Partnership also gives 500 DFW youth caddies opportunities to gain course experience in next two years
Haymarket, VA (May 7, 2018) – Supporting its mission to bring caddies back to the game of golf, CaddieNow, America’s leading on-demand caddie service, has signed an agreement to contribute to the Fort Worth Chapter of The First Tee, a not-for-profit, youth development organization introducing golf and its inherent values to young people.
Along with making a donation for each round its service is used locally, CaddieNow will offer new opportunities for area youth to become Junior Caddies and gain experience and access to local golf courses. The caddie on-demand company’s orientation program adds a logical extension to the youth trainings being conducted by The First Tee of Fort Worth, which becomes CaddieNow’s first nonprofit beneficiary in Texas.
The Fort Worth chapter is one of The First Tee’s largest in the nation and has the highest retention rate of participants anywhere in the country. The partnership with CaddieNow, which will begin in June, is expected to yield 500 junior caddies in the area in the next two years.
The First Tee participants, age 14 and up, will be able to attend CaddieNow orientations, which will be held at the Ben Hogan Learning Center. Parents are invited and encouraged to attend the sessions, which teach the fundamentals of caddying, course rules and game etiquette. After successfully completing the orientation, participants will be classified “Junior Caddies” and eligible to earn money at participating CaddieNow courses.
“This is yet another reason the North Texas area is a great market for us,” said Dave Cavossa, CaddieNow’s Founder and CEO. “We’re hitting the ground running, working with high-quality venues and excellent partners like The First Tee of Fort Worth. We’re pleased to be a part of their youth outreach and support the good work they’re doing.
“From the onset, CaddieNow has been committed to making a positive impact in the communities we serve,” Cavossa continued. “We are proud to offer our popular service to the Metroplex and at the same time promote golf to youth as we’re bringing caddies back to the game.”
Kevin Long, Executive Director of The First Tee of Fort Worth, said, “We are excited about this opportunity with CaddieNow. It’s a new fundraising initiative for us, but more importantly, it’s a new way of engaging young people. We’re merging the traits of The First Tee and our Life Skills Experience with a real-life application at the next level. It’s a natural extension for us as they can now be part of the workforce while they’re meeting great influencers. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.”
CaddieNow’s Marketing Director and DFW Lead Shannon Kneisler said, “The First Tee of Fort Worth has a great, established tradition of helping youth. That’s a mission we share. I am amazed at the size and the impact they’ve had on youth and in this community. I look forward to working with them to put in place a program that helps youth learn and earn. This will have a positive, lasting effect on them and the towns and cities where they live.”
Kneisler said while CaddieNow chose the Fort Worth Chapter as its first nonprofit to support in Texas, it won’t be the only one. “CaddieNow invests locally in the communities we’re in, so as we expand to other cities and areas, we will support other youth programs in the Metroplex.”
Modeled after the well-known ride-sharing apps, CaddieNow is America’s fastest-growing, caddie service platform. It pairs golfers who want a caddie with a true independent contractor, who has the flexibility to meet at the golfer’s preferred time and place. There is no cost to the club to offer the CaddieNow platform to their customers. The virtual service has gained popularity in the industry nationwide because it’s easy for golfers to book caddies, for caddies to find work, and for courses with or without existing caddie programs to offer caddie services at no additional costs.
For clubs with existing caddie programs, the CaddieNow Concierge service streamlines operations, reduces costs, and most importantly includes insurance liability coverage while providing caddies with true independent contractor status. According to Cavossa, “We are experiencing great receptivity because we address the growing problem for clubs who are feeling increased exposure to liabilities associated with traditional caddie programs with regard to insurance liability and labor law violations.”
CaddieNow’s platform is highly customizable and allows each course to select the levels of service, pricing and payment methods best for their operation. “Our flexibility allows clubs to continue to have complete control over their program and the experience their members require,” Cavossa said.
The company started on the East Coast in Virginia and Maryland in 2015 and grew to California and the West Coast last year. It is now in Florida, Ohio, South Carolina and Pennsylvania. Texas became the eighth state, and first in the Southwest, to get CaddieNow this Spring.
To use the service, golfers simply download the free CaddieNow app, which is available for iPhone and Android devices, and register. After golfers enter the course, date and time they plan to play, they receive a confirmation notice from their looper, who will meet them at the course. Fees range from $30 – $80, plus tip, depending on the golfer’s desired level of caddy experience. CaddieNow offers four levels of caddie service: JR LOOPER, LOOPER, FORE-LOOPER and PRO-LOOPER. The company is currently operating on more than 100 courses.
About CaddieNow
CaddieNow is America’s fastest-growing, caddies-on-demand platform. Founded in 2015 and headquartered outside Washington, D.C., its mission is to grow the game of golf through youth caddies and make them widely and easily accessible to golfers of all skill levels at affordable prices. Available as a free download on iPhone and Android devices, golfers enter the course, day and time they want to play and receive a confirmation notice from their caddie, who meets them at the course. The company’s service is operating at more than 100 courses in eight states with plans to add more this year. It is also used by thousands of golfers at tournaments and special events. For more information go to CaddieNow.com.
About The First Tee of Fort Worth
The mission of The First Tee of Fort Worth is to impact the lives of all young people by providing participation in The First Tee’s Life Skills Curriculum and its Nine Core Values through the game of golf, thereby instilling life enhancing values that encourage leadership, build character, foster community service and promote wellness. For more information, go to thefirstteeftworth.org.
Contact:
Jimmy Ervin 703-623-2229
jimmy@caddienow.com
