Golf might be known as an individual sport to some, but that was never the case for Louie Le Gear. Golf had always been a huge part of his life due to the passion Louie’s dad possesses for the game. Growing up in the Santa Cruz Mountains outside of San Jose, playing golf was a way for Louie and his dad to spend time together.
Louie already had a golf background from playing with his dad at a young age, but officially began his membership with Youth on Course (YOC) through his hometown’s local junior golf league. Little did he know what a huge part of his life YOC would become over the next decade.
At age 16, through the YOC caddie program, Louie became a caddie at La Rinconada Country Club in Los Gatos. Louie invested his time in something he loved, capitalized on the opportunity, applied himself, and in 2015 he was the most active caddie in the South Bay Region.
Because of YOC, Louie has not only been able to improve his golf game through hundreds of subsidized green fees but also describes how he learned the importance of having pride in what he does. As a result of his hard work and dedication caddying, he was extended a job offer at La Rinconada for the remainder of his time in high school. He describes being extremely driven to work his absolute hardest as a caddie because YOC made the opportunity possible for a lot of people like him with no work experience.
In 2016, Louie received a Youth on Course scholarship from the Morton Foundation and has since been able to pursue a higher education at the University of Oregon. He is currently enrolled as a finance major and hopes to utilize his degree in the finance world in a full-time job post-graduation.
When he’s not on the golf course, Louie enjoys surfing, learning about investment banking and getting outdoors with his friends. He also loves cheering on his Oregon Ducks on Saturdays.
“YOC allowing me to get on the golf course was really valuable for my relationship with my dad. I think YOC essentially allowed me to spend time with my dad, who really shaped my perspective on golf and on life as a whole. The values that I learned from both my dad and the game of golf really shaped who I have become.” - Louie