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Lapeer senior Joseph D’Anna was selected to received the Western Golf Association’s Chick Evans Scholarship, a scholarship that goes to students who work at golf courses as caddies. Photo provided
Lapeer’s own Joseph D’Anna is one of 36 recipients for the highly prestigious Western Golf Association’s Chick Evans Scholarship, a unique scholarship that is earned through caddying. D’Anna is a caddie at Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club in Grand Blanc.
D’Anna earned the scholarship by meeting its four criteria: a strong caddie record, excellent academics, demonstrated financial need and outstanding character. The scholarship is valued at an estimated $125,000 over four years, providing full tuition and housing.
“Earning this scholarship means the world to me,” D’Anna said. “It’s absolutely life changing to me, and I hope to be able to use it to change someone else’s life one day.”
Most of the Michigan recipients are expected to attend either Michigan State University or University of Michigan. D’Anna himself hopes to attend the University of Michigan, with plans to major in biomedical engineering, setting his sights on eventually working on machines that assist with organ transplants.
D’Anna has been caddying at Warwick Hills golf course for three years, after his brother, who attends Ferris State University for golf management, recommended that he start caddying. Originally, D’Anna planned to caddie at Red Run Golf Club in Royal Oak but decided on Warwick Hills as it is much closer to home.
Caddying at Warwick Hills has afforded D’Anna the unique ability to caddie for some interesting people thanks to the Ally Challenge, which is hosted annually by Warwick Hills and is part of the PGA Champions Tour. The Ally Challenge hosts a Pro-Am event each year, which draws in some big names to golf alongside the professionals. D’Anna noted that his most interesting person he caddied for in the event was Folds of Honor founder Lt. Col. Dan Rooney. Rooney is former F-16 fighter pilot, a two-time Top Gun recipient and a PGA Professional and Class A member of the PGA of America.
“Lt. Col. Dan Rooney was the coolest person I’ve caddied for. He’s been my favorite so far and the humblest person I’ve caddied for,” D’Anna commented.
While D’Anna has no plans to further his career in caddying, he did note that it would be a possibility if the opportunity ever arose.
An estimated 360 caddies are expected to be awarded the Evans Scholarship nationwide this year, while a record 1,190 caddies are enrolled at 24 university nationwide as Evans Scholarship recipients. More than 12,285 caddies have graduated as Evans Scholars since the program was founded in by famed amateur golfer Charles “Chick” Evans Jr. in 1930.
— Kylee Rankin
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