Augusta, a tradition to lose?

[goldenbare]

As we are now being inundated by Sky’s advertising of next week’s Masters it reminds me that as much as we all love the excitement it brings to the start of the Summer golfing season I always feel it is marred each year by the poor caddies being dressed in white boiler suits, like a throwback to the days of black/white separation in the deep South of America.
I think is about time the Augusta authorities got in the modern world of equality and let the caddies look like people who have some worth, treat them with a more respect and not make them look like 2nd class citizens as if they would dirty their pristine course with a glimpse of an occasional pair of neatly pressed shorts and trainers.
I am sure after all the excitement the caddies must share in looking forward to such a great competition with the players they work with, it must be a real downside to their week to be treated like worthless bag carriers that had been picked up from the caddy shack.

Anybody else have similar feelings or do you think it is all part the Masters’ tradition?

 

[pbrown7582]

There's much to love and loathe about the masters but this is something that doesn't bother me although I'm not sure 'Stevie' will feel the same.

 

[Jaymosafehands]

I disagree, these boys are playing in the most exclusive major on one of the best courses in the world with a chance to earn 10% of a lot of money for a weeks work. I'm sure they're quite happy to wear a white overall.

And they can use it for decorating the week after!

 

[macca64]

To be honest i love it the way it is,keeping a bit of tradition i think makes the Masters what it is,utterly fantastic

 

[moogie]

To be honest i love it the way it is,keeping a bit of tradition i think makes the Masters what it is,utterly fantastic

I agree with all macca said

 

[HawkeyeMS]

The caddy overalls are all part of the event.

I'd be more concerned that last year they banned a female reporter with an official press pass from the locker room where the interviews were conducted after last years event just because she was female.

 

[connor]

I agree with all macca said

same here as well

 

[goldenbare]

I disagree, these boys are playing in the most exclusive major on one of the best courses in the world with a chance to earn 10% of a lot of money for a weeks work. I'm sure they're quite happy to wear a white overall.

And they can use it for decorating the week after!

most of the caddies can't get the usual name bib off quick enough on a regular tournament, I dont think think they spend hours looking forward to putting on the wallpapering suits in the sake of tradition.

 

[macca64]

Think they would wear a tu-tu for 10% cut in that winners cheque, and to be fair i think most caddies love the place as well

 

[Foxholer]

As someone who wears a boiler-suit as part of the job, I'm happy to be 'uniform'!

And having worked for a Japanese car manufacturer with that required boiler-suit for ALL workers, I find no problem with such uniformity.

I've also got a number of £600+ suits and £150+ boots/shoes that were part of the job requirement in previous roles. I know which I prefer to wear! The Banker's Suit (as in Matt cartoons) is a classic daft uniform that nobody considers outdated.

Given that most caddies in The Masters are very well paid, and some are millionaires, it seems to me that the OP-er is demonstrating his own prejudice more than standing up for the 'rats' - who would probably opt for their usual scruffy tee-shirt and shorts if allowed! Stevie only rips his off to show his sponsor's logos!

 

[Richuk123]

To be honest i love it the way it is,keeping a bit of tradition i think makes the Masters what it is,utterly fantastic

Spot on! I love the masters. It's my favourite major and I'm glad the tradition is kept. The only thing I would criticise is I think they have made the course too long, but that is for another thread!

 

[Snelly]

As someone who wears a boiler-suit as part of the job, I'm happy to be 'uniform'!

And having worked for a Japanese car manufacturer with that required boiler-suit for ALL workers, I find no problem with such uniformity.

Given that most caddies in The Masters are very well paid, and some are millionaires, it seems to me that the OP-er is demonstrating his own prejudice more than standing up for the 'rats'!

Totally agree.

The Masters is the one day in the golfing year that the caddies look relatively smart. Some weeks, there are several of them that look like they have walked straight in from a Chav themed weekend at Bognor Butlins. Running shoes, caps on backwards, T shirts etc. No standards.......

 

[goldenbare]

As someone who wears a boiler-suit as part of the job, I'm happy to be 'uniform'!

And having worked for a Japanese car manufacturer with that required boiler-suit for ALL workers, I find no problem with such uniformity.

Given that most caddies in The Masters are very well paid, and some are millionaires, it seems to me that the OP-er is demonstrating his own prejudice more than standing up for the 'rats'!

I am a little confused, what am I showing prejudice against? not liking people being treated like 2nd class citizens is hardly a prejudice. and millionaire caddies? not many I think.

I am sure your need for a boiler suit is purely practical. A golf caddies' occupation does not really require one.

 

[DaveM]

Know your place "boy". No room for uppity folk round here, boy. Said in a southern plantation drawl.

 

[goldenbare]

Know your place "boy" Said in a southern plantation drawl.

I'm glad someones got the nouse to see where I'm coming from Dave, even if it is said with a little humour. this is exactly what this "tradition" reminds me of.

 

[Foxholer]

I am a little confused, what am I showing prejudice against? not liking people being treated like 2nd class citizens is hardly a prejudice. and millionaire caddies? not many I think.

I am sure your need for a boiler suit is purely practical. A golf caddies' occupation does not really require one.

Probably about 80 millionaire caddies worldwide - using the measure that anyone earning over £!00K qualifies. For all his faults, Steve Williams actually donated NZ$1M to a children's cancer ward in 2008.

Boiler suit is required - to be uniform and tidy - in a semi PR role. It's not actually a practical requirement at all. In the Japanese car manufacturer role, it was part of the philosophy of 'equality' that everyone wore one.

Your 'prejudice' is to consider that anybody 'forced' to wear a boiler suit is a 2nd class citizen! As I previously posted, I was 'forced' to wear a far more expensive uniform purely for the sake of 'looking the part'!

 

[garyinderry]

the boiler suits ad to the uniqueness of agusta

 

[brendy]

Augusta hasnt got the monopoly on boiler suits though, the ladies Nabisco which is currently on also has the caddies wearing white outfits.

Great bit of rare footage from Augusta 1960
[video=youtube_share;HFTYzYlaR4o]http://youtu.be/HFTYzYlaR4o[/video]

 

[Mattyboy]

The Masters committee do things their own way. The great thing about this is that it makes the torunament so individual - however the risk is that they occasionally can get it wrong.

However, theres not much I would change about it: Apart from the constant adverts on sky maybe, oh and Tiger spitting, then theres Ken Brown and his wundering balls, and the fact that some years they mow the grass behind 15 and some years they dont (thus stopping balls going into the drink on 16) and the mupet shouting 'gettindahole', the bloke with the sign saying John 3:16, the sad music when they show the leader board and Alliss after too many G&Ts.

Infact, sod it. I wont be watching!

As for the caddies, I will do it next week if theres a spare bag! :thup:

 

[goldenbare]

Your 'prejudice' is to consider that anybody 'forced' to wear a boiler suit is a 2nd class citizen! As I previously posted, I was 'forced' to wear a far more expensive uniform purely for the sake of 'looking the part'!

I think you're saying that I have a misconception rather than a prejudice and would agree that wearing a boiler suit for practical purposes does not make any body a 2nd class citizen. But, I still maintain that in this particular case that the caddies are made to look like 2nd class citizens and many don't look particularly smart .