To begin work as a teenage caddy can be humbling. Finding balls sliced into the woods while carrying heavy bags in 90-degree heat can leave some yearning for an indoor job scooping ice cream.
Truth Hughes admitted he was unsure about his skills during his first season on the course. He wasn’t just talking about typical caddy responsibilities; once, his golfer asked him to move a motorized cart.
“I had never driven a motor vehicle,” Hughes said. “I almost hit him with the golf cart. He was mad at first, but when I explained I had never driven before, he was OK.”
But thanks to the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund (DMSF), Hughes’ story – along with hundreds of others – have endings as inspiring as an eagle on the 18th hole. Founded in 1989 by former Evans Scholars Bob and Jim Murphy to honor their late father, the program has helped thousands of low-income teenagers attend private schools while offering them tutoring and college counseling, among other benefits.
Candidates are assessed on three criteria: academic ability, leadership potential and financial need. In 2025, 800 eighth-graders applied, and 200 were tapped for interviews before 165 were offered scholarships and the chance to caddy at about two dozen private Chicago-area clubs.
A rigorous two-week program called Summer Bridge kicks off the DMSF experience before freshman year of high school. Engaging in formal debates and speeches ensures everyone is comfortable speaking in front of a group. Days are devoted to potential careers and mental health awareness.
“They get you used to the high school environment, including taking classes,” said Hughes, who is starting his fourth year caddying at Exmoor Country Club. “I learned to open myself up to others and to build connections.
“I came in without knowing anyone. I left with amazing friends.”
Once scholars are out on the course, carrying bags and raking traps can lead to outcomes beyond golf.
“It opens this world of networking and social capital that otherwise they wouldn’t be exposed to,” said DMSF CEO Cindy Hallums. “There are so many stories I hear that say, ‘I caddied for Mr. Jones, and I got an internship at his company.’”
Hallums joined DMSF in 2008, when she and a staff of five supported 300 Murphy scholars.
“It was a lot of building the plane as we flew it,” she recalled. “We tried to identify, ‘What more do our scholars need?’
“It was wild. I once rode the Metra with 60 scholars. Once we got off, I’m walking 60 kids a mile to Lake Shore Country Club.”
Boy caddies live at dorms at Lake Forest College, while girls reside at Elmhurst University. Counselors make sure caddies eat, shower and make their tee times.
“Counselors are the one responding to their every need,” Hallums said.
She said it can be challenging for golfers to understand the why behind getting a Murphy caddy.
“It’s important to ensure golfers understand the significance of what a loop means to a kid. It’s not just dollars in their pocket, but it’s the longer-term path to a possible college scholarship,” Hallums said. In fact, more than 400 DMSF caddies have earned Evans scholarships, which pay for tuition and room and board at places such as Northwestern University and University of Washington.
None of this is possible without significant fundraising. For DMSF, half of its revenue comes from one event, the DMSF Golf Classic. This year, more than 500 golfers traversed six North Shore courses on June 1. The 37th annual event raised a record amount: $3.4 million.
“What really blew me away is the most unpredictable part of the night is the paddle raise,” said Hallums, referring to the evening auction at Exmoor. “We broke $1 million for the first time ever.”
Hughes spoke at that event. Considering as a freshman he was uncomfortable even having casual conversations with golfers, giving a talk in front of hundreds shows how far he has come as a DMSF scholar. Next stop for the St. Ignatius College Prep graduate? The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Gies College of Business as an Evans Scholar this fall.
“I’m extremely excited to go to U of I,” he said. “Already, it’s felt like such a welcoming community. Everyone in the Evans program is so willing to help you out. They’ve been in your position before.”
If you’re interested in interviewing DMSF candidates or volunteering in other ways, please click here for more information.
