Monday, July 24, 2017

Youth on Course Partners with LOOPER to Expand Caddie Academy, Golf Employment Opportunities

(PEBBLE BEACH, CALIF.) — Youth on Course — the organization renowned for providing affordable golf access – has partnered with LOOPER, the premiere caddies-on-demand service provider, to further expand its flourishing Caddie Academy.

Using the LOOPER app, golfers can reserve caddies for play at 13 participating Youth on Course facilities in the San Francisco Bay area, Fresno and Monterrey Peninsula. Youth on Course pays caddies half the regular caddie fee, making a golfer’s cost comparable to renting a cart.  It also deposits $50 into a college scholarship fund for caddies with financial need each time they complete a "loop" (round).

A premium service with no cost to golf course operations, LOOPER supports more than 100 courses nationwide with roughly 2,000 registered caddies.  In addition to carrying bags and providing some on course knowledge, LOOPER caddies focus on hustle and having a great attitude. They also take care of time consuming tasks during the round like raking bunkers, tending flagsticks and carrying clubs. Walking alongside a caddie for 18 holes burns more than 2,000 calories, relieves stress and improves cardiovascular health.

“Youth on Course and LOOPER share a mission to remove barriers which prevent entry to golf,” says Adam Heieck, Executive Director of Youth on Course. “LOOPER’s mobile platform allows for efficient connectivity to the communities we serve while stimulating youth engagement with the game.”

“Today, less than five percent of U.S. golf courses have caddie programs,” says David Cavossa, Founder and CEO of LOOPER. “Partnering with Youth on Course allows us to highlight the importance of caddies and encourage the next generation of golfers to experience the game.”

The Caddie Academy started in 2014 at San Jose Country Club, with steady growth throughout Northern California since then. This program helps youth caddies increase their confidence, professionalism, effective communication and relationship-building skills. The organization is aggressively exploring expansion of the Caddie Academy.

The Youth on Course-LOOPER connection aligns with a rise in junior and millennial golf. There are 2.9 million players ages 6-17 who are starting earlier in life. The 18-34 set of six million golfers on-course and three million off-course (driving ranges, golf-entertainment centers and simulators) is golf’s largest segment with latent demand of 15 million “interested” and “somewhat interested” in taking up the game. These demographics are rapidly adopting LOOPER’s Uber-like technology.

For more information: www.youthoncourse.org

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