Q&A with this month’s #PlattProfile, Aidan Rigney
Aidan Rigney, a dual master’s student at Drexel University, reflects on his path from the golf team at Rosemont College to caddying at Philadelphia Country Club. He shares how the J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship has supported his academic journey, how he got his start in caddying, and why walking the course with great members is still his favorite part of the job. Read more!
(This interview has been edited for clarity and length.)
Q: How old are you?
A: I am 23.
Q: What school are you currently attending?
A: I’m at Drexel University getting my master’s degree.
Q: When will you graduate with your master’s?
A: June 2026.
Q: What is your major?
A: I’m getting my MS in Television and Media Management, and I’m also getting my MBA. It’s a dual program, so I’m getting two degrees.
Q: How did you decide on those majors?
A: I graduated undergrad from Rosemont with my degree in Communications, and I kind of just wanted to continue along that path and try to become as well-rounded in the media and television industry as I can. So I was looking at a few different schools and I ended up selecting Drexel just based off a few different factors. I had some alumni who were my undergrad professors, and I also wanted to go to a bigger school really.
Q: Do you participate in any school activities or clubs?
A: In my undergrad, I was on the golf team.
Q: Do you have any hobbies?
A: I love to play golf, I play video games with my friends, and I like to fish.
Q: What golf club do you caddie for?
A: Philadelphia Country Club.
Q: How long have you been caddying?
A: I will be starting my fourth year this spring.
Q: How did you start caddying?
A: My roommate Jesse Lang, who was also a Platt Scholar, was caddying at Whitemarsh Valley. Then our caddie master, Ryan Plower, went to Philadelphia Country Club and Jesse followed him over there. Then he got me involved there, and that’s how I got involved with the scholarship as well.
Q: What is your favorite thing about caddying?
A: My favorite thing about caddying is getting to walk the course every day and be with the members and help them out. We have great members; they’re always really nice and they’re always there to help and willing to take caddies.
Q: How did you hear about the J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship?
A: Through the country club, through Ryan Plower, our caddie master, and my roommate Jesse, he started a year before I did. Ryan pushed me to apply when I started caddying there.
Q: What are your long-term goals? Think 5 to 10 years.
A: My long-term goal is to be in a leadership position within the television/media industry on the production side as a high-level director in live sports or on the corporate side, hopefully holding some type of executive role at a major network or streamer. I also hope to be in a position to give back to J. Wood Platt after all it has given me.
Q: What is something that happened to you while caddying that you will never forget?
A: I have many great memories of caddying at many courses, many of them with friends who are fellow caddies and members. If I had to pick one, I would say it was when I got the opportunity to caddie at Liberty National for their member guest. Just walking that course and taking in all of the great views of New York City while caddying was an awesome experience.
Q: What advice would you give your younger self?
A: One piece of advice I would give to my younger self would be to just trust yourself whenever a decision is being made. Whether it’s simply giving a member a read on a putt or choosing where to go to college, just believe in yourself that you will make the right decision. I would also tell my younger self to appreciate every moment and not take anything in life for granted.
Q: How has J. Wood Platt changed your life?
A: J. Wood Platt has impacted my life significantly. Obviously, the monetary impact has allowed me to not only graduate with an undergrad degree but it has also allowed me to continue working on two master’s degrees at Drexel. It has also given me the opportunity to meet many new people through the various events and listen to other people’s stories of success. I would like to thank my caddie master, Ryan Plower, for giving me a job as a caddie, but also for pushing me and others to apply for the scholarship, Mr. Erik Strid for all he does at Philadelphia Country Club to promote the trust, and the members at PCC who support not only the scholarship but the caddies and the program as a whole.
J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship Trust
The J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship Trust was created in 1958 and is the charitable arm of GAP (Golf Association of Philadelphia). The J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship Trust’s mission is to financially aid and empower qualified caddies and those working in golf operations in the pursuit of higher education. Along with aiding caddies financially, J. Wood Platt’s EMPOWER program strengthens scholarship investment dollars by providing caddies with exceptional benefits and leadership training through access to the wide network of J. Wood Platt donors and alumni. To date, more than 4,200 young men and women have received $29 million in aid from the Trust.
