How to become a golf caddie

Should you’re nuts about golf, the lifetime of a Tour caddie would possibly properly look critically interesting. You’re contained in the ropes on the massive tournaments, working cheek by jowl with a tour participant, travelling the world (often 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 delusion. However how do you make this seemingly fascinating life in a sport you like a actuality?

The way to change into a golf caddie

The brief reply is: there is no such thing as a brief reply.

Caddying has no faculty, no coaching centre, no {qualifications} and no ladder, so there are a number of routes to changing into a golf caddie. An important factor you require—arguably—is luck.

That stated, 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 received one of many ‘massive ones’.

A love of golf is a prerequisite to changing into a caddie, as is loads of information in regards to the sport. Thus far, 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 an excellent participant your self isn’t a nasty factor both; at any time when Rory McIlroy is requested about his caddie Harry Diamond, he all the time says what a nice 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 be a low-handicap participant.

Studying putts is a key a part of being a caddie, so your capacity to learn your personal putts efficiently is a little bit of a information on this regard. Different technical qualities it’s essential change into a golf caddie embody 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 secure, 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 method on the 18th in The Open whereas in competition or whether or not Chuck from Nashville is hacking his manner up the fifth gap at Kingsbarns, having misplaced six balls already,” says former Women 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 numerous girls’ Majors.

He’s a former PE trainer whose route into caddying shouldn’t be untypical in its sliding doorways moments.

From driving courtesy vehicles on the McDonalds Women Championship of Europe at Gleneagles, he received to know Maria Hjorth, and thru her, Karin Sjodin. He agreed to caddie for her on the Girls’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 Girls’s British Opens, Women Scottish Opens and the Irish Open.

“My route into caddying was merely being round tournaments and chatting with individuals,” 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.

“Nonetheless, one of the best path to changing 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 novice occasions, attending to know the following technology of superstars, and maybe carrying their bag for a spherical or two is a wise method to give your self an opportunity of a toe within the door. And when your man or girl turns professional, they may simply provide the call-up.

MacMichael’s expertise and repute on the LET could properly have led to him having success on the extra profitable European Tour.

The LET is one other good choice; cash is tight there, and the gamers received’t often have a caddie, however providing your companies and build up a repute and expertise there’s a clever transfer. MacMichael went in one other route, although. He now caddies for ‘Chuck from Nashville’ et al. at Gleneagles.

“Any venue that runs a caddie programme can have a Caddie Grasp—they’re the individual to contact,” he explains.

“Most programs can have their caddie roster for the yr finalised for the start of the season, so any method might be finest made through the month of March. Some venues will prepare a coaching programme for brand spanking new recruits.”

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