A former caddy is suing a prestigious Long Island golf club over a prank that he says left him humiliated.
The Garden City Golf Club, also known as the Garden City Men's Club, is facing a $5 million lawsuit over a picture allegedly taken by a former caddy of caddy manager George Ouelette sticking a lewd sexual object in the face of a sleeping caddy, Robert Wiggins.
"Disrespect, pride gone," says Wiggins, of Hempstead. "I was just hurt, I was really hurt."
Wiggins, a club employee for 20 years, says once he discovered that the picture had been taken and even posted to Facebook, he could not return to work.
In federal court papers, attorneys for Wiggins claim the club is a hostile work environment with a culture of racial discrimination.
"It's very bizarre that there are golf clubs on Long Island that allow this type of stuff to happen," says attorney Neil Frank. "It's very strange and very disgusting."
"There are inaccuracies in the complaint which the club will vigorously defend," a public relations firm for the club said in a statement. "We believe that the alleged misconduct does not reflect any pattern of behavior among persons associated with the club."
Wiggins' attorney says Ouelette is still the club's caddy manager.
The Garden City Men's Club dates back to 1899 and does not allow female members.