Caddie Academy Holds Much Promise for Locals

Local golf looks set to benefit from a new caddie initiative designed to groom local talent and develop the service component of the industry that has struggled with a shortage of personnel in recent years. Gone are the days when Malaysian golf courses were flooded with caddies from Indonesia. Instead, there has been a dearth of loopers and AMS Caddy Academy, which recently emerged with the undertaking to invest in the grooming of local caddies, might yet offset the discrepancy should their blueprint to fill the void come to fruition. Speaking to TeeUp, Jarrod Reginald, AMS’ head of marketing, said they were looking to change the landscape of the Malaysian caddie workforce by making it a field of employment that citizens of this country could look forward to joining. The privately funded push will see caddies enjoy benefits that they have longed for, such as medical, EFP, Sosco and annual leave, among others. “They will receive basic salaries determined by their grades and have pay slips to show for it, just as the rest of the country does,” said Reginald at the AMS centre in Petaling Jaya. “Our training programmes, which have been based on an American model but tweaked to sit comfortably with our own needs and conform to local practices, have already begun.
“These are being held here at Bandar Utama Golf Club and Senibong Golf Club in Johor. “Essentially, the programme equips caddies with training to fulfill a long-term career in golf. “This is about full-time employment with benefits upon successful completion of the programme, to ensure the success of each caddy,” he said. “We should also remember that these people might not remain as caddies for the rest of their careers. “If they should take the initiative and prove themselves trustworthy and hardworking, they could well venture into other spheres of employment with the golf club, similar to elsewhere in the private sector,” he added. “We are looking for people who want to develop valuable skills, enjoy the outdoors and unlock their potential in the world of professional golf.” A long-time administrator in the local game said he saw “good” in the mechanics of the initiative and that it could yet ease the strain clubs endure with the current shortages. “This has the sound of a really good plan,” he said. “What we have to do now is wait to see how it all unfolds.” The AMS programme aims to “train 4,000 caddies throughout the country by 2026 to meet the current domestic demands”. This was said by AMS managing director Low Hock Lai at a graduation ceremony at Senibong last weekend. “We are not only addressing the domestic demand for caddies, but also empowering Malaysians with stable and rewarding career opportunities,” said Low. “This initiative is a crucial step towards creating a sustainable and self-reliant caddy workforce in Malaysia.” He added that the development of the Senibong Academy “is testament to the broader mission of expanding AMS Caddy Academy across the country. “We are focused on establishing training centres in states with high unemployment rates, such as Kelantan, Pahang, Terengganu and Sabah.” Low added that their efforts were being augmented by support from the Youth and Sports Ministry and that the project was being undertaken “in collaboration with the Malaysian Golf Association”. He did not detail what the collaboration constituted. The graduation ceremony at Senibong was the club’s first, with an intake of 11 making the grade.
Courtesy from – The Star
https://www.thestar.com.my/sport/golf/2024/07/21/caddie-academy-holds-much-promise-for-locals