In the event you’re nuts about golf, the lifetime of a Tour caddie would possibly properly look significantly interesting. You’re contained in the ropes on the huge tournaments, working cheek by jowl with a tour participant, travelling the world (normally following the solar), and, when you’re particularly fortunate, incomes a really tidy sum.
The story that Steve Williams was the highest-paid sportsperson from New Zealand when he caddied for Tiger Woods was not a fantasy. However how do you make this seemingly fascinating life in a recreation you’re keen on a actuality?
Tips on how to change into a golf caddie
The quick reply is: there isn’t any quick reply.
Caddying has no school, no coaching centre, no {qualifications} and no ladder, so there are a number of routes to turning into a golf caddie. A very powerful factor you require—arguably—is luck.
That mentioned, there are a number of issues you are able to do to enhance your possibilities of ending up on the bag of a Main winner; a fats cheque in your pocket and the standing that goes with being a part of a ‘crew’ that gained one of many ‘huge ones’.
A love of golf is a prerequisite to turning into a caddie, as is loads of data in regards to the recreation. Up to now, so apparent—besides you WILL categorically discover caddies on tour who aren’t massively into the sport. They’re exceptions, although, and being a golf nut positively helps.
Being a very good participant your self isn’t a foul factor both; at any time when Rory McIlroy is requested about his caddie Harry Diamond, he at all times says what a high-quality participant he’s. Nick Faldo’s caddie by way of most of his Main wins, Fanny Sunesson, is a powerful golfer, too. Matt Fitzpatrick’s caddie Billy Foster—who has additionally looped for everybody from Seve Ballesteros and Tiger to Greg Norman, Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke—can also be a low-handicap participant.
Studying putts is a key a part of being a caddie, so your skill to learn your individual putts efficiently is a little bit of a information on this regard. Different technical qualities it’s good to change into a golf caddie embrace the power to ‘membership’ the participant—including within the wind, elevation, temperature, and floor circumstances to the precise yardage.
Much less technical (however simply as precious) is the nous to find out whether or not the golfer must assault or play protected, and whether or not adrenaline could also be affecting their mind-set.
What the professional caddies say
“You want to have the ability to learn your golfer, whether or not they’re about to play their strategy on the 18th in The Open whereas in competition or whether or not Chuck from Nashville is hacking his approach up the fifth gap at Kingsbarns, having misplaced six balls already,” says former Girls European Tour caddie Paul MacMichael.
“The necessity for a mix of consciousness and emotional intelligence is essential,” provides MacMichael, who has caddied for the likes of Anna Nordqvist in varied women’ Majors.
He’s a former PE trainer whose route into caddying is just not untypical in its sliding doorways moments.
From driving courtesy automobiles on the McDonalds Girls Championship of Europe at Gleneagles, he received to know Maria Hjorth, and thru her, Karin Sjodin. He agreed to caddie for her on the Ladies’s British Open ultimate qualifying—and fast-forward eight years; he’s looped for the likes of Pernilla Lindberg, Nordqvist, Birdie Kim, Michele Thomson, and Laura Murray (now Beveridge), strolling the fairways at a number of Ladies’s British Opens, Girls Scottish Opens and the Irish Open.
“My route into caddying was merely being round tournaments and chatting with folks,” he says.
“As in most walks of life, private contacts are invaluable, and most caddie-golfer preparations come about by way of phrase of mouth and generally social media.
“Nevertheless, the very best path to turning into a caddie is arguably to know a golfer who’s about to interrupt into the lofty ranks of the tour and to carry on to their shirt tails.”
Hanging across the high beginner occasions, attending to know the following technology of superstars, and maybe carrying their bag for a spherical or two is a smart option to give your self an opportunity of a toe within the door. And when your man or lady turns professional, they could simply provide the call-up.
MacMichael’s expertise and popularity on the LET might properly have led to him having success on the extra profitable European Tour.
The LET is one other good possibility; cash is tight there, and the gamers gained’t normally have a caddie, however providing your providers and build up a popularity and expertise there’s a clever transfer. MacMichael went in one other course, although. He now caddies for ‘Chuck from Nashville’ et al. at Gleneagles.
“Any venue that runs a caddie programme could have a Caddie Grasp—they’re the particular person to contact,” he explains.
“Most programs could have their caddie roster for the 12 months finalised for the start of the season, so any strategy might be finest made throughout the month of March. Some venues will prepare a coaching programme for brand spanking new recruits.”
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