Tom Grzywinski, who has spent the past 40 years leading youth caddie programs in the Toledo area, was inducted recently into the Western Golf Association’s Caddie Hall of Fame.
Grzywinski began his decades-long career as a caddie manager at Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio. He then went to Sylvania Country Club, where he was the caddie manager for 33 years until his retirement in 2023.
Under his mentorship, more than 100 youth caddies earned the Evans Scholarship, and six Sylvania CC caddies are currently in school as Evans Scholars. The Chick Evans Scholarship is a full, four-year housing and tuition grant for high-achieving caddies.
“On behalf of the thousands of Evans Scholars Alumni, we acknowledge the journey would not have been possible without a caddie manager like Tom,” said Terry Shaefer, an Evans Scholar Alum, WGA Director, and Sylvania CC board member, during Grzywinski’s induction ceremony on May 18th. “Tom provided not only education about the game of golf and caddying but, more importantly, showed young men and women many lessons on life. He molded so many to be great caddies and even better people.”
In addition to his service as a caddie manager, Grzywinski also taught and coached basketball and baseball in the Toledo public school system for 35 years and was a longtime high school and college basketball official.
Grzywinski is a member of six halls of fame, including the Ohio Golf Hall of Fame, where he was inducted in 2020.
“It’s our honor to welcome Tom Grzywinski to the Caddie Hall of Fame,” said Jeff Harrison, WGA senior vice president of advisory and special initiatives. “His impact on young men and women is unmatched, and we thank him for his dedication to youth caddies.”
“Who would think that when you do something like this, you would be in the Caddie Hall of Fame?” said Grzywinski. “I just did my job, had fun, and worked with nice kids and nice people. I’m very honored.”
Administered by the Western Golf Association since 2011, the Caddie Hall of Fame highlights the tradition and importance of caddying by celebrating individuals who have devoted their lives to the game of golf through caddying or by supporting the role of caddies, and those who have used their experience as a youth caddie for future professional success.
The Caddie Hall of Fame was created by the Professional Caddies Association in 1999. Past inductees include Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Charles “Chick” Evans, Francis Ouimet, Jim “Bones” Mackay, Steve Williams, Joe LaCava, Jimmy Johnson, Charles Schwab and Peter Ueberroth. This year, the Caddie Hall of Fame is celebrating its 25th anniversary of honoring individuals like Gryzwinski who have devoted their lives to the game of golf through caddying or by supporting the role of caddies.
— story courtesy of Michal Spanjer
