Golf industry titan’s appointment effective immediately
Haymarket, VA (June 4, 2018) – Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., one of golf’s best-known advocates of youth development, is joining the Board of Directors for CaddieNow, America’s leading on-demand caddie service and the workforce solution for caddie programs and hourly workers in the industry.
The son of boxing legend Joe Louis, Barrow’s appointment to the CaddieNow board is effective immediately, the company announced today. He joins Sandy Cross, the Senior Director of Diversity and Inclusion at PGA of America, as another visionary leader and trusted advisor lending their expertise and experience to the CaddieNow executive team.
For 18 years, Barrow served as CEO of The First Tee, a not-for-profit, youth development organization that introduces golf and its inherent values to young people. Under his leadership from 2000 to 2017, he initiated character-building programs and instilled values-based initiatives that reached more than 15 million young people in all 50 states and three international locales. His work resulted in significant growth and distribution of golf and character education opportunities for young people across the U.S. that provided training for jobs and taught life skills necessary to succeed professionally. He led The First Tee’s evolution from an access-to-the-game focus to a positive, youth development organization that improved the lives of young people at more than 1,200 golf courses, 10,000 elementary schools and 1,300 youth-serving locations.
Barrow’s career in business, marketing and public service spans more than 45 years. A long-time champion of mentoring youth and teaching them life skills and job preparedness, he’s been involved with the American Junior Golf Association since 1999. He’s also a Member and the current Chair of the National Golf Foundation’s Board of Directors.
Since its founding in 2015, CaddieNow’s stated mission has been to bring caddies back to the game and engage the next generation in golf through employment. The company wants to grow the game through youth caddies and make them widely and easily accessible to golfers of all skill levels at affordable prices. CaddieNow strategically supports nonprofit partners with similar vision, such as The First Tee and Youth on Course, to engage youth to meet those goals.
“Joe Louis Barrow and CaddieNow share a vision to positively influence today’s youth through the character and values learned by being a caddie,” said Dave Cavossa, CaddieNow’s Founder and CEO. “That shared interest made this working partnership an easy decision for us. We are dedicated to working together to provide the next generation with more job opportunities and to increase diversity in the game and this industry.”
“From the onset, CaddieNow has been committed to making a positive impact in the communities we serve,” Cavossa continued. “We’re extremely proud to have someone of Joe Louis Barrow’s knowledge and stature working with us.”
Barrow said, “I am eager and excited to continue positively impacting and influencing America’s youth as the newest member of the CaddieNow Board of Directors. This company is focused on providing youth with opportunities to learn and earn though golf. I firmly believe this is an important undertaking and one which is beneficial to young people.”
“Serving on this board gives me another avenue to push for young men and women to acquire these important life lessons and apply them in a real-life situation as part of the workforce,” Barrow continued. “They get to do this while they’re doing physical activity and meeting great influencers on top of that. Put them all together and this has lasting, positive effects on them and their communities. It’s a big win-win for everyone involved.”
CaddieNow’s on demand platform pairs golfers with caddies who have the flexibility to meet at the player’s preferred time and place. The service has gained popularity in the industry 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 caddies at minimal costs.
CaddieNow works with each course, public or private, on an individual basis to ensure the best possible program for every partner. Generally, for courses with established programs, it offers a menu of services from which they can pick and choose what they want or need to enhance their operations; for courses without existing caddies, CaddieNow helps them start programs to add the caddie experience. CaddieNow handles caddie recruitment and orientation in coordination with courses and partner nonprofit, youth organizations. Candidates go through a certification process with classroom and on-course orientation that prepares them to be caddies. As independent contractors they can choose when, what course, and how often they want to caddie.
The company started on the East Coast in Virginia and Maryland 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 year.
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, America’s leading on-demand caddie service, is the workforce solution for caddie programs and hourly workers in the golf industry. It provides a highly customizable, full-service platform that helps clubs streamline operations, reduce costs and minimize the liabilities of their caddie program while maintaining complete control of the golfer experience. Available as a free download on iPhone and Android devices, the on-demand service pairs a golfer who wants a caddie with a true independent contractor who has the flexibility to meet at the player’s preferred time and place. CaddieNow has gained popularity in the industry 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 caddies at minimal costs. 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. For more information go to CaddieNow.com.
Contact:
Jimmy Ervin 703-623-2229
jimmy@caddienow.com
