Other Interviews - The Lost Asylum

TOM - NEWTOWN COUNTRY CLUB

In an October 2005 interview, Tommy, a Newtown County Club member, tells that patients from Fairfield Hills regularly caddied for golfers at the Country Club. The campus of Fairfield Hills is merely down the road, half a mile from the Newtown Country Club. During the 1930's, 40's, 50's and 60's, trusted patients could obtain day passes to leave the hospital grounds in order to caddy at the Newtown Country Club.

Tom tells that patient caddies were paid the same as other caddies, but whether a patient caddy stayed through an entire round of golf, depended on what time you teed off! During those years, everyday at 12 noon the hospital siren at Fairfield Hills blew loudly. Some patient caddies would not want to miss lunch, as they were either very hungry, or the lunch being served on that day was a favorite. Tom says that when the 12 noon siren blew, a hungry patient might just drop the golf bag right then and there, leaving the golfer out on the course, with his bag of clubs!

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