Caddy in the spotlight: Patrick Carr of the Philadelphia Cricket Club

By John T. Iswalt

The J. Wood Platt Caddy Scholarship Trust is a family. With 149 scholars currently enrolled at nearly 60 colleges and universities, the family is constantly growing. Among the new members is first-year Platt Scholar Patrick Carr.

The scholarship is absolutely the best thing that has happened to me financially and through education, said Carr, 19, of Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. For people looking for networking opportunities, this is more than the best experience you can have.

Caddying and the Platt Scholarship are owned by the Carr family. Patrick's older brother Jimmy, 22, started caddying at Whitemarsh Valley Country Club at the age of 13. Shortly afterwards Jimmy moved to Cricket. Seeing his brother's affinity for caddies, and hearing about his encounters while running, prompted Patrick to follow his brother into the caddy yard in 2021. A year earlier, Jimmy, a student at Temple University graduating in 2024, became a J. Wood Platt Caddy scholar.

Sue Greco, the Carr brothers' aunt, saw some informational materials for the scholarship and encouraged Jimmy, the only brother who was a caddy at the time, to apply.

My brother got it and I thought, there's no way they're going to give him that much money to do something like this. This is great, said Patrick, a 2023 graduate of Wissahickon High School. I applied, I got it and thought, this is actually a lifesaver. It was absolutely wonderful.

Now a member of the Platt Network, Patrick has the opportunity to reap the benefits of the Trusts just like his brother.

It definitely encouraged me more because of the financial benefits of it. Money was certainly an issue in school as a student in 2024, but it's certainly an incentive to want to do more, said Patrick, a freshman at West Chester University. There's a lot of people behind me, I'd say, 'You got this.' You are a scholar for a reason.

For Patrick, Platt promotes versatility in the golf and education communities, respectively. Patrick and Jimmy are keen to benefit from the Trusts EMPOWER program in the future. These professional development opportunities are a valuable benefit for scientists. Sessions include resume workshops, leadership training, mentorship and more.

[Patrick has] been an asset. He started off quite raw, but eventually picked it up quite quickly. He is reliable and a solid caddie, said Uccelletti, 59, of Abington, Pennsylvania. I love that the caddies are involved with J. Wood Platt. The possibilities are so beneficial for everyone involved.

I feel like there are more opportunities here [at Cricket] because there are multiple courses, Patrick said. The guys out there, Ucc (Mike Uccelletti, Crickets Director of Outside Services) and Jeff (Marino, Crickets Associate Director of Outside Services), they're the best guys ever. They'll give you a loop if you need one. They see your dedication.

Cricket has impressed Patrick from the start.

My first loop was with Julius Erving. It was my ghost run, Patrick said. I walked to the tee. I looked at the bags and it said Dr. J. He had a Sixers hat on, he had a nice jacket and I thought, 'There's no way I can do this right now.' It was amazing. It was a Top 10 experience for me.

Although Patrick admits he was new to golf at the time, he said the conversation with the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer came naturally.

Staying committed to serving his players and liaising with club members are Patrick's biggest responsibilities while caddying.

I would like to [the members] knows how to socialize, Patrick said. The social interactions they have remain professional throughout the round. There is never an outburst; they keep it professional. I have the feeling that I will definitely be able to use that within my field soon.

Patrick is studying biology with a concentration in medical laboratory sciences. He was recently selected to participate in the university's nursing program. Several of Patrick's family members, including his mother, Megan, work in the medical industry. During the spring semester, he also became a brother of the West Chesters chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon.

The Carr family caddy legacy continues. In addition to older brother Jimmy, Patrick has two younger brothers. Shane, 17, also caddies at Cricket and Kevin, 13, could start caddieing in a few years. Clearly, the Carr-Platt Scholar legacy could continue as well.

There is a long tradition of siblings caddying at GAP Member Clubs and then becoming Platt Scholars, says J. Wood Platts director of education Andrew Downs. I think the benefits of caddying, along with the Platt Scholarship, make it easy for caddies to follow in the footsteps of older siblings.

J. Wood Platt is responsible for advancing the education and professionalism of its scholars. United by family support and the generosity of donors and mentors, the Trust's positive impact on its scholars continues.