddying
Willie "Pappy" Stokes ( The Grandfather of Caddies at Augusta ) Died 2006 at 86 Augusta GA Stokes worked at Berckman Nurseries before the grounds were converted into a golf course and became The Augusta National Golf Club.
He was known as the man who knew how to play the greens. Stokes was able to read the course from the fairway and tell you which way the ball would roll and how far from the hole it would be when it hit the green. He taught the young caddies how to play the course and how to club their man. At age 17 Willie "Pappy" Stokes was on the bag of his first masters win with 1938 Champion (Henry Picard), and again in 1948 (Claude Harmon), 1951 and 1953 (Ben Hogan) and 1956 (Jack Burke Jr.). "Pappy was is the only man to have caddied for four different Masters champions ".
Roger Martinez 65 Lake Park FL Martinez is a former PGA Tour caddie who holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1941, hit the ground running and has not looked back. He now lives and works in the U.S., where he became a citizen in 1973. Roger has caddied for more than 27 years, from country clubs in Argentina to working five different professional golf tours. . He is also a former Argentine Olympic soccer player, and was recruited by the Miami Dolphins as a place kicker at the age of 34 – making him perhaps the oldest rookie drafted in NFL history. He has also worked as a draftsmen/civil engineer for Jack Nicklaus’ design firm. In his caddie career, he has worked for Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Nicklaus. In short, truly is an incredible model for every caddie in the Hall of Fame.
NEW Division Caddie/Coach for the Challenged Golfer with special needs.
Gerry W. Barousse Jr.: 47, New Orleans LA Caddie/Coach for Pat W. Browne Jr. Blind Golfer. He has been working for the past 21 years as a caddie/coach and has numerous wins and top ten finishes under his belt as coach for Pat. The most memorable moment was in the U.S. Blind Golf Association National Championship Tournament held in Greensboro NC. Gerry and Pat together went on to shoot the first ever-even par for the course with an 86. And then following it up on Sunday to shoot 83 to win the event. In the early 90’s Gerry and Pat went head to head against Payne Stewart at an exhibition in Orlando, Payne played 9 holes completely blindfolded Payne shot a 62 and while Gerry and Pat shot a 42. Pat has been playing in competition for the USBGA since 1969 and believes that Gerry is the number one caddie/coach in the field with a BIG heart.
Kevin J. Sullivan: 51 Framingham MA Caddie/Coach for William McMahon of the United States Blind Golfers Association and has become more than the caddie but is a caddie coach. Kevin after meeting Bill at a Lions Club tournament in MA was so impressed with Bill’s ability as a blind golfer that he offered Bill his services on and off the course. They hooked up with PGA Professional Kurt Sokolowski and have logged impressive wins in Tournaments across the country over the past 14 years. But more than that Kevin has found his calling in being a caddie/coach. He has had the opportunity to help train and mentor blind golfers of all ages, participates in fundraising activities across the country and assist impaired golfers.
The Caddie Manager Division
7. Douglass Ellsworth, 68, Morris Plains NJ The Sankaty Head Caddy Camp is the last remaining caddy camp in the United States and one of the last in the world. The camp is for boys between the ages of 14 and 16 and teaches its participants to assume the responsibilities of self-support, self-direction and independent action under the guidance of camps staff. The camp is situated between two fairways on The Sankaty Head Golf Course, Nantucket Island, in Siasconset, Mass. Here 60 caddies 6 junior staff members a program director, caddy master, camp director Douglass Ellsworth for the past 43 years, assistant camp director and cook are located just off the 11th hole on the course. The camp participates in two educational scholarship programs: The Norman L. Claxton Educational Scholarship and the Roy E. Larsen Education Scholarship have both been established by the Sankaty Head Foundation. But most impressive is the essence of Camp Sankaty the development of the campers in matters of responsibility, honesty, integrity, industry, money management and other characteristics involved in the maturity of older boys, with the goal of developing productive citizens in our personal and business world. The motto of the alumni association states it all: "Summer Experience-Lifetime Memories."
Lynda Barco Spirit Award (A person or Company) who has been an angel to PCA
J. Michael Hartman, 65, Sanford FL Mike Hartman Accounting and Tax Service have been keeping the Books for the PCA Worldwide Inc and the PCA Worldwide Foundation for the past 15 years, and have been a friend and supporter of the caddie cause since day one.
We are accepting nominations for the 2007 Caddie Hall of Fame if you know of someone who is deserving of this honor please contact PCA today. Need more female caddie nominees for 2007. Know any? The Heartbeat of PCA Foundation A great PCA / Michael Bolton story here to help families at risk worldwide http://www.prnewswire.com/news/index_mail.shtml?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-11-2005/0004087006&EDATE and www.PCAworldwide.com
Contact:
Dennis Cone
386-446-8721
PCA@PCAworldwide.com