CARY, NC – The first-ever Professional Caddie Certification program has already made an impact in the golf industry, with inaugural graduate and club caddie, Ronan ‘Goose’ Lucey securing his PGA Tour Caddie credentials just one week after completing the course.
Lucey will be on the bag for PGA Tour professional David Hearn for the Puerto Rico Open this week, demonstrating the program’s immediate success in placing graduates in professional roles.
Developed by elite PGA Tour caddies Grant Berry, Mike Hicks and Heath Holt, the program was designed to provide an unprecedented level of training for aspiring caddies. Over the course of seven days, students received intensive instruction from golf industry experts, including Masters and U.S. Open Rules Official Todd Satterfield, Tour physio Digby Watt, leading golf psychologist Josh Nichols, Level 4 AimPoint expert Justin Blazer, and renowned Tour statistician Austin Powell.
The certification program, hosted at NC State University’s Lonnie Poole Golf Course, was recognized as a key workforce development initiative. Students had the unique opportunity to practice their craft alongside the NC State golf team, gaining real-world experience under expert guidance.
The inaugural class included a diverse group of professionals: three full-time club caddies, a college golf coach, a photo-journalist contractor and documentary filmmaker, a retired executive in golf travel, a builder and part-time caddie, and a retired Pentagon Colonel. Each participant made a commitment to their professional growth, investing $4,000 in the course – an investment they unanimously deemed excellent value for money.
“After a year in development and with the backing of respected industry figures like Todd and Austin, we were both excited and nervous about launching this program,” said Grant Berry. “The outcome exceeded all expectations, and the feedback from our graduates has been overwhelmingly positive.”
Allen Smith, Head Men’s Golf Coach at the University of Lynchburg and course graduate, shared his enthusiasm: “I really didn’t know what to expect, but everything was above and beyond. The instructors were passionate and knowledgeable, and the learning experience was exceptional. Beyond professional caddying, the course imparted lessons in professionalism and life principles that will benefit us all.”
With the caddying profession expanding beyond PGA, LPGA, LIV, and Champions Tours, co-founder Mike Hicks emphasized the program’s role in meeting industry demand: “There is a significant need for trained caddies at clubs, resorts, and lower tour levels. In the past five years, caddying has become a financially viable career beyond the highest professional tours, opening up new opportunities.”
The program has garnered support from key industry organizations, including the Association of Professional Tour Caddies (APTC), Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA), and CaddieMaster, which manages many resort caddie programs.
The second Professional Caddie Certification program is set to begin on July 15. Those interested in joining this career-launching initiative can find more details and apply at: https://bit.ly/3QKOf0b
