Ouimet Alumnus Tim Barton’s first memory of golf is hitting wiffle balls with his dad in his backyard as a six-year-old. His dad introduced him to the game, and he loved it from a young age. At age 10, Tim used his paper route earnings to pay $50 a year for a junior membership at Braintree Municipal Golf Course, and by age 13, Tim would find his way to the club by bike with his bag on his back.

“I lived at the golf course,” Tim Barton said. “I was a fixture from very little and it was my second home. So, it was a natural progression to knock on the door and ask for the opportunity to work there.”

Tim started working there when he was 16 throughout his junior year in high school, taking on various roles. He worked in the pro shop and cart barn, caddied for the occasional regional tournament, and assisted the starter. For Tim, golf was a way to spend quality time with his dad, learn about the game, and compete.

“Golf taught me honor, and it is a game of integrity and values and principles and making the right decision as a young person,” Barton said. “I had a strong foundation with parents who taught that, but the game of golf was all about discipline and getting exposed as a young person to a diverse mix of people on a more even playing field.”

In addition, golf allowed Tim to spend time with Ouimet Alumnus Bob Beach, the Assistant Head Professional at Braintree Municipal Golf Course at the time.

“Bob was a mentor and the kindest, most thoughtful leader,” Barton said. “He was very invested in me as a person, and he took care of me. He was a great teacher and held people accountable but with incredible soft skills.”

Bob encouraged Tim to apply for a Ouimet Scholarship and wrote his recommendation letter, along with Dick Hanscom, the Head Golf Professional at Braintree Municipal Golf Course at the time.

“Receiving my scholarship was a game changer for me,” Barton said. “It completely transformed my life at that age.”

Tim funded 100 percent of his college education and knew Bryant University was the right school for him. The difference between what he could afford and borrow was significant and his Ouimet Scholarship made attending Bryant possible.

“Without the Ouimet Fund, I would not have been able to go,” Barton said. “Each year tuition went up, and each year my Ouimet Scholarship did too, and if it didn’t, I would not have been able to stay in school there.”

Tim started a house painting company in college to make money, but even with that, the rising cost of tuition was outpacing his earnings.

“The Ouimet Fund enabled me to get in and to stay,” Barton said. “I met my wife at Bryant, and it was the single biggest game-changing impact on my young life.”

Tim played competitive golf growing up and led Braintree High School’s golf team as captain. However, after college and as he got older, he had less time to play and felt connected to the game through his involvement with The Fund.

“I love golf and have always stayed connected to it emotionally through the Ouimet Fund,” Barton said. “Regardless of how much I golf, I always think about what the Ouimet Fund did for me and prioritize giving back.”

Tim credits The Fund for teaching him the significance of philanthropy, something he values deeply.

“Being a Ouimet Scholar shaped my mindset around philanthropy and giving back,” Barton said. “As a Trustee at Bryant University, I’m trying to instill in young people the importance of philanthropy and what it teaches.”

Another philanthropic project Tim is involved with is the restoration of Francis Ouimet’s childhood home on Clyde Street, spearheaded by Tom Hynes.

A fellow member of The Country Club, Tim, heard about Tom’s initiative and reached out to him, offering his services.

“Francis Ouimet is one of the most influential individuals in my entire life, and I never even met the man,” Barton laughs. “So, the opportunity to participate and preserve the house in the memory of Francis was a simple decision.”

In a full circle moment, Tim and his college roommate Dave Beirne were the first folks to stay in the renovated Brookline house when they were in town to play in The Country Club’s member-guest tournament.

“He was my roommate at Bryant, and he knows firsthand how little money I had, so he often funded me and helped me as well,” Barton said. “He knows how much Francis Ouimet changed my life. To stay at the house together was quite extraordinary, and it wasn’t lost on him what a big deal it was sleeping in Francis’ room.”

Tim can still recall how nervous he was going into his Ouimet interview at Thorny Lea Golf Club when he was 17 years old.

“I remember that interview like it was yesterday, and it was the first time I’d ever presented myself in such a way to a panel of distinguished professionals,” Barton said. “Being selected is one of my proudest accomplishments as a young person.”

Tim refers to his Ouimet interview when he teaches young people about gaining experiences in formal settings on how to present themselves. Because for Tim, being a Ouimet Scholar was always more than just financial support.

“There is so much value in what the Ouimet Fund does for young people who may not have resources and what it teaches,” Barton said. “The Fund selected me, and supported me, and invested in me, and everything that happened after wouldn’t have happened without Francis Ouimet.”

Ouimet Alumnus and Auburn, Massachusetts native Brian Johnson believes that golf will always be part of his life. He learned to play when he was eight years old and was one of the youngest caddies at Tatnuck Country Club when he started working there at age 12.

“Some of my older brother’s friends had jobs at Tatnuck, and my grandfather grew up caddying there as well,” Brian Johnson said. “I caddied there throughout high school, and when I could in college, so I was there for eight or nine summers.”

Working with older caddies when he first started off taught Brian lessons about interacting with his peers and motivated him to move up in the caddie ranks.

“I learned a lot from the older caddies about how you work and play your role from experience and knowledge,” Johnson said. “Learning from them made me want to push myself and be better.”

From learning to respect others and the game, Brian’s experience on the course with members taught him valuable etiquette and interpersonal skills.

“Being out on the course caddying for a variety of people teaches you a lot and was such a positive experience,” Johnson said. “Golf is a good stage to see how adults interact with each other, and you can observe a lot.”

A highlight from Brian’s caddying years was when longtime Tatnuck member John Budd and Ouimet Fund Board Member Bill Kelleher asked Brian to caddie for them in their Wednesday afternoon game.

“Those guys asked me to come up and caddie for them on a non-caddie day, and that’s one of my favorite memories from working there,” Johnson said.

Brian learned about the Ouimet Fund and its scholarship opportunities from older caddies at Tatnuck and received assistance from Bill throughout the application process, whom he considers a mentor. Bill also helped Brian with college applications and, years later, connected him with his son, Will Kelleher, who hired him at Kelleher & Sadowsky Associates, Inc., where Brian currently works as a Vice President.

“I first caddied for Bill when I was young, and it took about a decade before I ever asked him about his business,” Brian said. “I was respectful of the fact that being on the golf course meant you are away from business, so I wanted to approach it correctly.”

Brian graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in 2016 and credits The Fund for allowing him to pursue his college degree.

“The financial help from the Ouimet Fund provided me and my family with comfort, knowing we had support behind us,” Johnson said. “Since receiving my scholarship, I believe it’s important to stay engaged and connect with kids who have similar stories.”

Over the years, Brian has participated in the Ouimet Golf Sprint and attends the Annual Banquet each year with new groups of people he introduces to The Fund. He has been a Board Member since 2017 and is actively involved with the Ouimet community.

“I stay connected with the community because of the people and the mission,” Johnson said. “Each year, The Fund gets stronger and continues to expand, and I want to continue supporting its growth and success.”

Brian feels a connection to the caddie program at Worcester Country Club, where he plays, and knows golf will always keep him connected to the Ouimet Fund.

“I hope to someday be a mentor to the Worcester caddies since I’m not too far removed from what they are experiencing,” Johnson said. “Golf will never not be part of my life, and I’m lucky for the people and community the game has introduced me to.”

As a youngster, Ouimet Alumnus and Dorchester native Dan Cullinane quickly learned proper golf etiquette. Ponkapoag Golf Course golf camp was his introduction to the game, which his uncles signed him up for and brought him to when he was eight years old. At the end of one of the days, in a thrilling putting contest, Dan found himself in the final round when his last putt lipped out, and he lost.

“I was so furious that I swung and buried my putter right into the practice green,” Dan Cullinane recalled laughing. “So, my introduction to the game also turned out to be my introduction to golf etiquette, and I realized golf is the perfect microcosm for life because it is as frustrating as it is amazing.”

In high school, Dan worked at William J. Devine Golf Course at Franklin Park through the City of Boston Caddie Scholar Program, caddying and doing course maintenance over the summers. The program also boasted a strong educational component, providing the participants with tutors and other adult mentors to assist them with personal growth and career development.

“I knew it would be the best job I ever had due to the community and the people,” Cullinane said. “Mainly, we focused on current events and read the newspaper, but there was also a big lens toward career preparedness and thinking about what you might want to do with your life and the opportunities that might be available to you.”

From a young age, Dan was interested in politics, but it wasn’t until working with tutors at Franklin Park that he further investigated what a career in politics would entail. The program encouraged students to define their interests and focus on how to navigate and achieve their ultimate career goals.

“As a young person being part of a career-focused and diverse program showed me if you are genuine and put in the work, people will respond,” Cullinane said.

The opportunity to take advantage of Franklin Park’s golf course was another perk of the job.

“They encouraged us to play and appreciate the course and its rich history,” Cullinane said. “Working there showed me golf wasn’t just a game for the wealthy, and the diversity in that program was something special.”

Through Franklin Park tutors, Dan was exposed to the Ouimet Fund and applied. The financial support he received helped him attend Providence College, where he graduated in 2007 as senior class president.

“I was the first in my family to attend college, and it was incredibly important to my parents,” Cullinane said. “They would have done whatever it took to give me that opportunity, and reflecting back, my scholarship was an incredible source of financial relief for my family.”

Dan took the Dale Carnegie course The Fund offered in 2005 and still distributes books from the course to every intern and staffer he works with to this day.

“Relationships are the foundation of your quality of life, and this is a tutorial that shows you how to build successful relationships,” Cullinane said. “I encourage everyone, no matter how old you are, to take the course because learning how to be genuine in your communications will help you now and into the future.”

Dan applied the skills he learned to work at Boston City Hall for Boston City Councillor Maureen Feeney during his college summers. He interned at the Massachusetts State House for then State Representative Marty Walsh during his senior year before Marty hired him as his Director of Constituent Services.

“I held my first sign for Maureen when I was about eight years old and grew up I viewed it as the highest calling to be able to give back to the community that gave so much to you,” Cullinane said. “That was my first real interest in politics at a very young age, and to have that be fed and cultivated during my years at Franklin Park was incredible.”

Dan considers Maureen a true mentor throughout his life and credits his years at Franklin Park for strengthening his interpersonal skills. Critical skills he utilized to win the special election for Senator Forry’s open seat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 2013.

“When I ultimately won my state representative seat, it was one of the most diverse districts in the state, and I knew it had to be earned on the ground going door to door,” Cullinane said. “A lot of that comfort and effort in relationships came out of the caddie scholar program, and I was able to fulfill my dream and represent the community that gave me everything.”

Dan won re-election the following year and served four terms as State Representative of the 12^th Suffolk District representing Dorchester, Mattapan, Hyde Park, and Milton in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. With two young children, Dan chose not to run for election in January 2020 and joined Kearney, Donovan & McGee (KDM) upon leaving the legislature, where he focuses on expanding the firm’s City, State, and Federal lobbying practice in addition to servicing the firm’s existing clients.

Dan lives in Canton with his wife, Emily, and their two young children, William and Isabel. He is a Lifetime Member and active member of the Ouimet community, who wishes he got involved as an Alumnus sooner.

“The Ouimet Fund is a family and an unbelievable network who care about you and your success,” Cullinane said. “The network and family are available to you right now, whether you can donate yet or not. From personal experience, I urge all Scholars and young Alumni not to wait to participate in what The Fund has to offer.”

Ouimet Alumnus and Stow, Massachusetts native Rob Trumbull grew up across the street from Stow Acres Country Club, where he worked for six summers. None of his family members were golfers, but Rob’s grandmother arranged golf lessons for him when he was 12 years old, and after chipping his first ball in, he was hooked.

“As a kid, I spent a lot of time at Stow Acres, and my first year working there, they hosted the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship,” Rob Trumbull said. “To see that level of golf at a young age was inspiring, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be around the game for those six summers I worked there.”

Rob started working in the golf school at Stow Acres when he was 14, setting up the range and the cart barn and cleaning up after lessons. He worked with the same golf professionals he’d taken lessons from, and soaked up as much as he could during his time with them.

“The early mornings and late hours spent with the golf professionals were so valuable,” Trumbull said. “We’d have chipping contests, putting contests, longest drive competitions, and it was a great opportunity to learn the game. They say you need 10,000 hours to get good at something, and that job allowed me to have a club in my hand.”

Working there pushed Rob down a competitive golf path, leading him to play in high school for Middlesex School, and compete nationally. In 1999 he won the New England PGA Junior Championship. That same year, Middlesex School won the ISL championship. Rob’s experience working in golf also exposed him to the etiquette and spirit of the game.

“I loved being outdoors, spending time with people and competing, so it was a blend of all the things I enjoyed doing, and getting paid for it was remarkable,” Trumbull said. “Working there taught me respect for the game and was my first exposure to the Ouimet Fund.”

Hanging in the grill room at Stow Acres was a picture of Francis Ouimet, which Rob regularly noticed growing up, but it wasn’t until one of the professionals introduced him to The Fund that he learned about the scholarship opportunities.

“The Ouimet Fund was extremely helpful in contributing toward the cost of my college,” Trumbull said. “Earning my scholarships was a big deal, and I feel a responsibility now to give back.”

In addition to providing financial assistance during Rob’s time at Rollins College, The Fund also allowed him to participate in the Dale Carnegie program, which he credits with teaching him valuable life skills.

“Dale Carnegie was life-changing, and it allowed me to build on my confidence as it relates to public speaking and interpersonal relationships, and ultimately that’s what I went on to do with my career,” Trumbull said. “The Ouimet Fund is more than just the scholarships and financial support because those life skills helped push me ahead.”

Rob, a Private Wealth Advisor at JP Morgan Wealth Management, attributes being around golf in adolescence to exposing him to opportunities that aided his career. To help Ouimet Scholars moving forward, he volunteered to assist with The Fund’s Ouimet Onward program to better educate Ouimet Scholars on financial literacy. Ouimet Scholars will have the opportunity to register for these financial literacy courses beginning this fall.

“We all make financial decisions every day, so it’s imperative to empower young people with a solid foundation on the fundamentals,” Trumbull said. “The goal is to establish good habits and knowledge at a young age to set people up for more success in life.”

With Rob’s help, The Fund partnered with JPMorgan Chase to hold virtual financial literacy courses. The four separate virtual courses, complete with an in-person capstone event at the end, will take Ouimet Scholars through different areas of financial literacy to provide resources to make educated financial decisions.

“As I do these trainings for various groups and other young men and women, I’m amazed that the level of knowledge is low, and I think it’s a shame people are left to figure financial literacy out on their own, and it’s not taught in school,” Trumbull said. “I feel very strongly about it, and it’s a great opportunity to provide Scholars with some of this knowledge.”

From donating his time to the Ouimet Onward program and his involvement on the Ouimet Committee at The Country Club, Rob finds value in paying it forward.

“I’m excited to be giving back, and it’s very full circle,” Trumbull said. “The opportunity to get involved knowing the rich history of Francis Ouimet at the club is incredible, and I’m very proud and grateful to be able to give back in this way.”

“My dad brought me to caddie at a young age and I fell in love with the game of golf,” Jay Askew said. “I’ve always cherished my time on the golf course because the environment is infectious. I never wanted to lose that feeling, and I made it my passion to always be involved in golf.”

Ouimet alumnus and Cape Cod native Jay Askew started playing golf at age 8, and over 30 years later, nothing has changed. He describes Cotuit Highgrounds as a mecca for young kids getting into the game, and that’s where he and his younger brother, Peter Askew (also a Ouimet Alumnus) fell in love with the game.

Jay caddied at the Oyster Harbors Club from age 12 to 22 and during that time he dedicated himself to the people he served.

“I was young and impressionable and loved meeting successful and influential club members,” Askew said. “I enjoyed the relationships I cultivated and listening to the stories of successful folks. My mission was to soak it all up and create connections.”

Caddying evolved into interning at Oyster Harbors throughout college under the mentorship of the Head Golf Professional, Jay Wick. Jay returned each summer and worked in the Bag Room and eventually as the Assistant Golf Professional before accepting a full-time job at Sankaty Head Golf Club.

Jay worked at Sankaty for two seasons as the Assistant Golf Professional and spent the winters working at John’s Island Club in Vero Beach, Florida. He played competitive golf in high school, passed his PGA playing test when he was only 18 years old, and has had the opportunity to play and visit some of the world’s best golf courses. Yet, two years out of school pursuing his dream, Jay had doubts.

“I thought about moving into financial services since I was good at the relationship and financial side of the golf business,” Askew said. “At Sankaty, my mentor Mark Heartfield pulled me aside during our year-end chat and said to me, ‘You’re one of the best young golf professionals I’ve had the privilege of hiring, don’t give up on your dreams.’ My dad also said to me, ‘You just graduated from the college you’ve always dreamed of attending, you passed all the tests, and you’re just going to call it quits?’”

Instead of leaving the golf industry, Jay was fortunate to be hired as an Assistant Golf Professional at a new course that was under construction and become forever linked to a new mentor, John D. Mineck at Boston Golf Club.

“It was never my aspiration to make a lot of money, I just wanted to do something I loved, and that’s golf,” Askew said. “I get to come to the course every day as my office and it checks all the boxes for me.”

Jay worked at Boston Golf Club for six years before returning to Cape Cod and accepting a position at The Ridge Club, as the Head Golf Professional. Three years in, Jay was giving a lesson at the beginning of the golf season when he had an aneurysm rupture, resulting in immediate eight-hour open heart surgery.

“I was only 34 years old, and it was a life-changing moment,” Askew said. “It was a three-month recovery, and when I returned to work, I realized I needed more of a work-life balance.”

Jay’s recovery granted him more time with his family and made him more in tune with his mindfulness and mental health. After his recovery, he had honest conversations with the members and owners of the club, who suggested he would be a good fit as General Manager.

“I’m passionate about the member experience and having my finger on the pulse of every operation,” Askew said. “I transitioned from Head Professional to General Manager and am forever grateful to The Ridge Club for trusting me and allowing me to be a part of their club’s history and successes. My time there has propelled me to where I am now.”

Two years after his aneurysm, the New England PGA awarded Jay the Deacon Palmer Award, recognizing his outstanding integrity, character, and leadership in the effort to overcome a major obstacle in his life. Jay was especially touched since he received the Deacon Palmer Endowed Scholarship from the Ouimet Fund during his senior year of college.

“I started off in college getting the Palmer award and recognizing the history that comes with that and then suffered this random aortic heart condition that I didn’t know about and got an award named after Arnold Palmer’s dad again,” laughed Askew. “So, it’s funny how life has those moments and you come full circle like that.”

Speaking of coming full circle, Jay returned to Boston Golf Club as General Manager in 2021. His work over the years at two of the Ouimet Fund’s top supporting clubs allowed him to assist future Ouimet Scholars and pay it forward. From 2012-2021 The Ridge Club had 45 Ouimet Scholars and there have been 20 Ouimet Scholars over the last three years from Boston Golf Club.

“So many kids drop out of college because they don’t have the financial means,” Askew said. “It’s extremely rewarding helping young adults achieve their goals and dreams in fields that they are so passionate about – I am very lucky to be someone who has gone from mentee to mentor. Happiness is hard to come by and life has its twists and turns, but golf has always given me a chance to give back, and I believe that’s why we’re all on this planet, to pay it forward.”

Jay studied Business Administration and Marketing with a concentration in Professional Golf Management at Methodist University and graduated in 2004. He is grateful to so many of the club members he has served over the years, but especially to members like the late Dick Stimets who introduced him to the Ouimet Fund, and also to Sue Curtin who personifies what it means to give back to others.

“Without the Ouimet Fund, I would not have been able to attend my dream school, Methodist,” Askew said. “The Fund allowed me to go to a small niche private school, helped me graduate without any student debt, and alleviated a lot of pressure that my parents would have endured.”

Through Boston Golf Club, Jay met an incredible mentor, John D. Mineck, who passed away in 2007. Jay shared a quote from the back of John’s funeral card he tries to live by:

“One friend, one person who is truly understanding, who takes the trouble to listen to us as we consider our problem, can change our whole outlook on the world.” – Elton Mayo.

“John was a visionary, and he created a family at Boston Golf Club,” Askew said. “In my role at the club, many people trust me with their problems and seek advice as they search for solutions and happiness. I have always had people who listened and invested their time in me and now I cherish those same opportunities too, so I try to live by that every day.”

In 2019, it became clear that the Ouimet Fund staff would no longer be able to facilitate the volume of outreach from Scholars and Alumni looking to expand their professional network. With more than 6,000 Alumni and 440 annual Scholars, trying to help each young person who reached out for professional connections, internship recommendations, or full-time hiring guidance was nearly impossible. However, the staff and board of directors were aware of the desire of those in the Ouimet community to further “pay it forward” for current Scholars and recent Alumni, and knowing the caliber of Ouimet talent, would likely want to hire those young people.

“We knew that if we just created the infrastructure, the talent of Ouimet Scholars and the vast network of Alumni and friends could allow new opportunities for career assistance within the Ouimet community,” said Colin McGuire, The Fund’s Executive Director. “All of a sudden, the Ouimet program could offer scholarship awards and help prepare these young people for life after college.”

Thus, the career resource program, dubbed Ouimet Onward, was established in 2019 to offer professional development assistance. The program provides Scholars and Alumni the opportunity to focus on networking and career exploration to help them be successful in their professional careers. It was also important to offer this value to the recipients entirely free of charge.

In September 2019, The Fund hosted the inaugural Ouimet Onward event, the Ouimet Career Fair at the Boston Marriott Quincy. From Fortune 500 companies to local start-ups, 30 businesses were represented and more than 150 Ouimet Scholars and Alumni participated. The feedback from the event was overwhelmingly positive, and numerous Scholars secured job offers and internships as a result.

The Covid-19 pandemic necessitated a move to the Career Fair being held virtually through an online platform. Moving the Career Fair online enabled all Scholars to participate, including those attending school out of state, and featured 38 companies and nearly 200 Scholars and Alumni register for the one-day virtual event in 2022.

“Transitioning to a virtual Career Fair opened it up to those attending college out of state, and we were thrilled with the outcome,” McGuire said. “If making the event virtual allows more companies and Scholars to be involved, then we will continue to host it that way.”

The Fund is planning to host another virtual Career Fair in the fall of 2023, with hopes to expand the event. There is no limit to the number of participating companies, and as it is a “no cost” event, Ouimet staff welcomes any hiring manager who would look to fill internships and full-time roles with Ouimet caliber talent.

While it was disappointing to not be able to host the in-person Career Fair in 2020 and 2021, one benefit of this change was the creation and expansion of Ouimet Onward’s online resources. In addition to events, Ouimet Onward offers a Career Portal which connects The Fund’s partner companies with Ouimet Scholars and Alumni looking for jobs and internships. The password-protected Career Portal gives Scholars and Alumni access to job listings from partner companies looking to hire Ouimet Scholars and Alumni. Essentially, this Portal acts as a “Ouimet specific” job board.

Similarly, partner companies are provided exclusive access to “Ouimet-caliber” talent as representatives are given access to posting positions at their leisure. Hiring managers can use the Career Portal to target specific groups of Scholars and Alumni and invite them to apply for positions. Any friend of The Fund may access the Career Portal Position Posting by clicking here to submit a job post.

Beyond the assistance given directly to hiring needs, another expansion goal for Ouimet Onward was to assist with professional and life skills. As the program has expanded in 2023, Ouimet Onward added three new elements to bolster the resumes of those in the Ouimet community.

The first addition is access to YouScience, a virtual career aptitude testing platform which gives Scholars access to module training to identify their aptitudes and skills to match them with specific career pathways. Next, virtual Dale Carnegie courses were added to provide professional training to sharpen an individual’s soft skills with different corporate training sessions. Beginning April 18^th, four Dale Carnegie Courses will be offered to all Scholars throughout the year.

The final new element is Financial Literacy Courses through representatives of JP Morgan Chase, which will be held virtually throughout the fall of 2023 and finish with an in-person capstone event. Hosted as a complimentary benefit by a Ouimet Alumnus, this program aims to provide Scholars with the skills and knowledge necessary to make educated financial decisions.

“We have invested in expanding this program to benefit the Ouimet community. The Scholars, Alumni, mentors, and corporate partners all see tremendous value,” McGuire said. “We want Ouimet Scholars and Alumni to continue succeeding inside and outside the classroom, and hope Ouimet Onward continues to assist them with their future goals.”

Are you interested in hiring Ouimet Scholars? Contact Michaela McNamara at michaelam@ouimet.org.

For more information about Ouimet Onward, please click here.

For so many in the Ouimet community, just hearing the name Tom Riordan elicits some form of emotional response, be it through a smile, a laugh, or a personal story.

Tom had a lifelong connection to golf and the Ouimet Fund that would be hard to top. As a teenager, Tom deeply enjoyed caddying at Wollaston Golf Club and, from his efforts, earned a Ouimet Scholarship to Boston College, where he played golf and eventually captained the team. In the years following graduation, Tom became the Head Golf Professional at New Seabury Golf Club (now The Club at New Seabury).

Although he spent most of his career in retail sales and marketing, Tom always remembered his roots in golf and proudly supported the Ouimet Fund each year. Tom would spend 18 years on the Board of Directors and be honored as the Richard F. Connolly, Jr. Award recipient at the 2019 Annual Banquet, where his family, friends, and colleagues came together to fund The Riordan Family Scholarship in his honor. Today, that scholarship is one of The Fund’s largest endowments.

Tom’s son, Sean Riordan, sees the endowment as a continuation of his father’s legacy.

“This endowment continues a lifelong passion of my dad’s, supporting young men and women that work tirelessly on the golf course and enabling them to achieve their greatest potential,” Sean Riordan said. “Sacconnesset is the perfect home for dad’s scholarship; the club places an emphasis on its caddie program that reminded him of the good old days at Wollaston, where the caddie was an integral part of the golf experience. He would be proud to see the young men and women benefiting from a scholarship in his name.”

Like his father, Sean is a Ouimet Alumnus and has been a Board Member since 2019. His desire to support The Fund and pay it forward stems from the example his father set throughout his life.

“The Ouimet Fund played an integral role in my dad’s life,” Riordan said. “It had the tangible impact of helping to advance his education. But more importantly, some may argue, his Ouimet Scholarship allowed him to continue working on the golf course when not in school. It was on the golf course where he learned lifelong skills that could never be learned in a classroom – how to engage with folks his age and much older, how to pick someone up when they are down, how to be a competitor. He was very aware of what Ouimet gave him and made it a point to ensure that any caddie he took was aware of The Fund. I am honored to now be a member of the Board and carry my dad’s legacy of appreciation for and promotion of the Ouimet Fund.”

Proceeds from the 2019 Annual Banquet contributed to the establishment of The Riordan Family Scholarship. When it was announced that Tom was being honored at the event, dozens of new sponsorships and tables were purchased, and hundreds of additional people were in attendance to support the man they loved.

“The 2019 Banquet was a ton of fun, and I felt a lot of pride,” Riordan said. “My dad got a standing ovation, and everyone was chanting his name so loud he couldn’t even speak. We knew his days were numbered, and his friends knew too, so that night was special.”

In 2019, Tom passed away following a courageous battle with cancer.

Tom’s legacy lives on each year through the Tom Riordan Memorial Tournament, held at Sacconnesset Golf Club. Friends of the Riordan family and Sacconnesset’s outstanding caddie program participate in the golf event, with proceeds adding funds to the endowment.

“The primary focus is to honor my dad’s legacy and get friends together for a fun time,” Riordan said. “My dad was enthusiastic about Sacconnesset’s great caddie program because the club’s culture encourages members to take caddies and develop the young men and women out there.”

This year’s recipient of The Riordan Family Scholarship is Max Marinelli, a Central Connecticut State University senior majoring in Construction Management. He started caddying at Sacconnesset when he wasn’t much bigger than the golf bags.

“My twin brother and I started working there together when we were five feet tall and barely 100 pounds,” Max Marinelli said. “The older caddies showed us the ropes, and I have many fun memories from working there over the years.”

Max worked there every summer through 2021 and views the staff and membership at Sacconnesset as an extended family. He credits caddying there for sharpening his etiquette skills and assisting him professionally.

“The greatest lesson I learned from working in golf is developing my social skills,” Marinelli said. “My brother and I noticed in high school that our social skills were better than some of our friends because working with adults forces you to handle yourself differently. Being around people at the club taught me how to set goals and carry myself.”

As is often the case with young people working in golf, Max personally connected with a member who helped shape his career path. The summer before college, he was caddying for a member who worked in construction management, and he gave Max his contact information at the end of the round.

“It wasn’t my time yet to get an internship, and I was still deciding what I wanted to do, but we maintained a connection over the years,” Marinelli said. “I called him last year, and he offered me an internship working for his company in construction management.”

Max worked over 500 hours as an assistant project manager throughout his internship. The skills and confidence gained helped him secure a full-time job at Whiting-Turner immediately following graduation this June.

“I’m leaving college with my dream job thanks to that connection,” Marinelli said. “Having that internship on my resume was a tremendous help in getting my full-time job.”

Like Sean, Max feels a special connection to Sacconnesset. His older brother Mark was a longtime caddie there, and the Marinelli family hosts the Mark Ritchey Memorial Tournament yearly in honor of him, who passed away in 2018.

“We’re not members at Sacconnesset, so the fact that they hold this tournament is a huge honor and shows the amount of respect the staff and members have for my family there,” Marinelli said. “The membership plays a big role in allowing us to host it, and it’s such a big help to our family.”

Max was shocked to learn he received The Riordan Family Scholarship this year.

“I didn’t expect it at all, and I felt instant relief,” Marinelli said. “I had to take some summer and winter classes, so I was stressed about everything adding up. It’s an honor receiving such significant support from The Fund, and it takes the stress off me.”

In addition to relieving some financial concerns, Max feels connected to his brother with this award.

“It feels like my brother was a part of this, and it’s nice to feel the support people have for him,” Marinelli said. “I’m proud to be part of The Fund, and it makes me excited to one day be in a position to start donating myself.”

Growing up in a big sports family, Ouimet Alumnus Jake Massar was introduced to golf by his dad but considers himself a better caddie than a golfer. Today he lives in New York with his wife and two young daughters, whom he will introduce to golf when the time is right, but originally, he is from Natick, Massachusetts. Jake started caddying at Brae Burn Country Club before he could drive and returned to work there every summer until he graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2008.

Last year, Jake was named the recipient of the 2022 Alumni Achievement Award, the inaugural recipient, to recognize his years of continuous support and involvement with the Ouimet Fund. Generous to The Fund in time, talent, and treasure, Jake has remained an active Alumni Committee leader, and in his 15 years since graduation, he has not missed an annual Alumni Fund donation. Jake supports the Brae Burn Country Club Caddie Alumni Endowed Scholarship and, despite living out of state, attends as many Ouimet Fund functions as possible.

“Now that I’m in a position to give money and time back, The Fund is at the top of my list because of how good The Fund was to me during my college years,” Jake Massar said. “It has instilled in me this desire to pay it forward, and it’s important to me to stay involved.”

Jake and his younger brother began working at Brae Burn together, and he quickly formed friendships with fellow caddies.

“A friend of mine who is also a Ouimet Scholar, Tom Barrick, started caddying right around the same time as me, and I grew up with him in Natick,” Massar said. “The loops that I’d be out there with Tom in many ways didn’t feel like work because you were just out there with a friend. It was always fun doing a loop with guys like Tom and other caddies I became friends with.”

Jake also established professional connections while on the course. One in particular with Ouimet endowment creator and longtime supporter Bob Bachman proved fruitful. Jake was driving home from college at the end of his junior year looking for a summer internship when he contacted Mr. Bachman about gaining professional experience.

“I called Bob and talked to him about the work he does at Fidelity and said I was interested in the investing world,” Massar said. “I asked if they were still hiring summer interns, and sure enough, he set me up with some conversations, and I ended up interviewing there and got the summer internship.”

Interning at Fidelity that summer was Jake’s first introduction to the business industry. His internship helped him determine his preferred aspects and advised his full-time job search.

“The conversations I had while caddying helped to inform my interest in getting into business,” Massar said. “Both my parents were school teachers, so I wasn’t in a business household growing up. I was interested in investing, but it probably wasn’t until I started having conversations with some of the Brae Burn members and then studied those topics in college that I knew it was what I wanted to pursue.”

In addition to career advice, caddying also taught Jake essential life skills such as discipline and patience.

“For caddying you have to show up every day, you have to show up early, and you have to be okay waiting around for long periods of time before you get a loop,” Massar said. “If you don’t show up consistently, you’re never going to rise up the seniority ranks and get more loops, so you really have to put in the effort every single day.”

Jake continues to utilize those skills in his present job. He’s worked at Goldman Sachs for over 14 years, where he is a Vice President and helps run a Private Wealth Management team.

“All of those skills are ones that I still use today,” Massar said. “I’m in a job where it’s very relationship-oriented, and my client base is a wide-ranging group of successful people, but they all have different personalities, and they all want to be communicated with slightly differently. I think that ability to just blend in with whatever the situation calls for was a skillset that I learned while caddying.”

Through Brae Burn, Jake learned about the Ouimet Fund and applied. He is still in touch with the member who wrote his recommendation letter, Harry Nesbitt, a friend of his for many years. Between his Ouimet Scholarship and caddying, Jake had a sense of financial security at Vanderbilt.

“I never felt like I was in a money pinch during my time at Vanderbilt, and that was because I made a good amount of money through my caddying, and then the Ouimet Fund supplemented that as well,” Massar said. “It meant that I did not need to pick up a part-time job while I was at school, and so I was able to dedicate that time to the college experience. I was able to pay my student loans off fairly quickly after school once I was working, and that allowed me to start saving money rather than having to put my savings into paying off loans.”

Jake joked that he and Tom alternated between receiving the Brae Burn Country Club Caddie Alumni Endowed Scholarship, an additional award he appreciated. Now he is the endowment administrator for the award he used to receive.

“I’m always impressed by the level of talent in the current group of Scholars, and I think that’s really rewarding and energizing to see,” Massar said. “I got a nice letter from the current recipient of the Brae Burn Endowed Scholarship, and I remember when I was the one writing those thank you letters.”

Jake credits the culture at Brae Burn for instilling in him the importance of taking caddies.

“As I now am playing golf, I will always take a caddie because I learned at Brae Burn that’s the best way to experience golf,” Massar said. “Brae Burn always made it a priority to have a healthy crop of high school and college students who came back summer after summer, and I can imagine the membership enjoyed that and took pride in that.”

Jake was surprised and appreciative to be presented with the Alumni Achievement Award in the fall of 2022.

“It was a great honor, and it’s motivating to me,” Massar said. “It makes me want to stay connected when you feel that your efforts are being appreciated, and I’ve enjoyed staying involved and watching The Fund continue to prosper.”