When Hannah Abbey first stepped on the golf course at 14 years old to work as a caddie, she felt scared. 

“I just felt pretty nervous, but the people there were really sweet and they were like, ‘Hey, we know it’s your first day,’” she recalled. “They were just being very helpful, which really eased it.”

Now at 18, Abbey has honed her caddying skills at the Meridian Golf Club — so much so she was awarded the Western Golf Association’s Chick Evans Scholarship, a full, four-year housing and tuition scholarship for golf caddies. 

Abbey, a Centennial resident graduating from Cherry Creek High School, was among 14 students in Colorado who got the scholarship and will be starting college this fall at the University of Colorado Boulder.

The four selection criteria for the scholarship are a strong caddie record, excellent academics, demonstrated financial need and outstanding character, according to a news release.

“Each student has demonstrated excellence in the classroom, on the golf course and in their communities,” Western Golf Association Chairman Joe Desch said in the release. “We are thrilled for them to join an exceptional class of newly awarded Evans Scholars from across the nation.” 

The Evans Scholarship is the nation’s largest scholarship program for caddies, per the release. The Western Golf Association, which is headquartered in Illinois, has supported the scholarship program through the Evans Scholars Foundation for nearly a century. 

In 1929, an amateur golfer, named Charles “Chick” Evans Jr., asked the Western Golf Association to administer the fund he had established to send caddies to college, according to the association’s website. 

The Western Golf Association awarded its first two scholarships in 1930, per the website. Now, there are about 1,100 Evans Scholars enrolled in 22 universities nationwide for the 2022-23 academic year, and 11,815 people have graduated as Evans Scholars since 1930.

When Abbey’s uncle, who is a golfer at the CommonGround Golf Course, heard about the scholarship program, he told her family about it.  

Shortly after she turned 14, Abbey started doing the training to become a caddie, a role that involves more than just holding the bag for the golfer, she explained. 

“You also get to guide the golfer, or (the) golfer guides you, in some cases,” she said. “I kind of describe it as a learning and teaching experience.”

Prior to her caddying experience, Abbey said she did not think much of golf, but through her role, she gained a newfound respect for it. 

“I got to enjoy and actually indulge in the game. And I got to see what it really was,” Abbey said. “I came in with little to no respect to the game, just here for the scholarship.”

“Still, I’m here for the scholarship, but I’m also just … enjoying being here,” she added. 

Besides the early morning shifts, she said one of the hardest parts of being a caddie is “not getting in your head a lot,” such as when things go wrong. 

However, at the same time, Abbey loves to learn from her mistakes. 

“I’m the type of person who’s just always trying to improve on what they did wrong. And the golfers aren’t afraid to tell you what you did wrong, but they’ll do it in the nicest way,” she said, explaining some golfers she has worked with offered tips on how to be a better caddie.  

Once Abbey officially got the scholarship, she said she was really happy, noting how much of a financial relief the scholarship offers. 

“That’s helped a lot, especially with the amount of siblings I’ve had,” she said, explaining she is the youngest of six girls. “I took it as a gift — as just an opportunity … (to) continue my future without just having to worry and just be burdened by all of the stress of financial aid.” 

Something that surprised Abbey was finding out 11 of the 14 Colorado caddies who got the scholarship are women, as caddying is traditionally a male-dominated field. 

“When you think of a golf caddie, you kind of just think of a man doing it. So, I guess it’s not, just, broadcasted enough that it’s also very eligible for females,” she said. 

She wants young girls to know caddying and this scholarship are opportunities available to them.

“I’m not trying to say, ‘no guys,’ but, again, I do want to broaden the girl population and also the diversity population, too,” she said. 

As Abbey’s high school career comes to an end and she looks ahead to her next chapter at CU Boulder, she said it feels a bit nerve-wracking. 

“I’m a little nervous, but I’m really excited,” she said. 

Abbey plans to pursue a major in molecular biology and minor in Spanish, with the ultimate goal of going to medical school to become a pediatrician. 

“I love helping people,” she said. “I want to make a difference in this world, and I love working with kids.”