Four years of Madison Kao’s tuition and housing will be paid for by the scholarship

Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com

In her very first loop as a caddy at Royal Oaks Country Club, Madison Kao was in a rush when she dropped the pull cart.

She might have been trying to do too much, thinking about all the responsibilities of the job, all at once.

The golfer she was caddying for that day was gracious. He told her everything was going to be OK.

That was the first of many life lessons that Kao has learned going into her third year as a caddy.

She described those lessons in an essay, and in an interview for a prestigious scholarship, as well.

Kao, a senior at Union High School, has learned to live in the moment. No need to constantly worry about the future.

On the golf course, it is about focusing on the task at hand.

“After caddying for a long time, I just learned about efficiency. Just doing what you can do now and not just worrying about everything because you’re not an octopus,” Kao said.

Off the course, maintain that same focus.

In her essay, she described her “futuristic mindset” as toxic. 

“I always thought about the future. ‘Oh, what is going to happen in a year? What is going to happen in a week?’”

But through caddying, she changed. She learned from the golfers she worked for every weekend at the club.

“There is a lot of advice from golfers about staying in the present and thinking about what I can do now,” Kao said. “That correlates with life, as well. Worry about what I can do now and not worry so much about the future.”

With that new outlook, Kao’s immediate future — as a college student — has been taken care of, courtesy of the Western Golf Association’s Evans Scholarship. 

Chick Evans, the 1916 U.S. Open champion, started the scholarship to send caddies to college. The first recipient of the scholarship was in 1930. Since then, more than 12,000 caddies have graduated from college. 

Today, according to George Bryant, the director of the Evans Scholarship Foundation at Royal Oaks, there are close to 1,200 students, nationwide, going to college on the Evans Scholarship. By 2030, that number is expected to rise to 1,500.

Kao is planning to attend the University of Oregon before medical school, with the goal of becoming a pediatrician. The Evans Scholarship pays for tuition and housing for four years.

“It’s fantastic. The golf community tends to be a little more exclusive. I love what Royal Oaks has done out here, bringing the community together and giving these kids the opportunity to get this scholarship,” said Nick Huff, the caddy manager. “People like Madison are very deserving.”

Royal Oaks has had several scholarship winners through the years, including Madison’s older brother Gavin, who is excelling at the University of Washington. 

The siblings learned of the scholarship through a family friend.

“My brother and I, we were so intrigued. He was my guinea pig. I had him go first,” Madison said with a laugh. “He is doing so well at UW. It makes me proud.”

Bryant said in order to qualify for the scholarship, a student must be a caddy, have a financial need, have a strong academic record, and be involved in the community. Bryant himself is an Evans Scholarship winner from 1962.

Madison Kao shines with her academics. A STEM leader at her school, she often volunteers her time with elementary school students, showcasing science activities. Kao also volunteers at a hospital and at the Friendly House, a nonprofit in Portland.

“I like working with kids,” she said.

Kao said she is not shy, but she used to be a “homebody.” Being a caddy has changed her, for the better, she said.

“It’s a great opportunity. Caddying has helped me expand my horizons a little bit more, a lot more actually,” she said. “It allowed me to learn about new people, learn about the community.”

And the sport, too.

Kao is not a golfer. She does not play. And that is not unusual at Royal Oaks. Huff said 90 percent of the caddies at the club do not play golf.

Kao has a respect for the game, though.

“At first, I didn’t think it was an athletic sport. After caddying, I’ve learned you have to be pretty athletic, walking for four hours. I might consider playing it in the future,” she said. “I like the sound it makes when they hit the ball. … Not a bang, maybe a ping.”

And, of course, she appreciates the opportunity of the Evans Scholarship.

She applied last fall, wrote her essay, and, as a finalist, had to give an interview before a review board.

Then, she waited.

She received a letter in the mail earlier this year. It was thin, though.

“I thought it was bad news,” Kao said. 

Then she saw a huge green card inside. 

“Oh, I think I got it,” she thought to herself.

Yes.

Her friends were there when she opened the letter.

“They were just screaming. It was great,” she said.

Now, she is finishing up her high school days and she has another golf season as a caddy at Royal Oaks before she heads to college.

“I’m really appreciative of everyone who has supported me,” Kao said. “The community is awesome. Just being here, I think we learn every day. Not just as a caddy, but also as a person.”