By Vartan Kupelian
(This story first appeared at Global Golf Post and is reprinted with permission.)
There was Scott Gneiser, the caddie, walking alongside his man, David Toms, in the Senior Open on the Old Course at St. Andrews.
The image was shown across the golf playing world and Gneiser, as always, was unequivocal in representing his hometown. He was wearing a baseball cap with an Olde English ‘D’ – the universal sign for the City of Detroit. A few weeks earlier, the image had been shown again, this time from the U.S. Senior Open won by Toms.
Just Gneiser being Gneiser. He bleeds Tigers’ blue … and Michigan maize ‘n’ blue … and Red Wings’ red. His affection for hometown sports runs deep and whether it’s social media, idle conversation with pals or debates in the caddie yards around the PGA Tour, there’s never a doubt what side he’s going to come down on.
Always Detroit and Michigan. Everywhere he goes, he is an ambassador for the blue-collar town he cherishes, even though he now lives in the Chicago suburbs with his wife, Jane, the daughter of the late great Hockey Hall of Fame member, Stan Mikita, and their two sons.
Gneiser was born in Providence, Rhode Island, but the family moved to the Detroit suburb of Dearborn when he was a year old. Gneiser then spent his entire youth in St. Clair Shores, on the city’s east side, and his love for Detroit sports came naturally. It was a father-son thing with Scott and his dad, David.
“My dad used to go to Tiger games,” Scott said. “He was always my baseball coach, my hockey coach, my golf partner. We’d go to all the hockey games at the old Olympia.”
Gneiser loved watching Detroit icons Al Kaline and Gordie Howe. Those memories never end. In fact, they grow stronger and more sustainable as the years go on. They certainly have for Gneiser. 
Gneiser, 53, is three decades into his caddie carrier which began innocently enough.
He attended Bishop Gallagher High on the east side and Central Michigan University, where he studied commercial recreation/management. An avid golfer, he worked at various resorts and met people in the golf industry. An acquaintance and professional golfer, Ed Humenik, was about to try the tour.
“I worked for Ed at Travis Pointe and Mt. Pleasant Country Club,” Gneiser said. “Every now and then he’d say, ‘I’m going to play the Michigan Open do you want to caddie for me?’ We did pretty well, ended up winning the Michigan Open (in 1988).
“Right out of college I started working at Sugar Loaf Resort. My first job was activities director. Within a month or two, Ed called and asked if I wanted to go out and caddie for him. Here I am, got this great job I love. I called my dad. He said, ‘If you don’t want to caddie for Ed, I’ll go do it.’ That pretty much made up my mind.”
Gneiser and Humenik left in two weeks for a satellite event in Newport Beach on the way to his first PGA TOUR event at Pebble Beach.
“I was only going to do it for one year,” Gneiser said. “But I got a taste of the caddie life out there. It kind of bit me.”
Humenik led the PGA Tour in driving distance but lost his card and Andy North called Gneiser with a job offer.
What sold Gneiser was North’s playing schedule.
“One tournament that really made up my mind was Augusta,” Gneiser said. “I asked Andy, ‘Would I work Augusta for you?’ He said, ‘Of course.’
“I was with Andy for two years, then another Michigan guy, Dan Pohl, and with Jeff Sluman for a cup of coffee. Brent Geiberger asked if I’d go to the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament in 1996. I said, ‘Yeah, sure, I can do that.’”
Ten years into his career as a looper, Gneiser hit the mother lode. David Toms, who would soon become a major player and a major champion, fired his caddie. He called Gneiser and offered a four-week tryout. In their first event together, Toms finished fourth and told Gneiser, “It’s your job if you want it.”
By 2001, Tom was one of the world’s best golfers. He had nine top 10 finishes and three wins, including the PGA Championship where he famously defeated Phil Mickelson down the stretch with a classic up-and-down for par on the 72nd hole at Atlanta Athletic Club. At the time, Toms’ winning 265 score was the lowest ever in a major championship.
At the beginning of the 2002 season, Toms was ranked No. 5 in the Official World Golf Rankings and would represent the United States in the next three Ryder Cups.
“Over all the years I’ve always worn a Tiger hat,” Gneiser said. “Never got to wear it on a golf course. Caddies have hat deals. It kills me not to wear it out there. This year I decided I wanted to wear the English ‘D’ hat. Michigan fans travel well. They love the hat.”
Almost as much as Gneiser.
