Official Caddying Story: Mike Keiser
In some ways, Mike Keiser might be the Michelangelo of golf, though he’d never apply that label to himself. Through the creation of places like Bandon, Cabot Links, and Sand Valley, Mike’s company, Dream Golf, has left behind monuments that may easily last for centuries. But long before he created his first golf course, The Dunes Club, in 1988 and even before he built an empire from recycled greeting cards, Mike started working as a caddie in Upstate New York. And it was there that he developed a deep love for golf and learned many of the lessons that helped him chart his path. Caddies remain a central theme at his golf courses as well as his philanthropic efforts. Mike is a longtime thought leader for and director of the Western Golf Association, which just celebrated the first ever recipients of the Keiser Family Caddie Scholarship thanks to his generosity. He is also a member of the WGA’s Caddie Hall of Fame.
At which golf course did you first caddie and how old were you when you started?
East Aurora Country Club just outside Buffalo, New York when I was 9 years old.
Why were you compelled to become a caddie?
Nothing too creative on my part, my mother was an avid golfer, and we were members at East Aurora. So when my friends started caddying at the club, I just followed along.
Take us through your first day on the job, who was your first loop?
I’d get up early, grab a sandwich, and kiss my mother goodbye, before riding my bike to the course. I would be there almost the entire day, caddying, practicing, or playing golf.
Not sure about the first loop, you see I was an average caddie at best at a golf course that was mediocre at best. But to me, it was as good as it gets, and it was that way for four years – the best four years of my life. I learned to play golf and those club hamburgers were fabulous. Because of the life lessons learned, the great golf that I saw played and did not emulate, the best summer job for a teenager is caddying, better even than being a camp counselor which I did thereafter and yearned to be back at the golf course with those hamburgers.
What was the biggest mistake that you made during your caddying career?
My second year of caddying, the word was out that a number of the Buffalo Bills football team – that was in the era of Elbert “Golden Wheels” Dubenion – were coming out to our club in August to play golf. So I thought it would be great if I could caddie for the coach, whose name was Buster Ramsey. I asked the pro whose name was Don Winklemus. Interesting to me, at least, Don Winklemus had a facial tick. So his nickname was “Wink,” which we didn’t call him, we called him “Mr. Winklemus.” I said, “I would love to caddie for the coach of the Buffalo Bills.” He said, “Mike you got it. In two months, you will be Buster Ramsey’s caddie.” So the day came in August. Buster Ramsey came up, and I got to meet this massive man. He had this massive bag. He weighed 320 pounds. He was one of the biggest coaches in the NFL ever. I weighed 105 pounds. So here was this 320 pounder who had a lot of stuff in this immense bag that weighed at least 40 pounds. It was the worst marriage of young caddie and bag. Ever. I dragged it around somehow and found out another life lesson – the bigger the man, the bigger the bag, the smaller the tip. So be careful what you wish for...
What did you most enjoy about caddying?
It was nice to be outside. You learned about golf, but you also learned a lot about life, what it meant to work hard, and what it took to be successful. Particularly in my case, the hamburgers were also quite enjoyable; they were made by a lustrous lady named Bea, and I’ll always be grateful.
Tell us about some of the people for whom you caddied, did any of them contribute to your career in a meaningful way?
Elizabeth Holdsclaw, the ladies champion, was a fine golfer. She said that I relaxed her. So at the age of 12, I became her full-time caddie in matches and normal play for two summers. Not only was she a good spirit all the time, she was always in a good mood; she was also a good tipper. So the life lesson that I took from the NFL coach and her was that when you have to choose between a man and a woman, caddie for the woman.
What was the biggest lesson that you learned from caddying that helped you succeed as you progressed in life?
Well, it would probably be about partnership. Being a caddie is about being a good partner. I’ve luckily had good partners, like my friend Phil Friedman. Another great partner was Howard McKee who led the charge at Bandon, as are the incredibly talented course designers David McLay Kidd, Tom Doak, Jim Urbina, Bill Coore, and Ben Crenshaw.
Maybe another one would be to just give it a try and see how it goes, even if people think your idea is lousy. Once you get started, you might be able to keep going. Mother Teresa said, “If you can’t feed a hundred people, feed just one.” So whether it’s greeting cards, golf courses, or philanthropy, try to do what you can with what you’ve got.
If you could nominate one former caddy who went on to enjoy success, whose Official Caddying Story would you like to hear?
You may try talking to my friend, Bill Shean. He caddied at Hinsdale Golf Club and then became an Evans Scholar at Michigan. He’s accomplished an awful lot in both golf and life.
