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.”

In November, two of our most recognizable and philanthropic Ouimet Alumni, Dick Connolly and Peter Lynch, received national recognition. Dick and Peter were recognized by the Western Golf Association and inducted into the National Caddie Hall of Fame at the WGA’s annual Green Coat Gala!

The Massachusetts duo fits the mold as both have often referenced their years growing up as caddies at Woburn Country Club (Connolly) and Brae Burn Country Club (Lynch) as the most important and transformative times of their lives. Their caddying careers also paved the way for Ouimet Scholarships to attend The College of the Holy Cross and Boston College, respectively.

Lynch was unable to attend the festivities in person but graciously recorded a video message, which was shown during the program. He referenced the empowering opportunities that caddying offers as well as his pride in supporting caddie programs.

“It is fantastic to learn, as a young caddie, what qualities adults admire,” Lynch said.

Addressing the crowd in Chicago from the podium, Connolly noted the encouragement from his mother’s nine brothers, who all caddied, which inspired him to follow in their footsteps, which led him to a lifetime of service to the Ouimet Fund.

“I caddied for the World War II generation, the greatest generation,” Connolly said. “Being a caddie was the best experience of my life.”

It was a special evening as the Connolly family, several representatives from Ouimet Fund leadership, and friends of the Connolly family were in attendance to celebrate the inductions of these proud Ouimet Alumni. The Ouimet Fund has a partnership with the Evans Scholars Foundation of the Western Golf Association, jointly funding several Ouimet-Evans full-tuition scholarships annually for young caddies in Massachusetts attending Evans-affiliated colleges.

Click here to watch Dick Connolly’s speech.

Click here to watch Peter Lynch’s video message.

Click here to read more.

The Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund has officially confirmed Duncan Gratton as its newest President during The Fund’s Annual Meeting on October 23 at Concord Country Club, succeeding William Healy, MD.

Healy’s leadership throughout the past two years culminated with 2023 being a banner year, as The Fund awarded a new record $3.25 million in annual need-based scholarships. Healy thanked his family, the Board of Directors and the staff in his remarks, concluding by saying “I enjoyed my brief time in this role, I hope to provide service in the future, and thank you for the opportunity.”

“Dr. Healy guided The Fund through two record-breaking years in terms of scholarships, applications, and overall engagement,” Gratton said. “He’s been a steady leader and great friend and has always kept us focused. I have incredible shoes to fill and feel fortunate to be taking on the role with The Fund in such great shape.”

Gratton has been a Ouimet Board Member since 2014, is a Lifetime Member, and he and his wife, Patricia, established a named endowed scholarship at The Fund. He also serves on the Ouimet Committee at The Kittansett Club, where he plays an important role in the mentorship of the young people working there, impactful fundraising, and continued advocacy for the mission and partnership with The Fund.

“To be elected President of the Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund is a real honor, and I’ll never forget the day Dick Connolly called me to join the Board of Directors ten years ago,” Duncan Gratton said. “We have fantastic Directors and a really hardworking Executive Committee, and I’m looking forward to working in this new role with all of them. The Ouimet community looks forward to an important year upcoming in 2024, as we celebrate our 75^th Anniversary, so I’m thrilled to be in this position and appreciate the support.”

The Ouimet Fund is also thrilled to welcome four new individuals to the Board of Directors: Tom Bagley, Andrew Mingle, Jennifer Misiaszek, and Alison Walshe. Guests also heard from student speaker Patrick Browne, a senior at Boston University who completed his golf service at Winchester Country Club and grew up in Billerica. Majoring in Computer Science and Statistics, Browne expressed his gratitude to the Ouimet Fund and its supporters for providing him and his family with financial assistance.

“The Ouimet Fund has made a difference in my life over the past four years, allowing me to change directions in a way that not many other people are able to,” Browne said. “I am very grateful for The Fund’s scholarship support, and I hope to give it back more as I move forward in life. Thank you for making a difference in students’ lives like me.”

To conclude the evening, The Fund awarded Robert P. Donovan the 2023 Denny Goodrich Honorary Alumnus Award, which recognizes individuals generous in their support of the Ouimet Fund, either by contributing financially or by volunteer or exceptional professional service.

Bob Donovan was hired in 1991 as Executive Director of the Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund and the President of The Fund at the time was Denny Goodrich.  Denny passed away in late 2020.

For 29 years, Donovan was the face of the Ouimet Fund, and he guided the organization through incredible growth. His years of outstanding service and dedication to the thousands of Scholars who benefited were recognized with this award in front of board members, trustees, donors, staff and other volunteers, many of whom worked alongside Bob during his tenure. In a presentation that brought it full circle in many ways, two of Denny Goodrich’s sons, Ramsey and Rob Goodrich, presented Bob with the award.

About the Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund

The Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund awards significant need-based college scholarships to deserving young men and women who have worked at Massachusetts golf courses. This fall, The Fund awarded $3.25 million in scholarships, bringing the total scholarships awarded to nearly $50 Million to 6,630 students since 1949.

Established in 2021 by Ouimet Alumnus Jim Moriarty and his wife Mary Moriarty, the Jim and Mary Moriarty Scholarship is for a young man or woman who intends to pursue a degree at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where Jim and Mary met.

“We are so proud of the scholarship and wanted to attach our name to a school that means so much to us as a family,” Jim Moriarty said. “It’s where Mary and I met, and both our kids went there, so we want to help bring future generations there.”

The eldest of nine, Jim paid his way through college by working as a Resident Assistant and caddying at Mount Pleasant Golf Club and Vesper Country Club. Working at Vesper is how he learned about the Ouimet Fund and applied for a scholarship.

“I knew wherever I was going for school, I was paying for it, and my Ouimet Scholarship made all the difference in the world,” Moriarty said.

After learning about the program at a Ouimet outing, Jim’s son, Sean Moriarty, encouraged them to create an endowment. Since then, the family has enjoyed getting the opportunity to meet and hear from past and current recipients every summer at the Investing in Lifetimes Reception.

“Putting a face to a name is the icing on the cake,” Moriarty said. “My son is very involved with the Ouimet Fund, and my grandkids are 9 and 10 and know more about Francis Ouimet than I did at that age. The next generation of Moriartys will be the future for this endowment.”

In addition to establishing a named endowed scholarship, Jim and Mary are Lifetime Members and active members of the Ouimet community who have volunteered in many roles on the Ouimet Board, including Jim serving as President of The Fund from 2019- 2021.

“That was quite a full-circle moment having the responsibility on my shoulders,” Moriarty said. “Our stats blow people away, and Ouimet Scholars prove it with their hard work and hustle. So as President and moving forward, I want to help grow The Fund so we can award even more money.”

This year’s recipient of the Jim and Mary Moriarty Scholarship is Jake Bova, a senior at UMass Amherst majoring in Finance who performed his golf service at the Hyannisport Club. Jake started working there when he was 14 and returned each summer. He worked as a greenskeeper (and caddie). Jake credits the leadership of Tom Colombo, who served as his mentor.

“Tom was a great leader and unbelievable boss, and I went back every summer because I wanted to work for him,” Jake Bova said. “He introduced me to the Ouimet Fund and really took me under his wing.”

Jake’s work at Hyannisport started at 5:30 AM and taught him how to interact with various individuals while on the job.

“I learned a lot about the importance of communication and how to fall in love with the routine,” Bova said. “The mundane aspects of the job were so important to be successful.”

Jake was surprised and grateful when he received his endowed scholarship.

“My twin sister and I pay for school by ourselves, so receiving my award relieved a lot of pressure,” Bova said. “Loans are huge, and getting this scholarship has helped me worry less about other costs.”

Jake and Jim are planning to meet this fall on campus for a hockey game, something they are both looking forward to.

“Being part of this huge network is such an advantage because it gives me opportunities like this,” Bova said. “It’s an honor to say I am a Ouimet Scholar, and it always gives me something to talk about in interviews.”

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.”