Let’s review: Caddie for a PGA Tour player (Corey Conners) at Castle Pines in the BMW Championship (check); Play golf with a YouTube celebrity (Roger Steele) at CommonGround Golf Course (check); Get selfies with the #1 (Scottie Scheffler) and #2 (Xander Schauffele) players in the world (check, and double check)!
A graduate of Regis Jesuit High School and an ACE Scholarship recipient, Georgia joined the Colorado Golf Association’s (CGA) Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy at CommonGround Golf Course in 2019. Although Georgia played some golf growing up and had recently joined her Regis High School team, her love of the game grew during her time as a caddie.
“Being a part of the Solich Academy taught me how much golf encompasses. It’s so much more than a game and it taught me lessons that went way beyond the golf course. Most importantly it taught me to advocate for myself and to have the confidence to interact with adults.”
Georgia never anticipated that the game of golf would alter the trajectory of her life in such a dramatic way. In 2023 Georgia received the Evans Scholarship to attend the University of Colorado in Boulder—a full tuition and housing scholarship.
“Receiving the Evans Scholarship lifted a huge financial burden but that is only part of it. My experience as an Evans Scholar has been amazing. Living in community with fellow caddies and learning about their aspirations and dreams makes my dreams feel so much more attainable.”
Georgia is taking full advantage of that CU education as she pursues degrees in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and finished her freshman year with a 4.0 GPA. That career path made Georgia a perfect candidate for an internship with the CGA. Through a partnership with the Denver Botanic Gardens (DBG) Georgia assisted DBG staff scientists with a study of pollinator habitat at CommonGround Golf Course.
“After spending so much time on the course at CommonGround as a caddie and as a player, it was fun to pay attention to the incredible habitat and botanic ecosystem that the course provides. There is a lot more ‘action’ in those native areas than most golfers realize!”
The CGA and the Colorado Golf Foundation (CGF) are committed to creating opportunities for young people like Georgia. Together the CGA and the CGF serve more than 35,000 youth participants in a wide range of programs. The common denominator among these participants is the game of golf. But as Georgia rightly points out, golf is so much more than a game.
“I am so thankful to the game of golf and to the Colorado Golf Association for the opportunities I have been given. I plan on giving back however I can so that others can realize their dreams.”
This year, as we approach Colorado Gives Day on December 10th, we would like you to consider making a gift to allow the CGA to continue serving young people like Georgia and inspire them to achieve their full potential on the course and in the classroom. Our year-end goal is to raise $100,000 this holiday season to cover the exciting growth (and increased demand) we are experiencing as the game of golf enjoys record popularity and opportunity. Similar to 2023, the Solich Fund has generously offered a matching grant of $50,000 to help us achieve this goal. Your support will go a long way to help us get there!
Thank you,
Ed Mate, Executive Director/CEO