Even while working as a member of the MGA’s championships staff, former MGA Caddie Scholar Oliver Wolland continues to caddie during his free time at Hudson National Golf Club.
Wolland has been caddieing at Hudson National since 2019 and working at the club since 2017. At the MGA, Wolland currently serves as a championships coordinator, having previously been a part of the championships team as a USGA PJ Boatwright intern from 2024 to 2025.
Editor's Note: Oliver's answers have been edited for length and clarity.
I used to work at Hudson National as a bag room attendant, helped with carts, and was a range attendant. I'd talk to the caddies and find out about how cool it is to work on the course and directly with the players, and I fell in love with it.
I saw there was a job opening to work in the kitchen, and when I interviewed for the job, they asked if I wanted to work in the golf department. I said, “Yes.”
It was my initial intention. I attended Coastal Carolina University for a semester out of high school and was part of the PGM program. I didn't like the school or the program as much as I thought I would. I ended up transferring to SUNY Oswego to play more competitive golf. And I loved that a lot more.
I initially had a job in finance after graduating, and I really didn't like it. I was talking to my parents, and they said, “You should do something now that you're going to love.” I visited the USGA, PGA, and MGA websites and found a job opening for the Boatwright Internship, applied, and landed the position. I'm thrilled where I am.
I would say the etiquette of being on courses all the time. I know how to act, I know how not to act. I know what to say to people and players on the course. I know how to act in the clubhouse, what to do, and what not to do, and I think it translates perfectly into this job.
Yeah, for as long as I can keep it. I'm happy with what I'm doing, and I see significant growth potential here. It's an excellent experience and I think it'll help in the long term.
The scholarship allowed me to go through college with minimal debt. I received a very generous scholarship, which allowed me not to worry about paying off debt after graduation. I had the opportunity to attend college, play golf, enjoy it, and then find a job, start saving, and do real adult things.
The support helped me and it gave me a little extra drive to do my work. I had to maintain a certain GPA, although I believe I exceeded it in most semesters. In the back of my mind, I knew I had to work hard to keep the scholarship because it's a privilege. I needed to earn it.
I would say that if you go into it only worrying about the cash that you get handed after the round, you're not going to like it as much as if you really try to connect with the players. I think it's as much about networking as it is a job. These people do quite well for themselves, and they really do want to help you out. Talk to them about life and their experiences, listen, and learn the game because golf is a lifelong sport. So you want to be as in tune with the game as you can be throughout, you know, your time caddieing.