To caddie or not to caddie?

[Trueblue]

Had this argument with a mate while watching the USPGA on Sunday –

if you couldn't take part as a pro (let's face it it's probably too late now for most of us...) would you be a caddie at a Major?

Arguments were -

yes of course, get as near as possible to the action
No, novelty would wear off very quickly with a massiv bag on your shoulder

What do you reckon?

 

[OOB]

I like the idea of caddying a course I know well. -Pointing friends around unfamiliar layouts is great fun (especially when they ignore the advice and mess things up)

To do this at an unfamiliar layout would be very tough

 

[John_Findlay]

Sounds like hard work to me. Never quite understood why most caddies carry these tour bags with only the one strap as opposed to the harnass affairs most amateurs use nowadays.

Mind you, I wouldn't mind Steve Williams monthly pay cheque.

 

[thebelgie24]

i agree hear hes the highest paid sportsman in new zealand !

 

[rgs]

Great job if teh right bag is carried-fresh air-exercise and a decent salary.

Must be good if Padraig Harringtons caddie Ronan Flood gave up a career as an investment banker with AIB in Dublin.

 

[shanker]

I'd jump at the chance as long as I didn't have to help him read greens or help with club selection. Wouldn't want to f*** up like Woosnam's caddy at Lytham a few years ago!

 

[Golfer2112]

Yes, I'd like to do a bit of caddying as long as I could bring a trolley because those pro bags look HUGE.

 

[DriveForShow]

Are there Tour rules as to what a caddy can and cannot do? Could he take a trolley round?

I remember seeing a picture of a player in, I think, Tour Qualifying taking his own clubs round on a trolley.

 

[madandra]

I have seen players carrying their clubs on the Eurotour on SKY. I guess when you are earning £15-25k you can't afford a caddy. I would love to do it for a few months just to see what it is like inside the ropes but if I was Monty's caddy at the US Open I would have rammed his driver so far up his erse you would have been able to see 'golf pride tour velvet' when he opened his mouth. I like him but he always blames someone else.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Why do these pros need such a big bag. Most of these tour bags are 11 or 11.5 inches in diameter and if you are playing somewhere like the British Open I can see how they come into their own with the need for extra towels, waterproofs, gloves etc. However, if you are playing in temperatures of 110 and azure blue sky (as per the USPGA) there is hardly the need for the same amount of gear.

It seems strange to me that most of the big manufacturers (Nike, Callway, TaylorMade etc) all produce a slightly smaller bag (normally 9.5, 10 or 10.5 inch diameters) for us schmucks to buy and look like our heroes yet none of the players themselves seem to utilise them.

Is it me or is there something suspicious in that?? Surely they would be large enough for the water, snacks etc tour players carry especially as I said when the weather is set fair and waterproofs definitely won't be needed.

Happy golfing

Homer

 

[Teetotal]

Why do caddies have to carry - what's wrong with a powercaddy? There's no way health and safety in our office would let you get away with potential back damaging work. Imagine the litigation. Plus would have to sit through a really boring video on how to pick up the bag correctly.
I would also get all the yardages wrong with that wheel thing they use and I am the most rubbish ball spotter in the world - loose sight of it as soon as it goes in front of sky, though for loads of money would put up with lopsided shoulders.

 

[madandra]

Homer, in answer to your question regarding the size of Pro's bags I can answer it in one word




.................. ADVERTISING .....................



Even when the camera showing the player is behind the green and they are 155 back down the fairway you can still make out the manufacturers logo.

A good tour bag will set you back £150 yet the pro's get new special edition bags for every major. I wonder if the 7 years old chinese child who made it gets a cut of the winners cheque.

Ka-ching !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[muttleee]

Has anyone read Four Iron in the Soul by Lawrence Donegan? It's a brilliant book documenting his experiences while spending a year caddying for a lesser known tour player (Ross Drummond). Very funny and highly recommended.

 

[thebelgie24]

ye ive read it,brilliant insight into the caddie world,am i right in saying he was the base player for Loyd Cole

 

[muttleee]

Yes he played bass for Lloyd Cole and the Commotions and also for The Bluebells. Man of many talents, huh?