Page 30 - Westchester Magazine - 2020 Golf Guide

PROFILES | Caddies
Julian Thur
Trump National GC Westchester
There are few places Julian Thur would rather be than on a golf course. “I love the game,” he says, “and I always wanted to work around it.” He knew a member at Trump in Briarcliff Manor who helped him get a job in the bag room as soon as he was old enough. He’s been caddying for two years.
During that time, the 17-year-old has learned a lot. “The hardest part of the job is when a player gets frustrated,” Thur says. “But golf is a hard game. It’s part of my job to keep them in good spirits.”
How does he accomplish that? “I try to help them manage their misses,” he explains. “Communication with your caddie is key. Sure, I can give you the yard- age and let you make your club choice, but I can also point out where to hit it and where not to hit it. If you trust me, it will work better.”
Want a Great Job?
There’s a real need for young men and women in the caddie yards in Westchester, and it’s a good way to earn an honest buck (or two or three) in the great outdoors. You don’t need to be an expert in the game, either!
The best way to get started is to enroll in the MGA Foundation’s Caddie Academies, which are held at several places in the spring. They’re free and cover all the basics with solid hands-on instruction from MGA and club staffers. For more info, go to mgagolf.org.
While you’re there, look for information about the Westchester Caddie Scholarship Fund. It’s enabled more than 2,800 young men and women to go to college.
Rob Millen
Westchester Hills GC
This marks Rob Millen’s eighth year at Westchester Hills. “I love it,” he says. “The members are great; the course is nice, and it’s an easy- going atmosphere.”
Millen, 36, grew up in Croton and started playing golf when he was 10 years old at Mohansic, Garrison, and Beekman. “I played baseball in high school but made the jump to the golf team,” he says. He went to Coastal Carolina University in Myrtle Beach about the same time as Dustin Johnson and earned his degree not in golf but in business.
During the winter months, Millen loops in Houston, where he works the PGA TOUR’s Houston Open pro-am. “In 2017, I caddied for NY Jets’ coach Herm Edwards, Roger Clemens, JJ Watt from the Houston Texans, and Bruce Culpepper, the president of Shell Oil. Our pro was Jordan Spieth. It was a dream day.”
Asked about his approach to the job, Millen says, “I like players who interact a lot with the caddie. You should pick the caddie’s brain. If I can’t take three or four strokes off your game, I’m not doing my job.” •
28 GOLF 2020 www.westchestermagazine.com