By Mike May
If it weren’t for golf, what would Toledo native Brandon Jackson be doing right now with his life? That’s a great question and it’s one which Jackson would rather not like to answer.
Golf has given Jackson numerous opportunities in life and continues to give even more. He owes a debt of gratitude to a grandparent for introducing him to the game.
“I first started playing golf at the age of eight, because my grandpa regretted not playing earlier in his life,” said Jackson, now 25. “My grandpa has always been a huge inspiration for me not just in the golfing world, but, in life, in general. I always told myself that if I could inspire others like my grandpa inspired me, I would be able to change a lot of lives for the better.”
In addition to playing golf, Jackson also started working as a caddie in Toledo.
“I started caddying at Inverness Club in June 2009, when I was 13 years old,” recalled Jackson. “The rule was actually age 14, but my grandpa knew the boss and we were able to work something out.”
For Jackson, being a caddy at Inverness Club has been an extension of the school day.
“I have learned so much from caddying, but the most important things that I have learned are not only how to approach the game of golf, but also how to become a man,” added Jackson. “Caddying has taught me just how important it is to be respectful to others and just how important it is to make as many connections as possible. I would not have achieved half of the success that I have achieved without those lessons.”
Because of golf and caddying, Jackson was able to attend and graduate from The Ohio State University and now makes his living as a fulltime caddy.
Thanks to an Evans Scholarship, his college expenses were paid and he graduated from OSU in 2019 with a degree in professional golf management.
In the late summer of 2020, he started traveling the country as a caddy for Bianca Pagdanganan, who competes on the LPGA Tour.
“I met her at the Stone Oak Country Club, in Toledo, when she was in town for the LPGA’s Drive On Championship and Marathon Classic in 2020,” added Jackson. “She was practicing for the two events and I ran into her on the course. We just started talking about her future and what the plan was moving forward. After that, we did a few tournaments together later that year, had some early success and have had a partnership ever since.”
He plans to be in Toledo carrying Bianca’s bag at the 2021 Marathon Classic at Highland Meadows in July.
In addition to being an LPGA caddy, Jackson also moonlights as a caddy at the prestigious Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, home of the Masters tournament.
“It has been a dream come true and I still can’t quite put in words how amazing of an experience it has been to be there as a caddy,” admitted Jackson. “I caddied in the 2019 Junior Am where Bo Jin and I finished runner up to Preston Summerhays. I received some publicity from the event. About a week later, I had a meeting with the caddy manager from Augusta National and he asked me if I was interested in a job and the rest is history.”
In the summer, he’s based out of Toledo and in the winter, he’s based in Augusta.
In addition to being a caddy, Jackson is also a strong golfer, though he says his game has eroded over the last year, since he spends more time carrying clubs rather than swinging clubs.
“I consider myself an okay golfer,” said Jackson. “I don’t play golf as much anymore, but I am currently between a 4 and 6 handicap.”
Every day, Jackson thinks of his grandfather and is thankful that he was introduced to golf as a young boy. For Jackson, golf has become the focal point of his life and he’s very thankful for it.
He still wonders: “If it weren’t for golf, what would I be doing right now?”
