Breaking The Norm At Colonia Country Club

By Grace Hartley, 2012 P.J. Boatwright Intern

In a male-dominated field, Kathryn Ruhno, of Edison, is breaking down barriers as one of the few girl caddies in New Jersey. Looking for a job that would keep her “outside, active, and interacting with people,” Ruhno, a recent graduate of Rowan University, was given a chance at Colonia Country Club and she has not looked back since that moment five years ago.

An overall health and exercise advocate, Ruhno believes in the many physical and social benefits of caddieing. Caddieing even coincides with her career goal of becoming a health and physical education teacher. As an Education major at Rowan with a Specialization in Health and Physical Education, Ruhno explains, “I have a passion for health and fitness and want to encourage others to stay active throughout their whole life.” She also wishes to promote golf and all of its health advantages to girls, stating, “Many girls do not consider it, but it is a great sport because you can play at any age.” Kathryn’s passion for physical fitness reveals itself through all aspects of her life.

Kathryn has been caddieing for past five years at Colonia and she has found this experience enriching and rewarding. Unfortunately, she learned about the Caddie Scholarship Foundation a year too late, even though she would have been an excellent Caddie Scholar candidate. Regardless, she is a wonderful role model for young girls interested in caddieing. As a caddie, she delights in caddieing’s winning combination of “exercise, sun tan, and tips.”

Although she admits that at first it was "a little weird" as the only girl caddie at Colonia, Ruhno now embraces her situation and feels she is not treated any differently from the other caddies. Kathryn Ruhno is an inspiration for other health conscious and active girls. Hopefully, some girls will follow her footsteps and look into caddieing if they desire an active, fun, and rewarding summer job. Regarding her advice to other female caddies, Ruhno shares, “Don’t be intimidated and keep a sense of humor. Also, wear sunscreen.”