A day in the life of a caddy
For every successful man, it is often said that he owes major chunk of that success to some woman in his life. When it comes to golf, similar analogy can be drawn for every successful golfer and the amount of support and help he receives from his trusted
bagman. Although there are set rules on every major tour in the world in terms of how much share will go to a caddy in case of a victory on the course, it does not go without saying that the crucial role that these caddies play during the event, often goes
unrecognized and under estimated. Coupled with that, the abrupt terminations by the players without citing any reason adds to the agony of their already miserable life.
SSP Chowrasia, a renowned Asian Tour player knows all this better than anyone else. He started off his career caddying for major players on the tour to finally emerge as a leading player on the tour. He has been leading the money list on the tour for quite
a while.
"Of course it's a very different life and I much prefer being a player. It's tough being a caddie," the Indian said in Kuala Lumpur. "Me and my caddie get on really well. We talk a lot on the golf course and we have a lot of jokes. He also gives me club
judgment and sometimes putting advice."
But things can get dirty too often for these unsung bagmen. Steve Williams of New Zealand, who remained Tiger Woods trusted caddie for more than a decade, was fired via an email, without citing any reasons by Woods. A bitter and dejected Williams later lashed
out at Woods and claimed that most of the victories came because of his support for the former world number one. Williams now caddies for Adam Scott of Australia and has helped him won several titles this season.
A caddy not only carries the bag for the player but brings in his valuable experience for the player, helping him decide particular situations and chart out strategies for every single shot. Still, there are people who claim that it is the player who has
the right to enjoy the returns of success and a caddy must be complacent with the pay cheque he receives at the end of the day.
"In the end it's got to be his decision. I can give him my opinions, but they get the credit in the end because they are the ones doing everything and they are the ones taking the shots," said Texan Denton (28) – Ryan Moore's swing coach who is currently
helping Moore with the bag while the player is on the prowl for a new caddie.
Players often enjoy great relationships with their caddies which helps them on the course. Spaniard Sergio Garcia, although plays with his regular caddie throughout the season, he brings in his childhood friend Glen Murray to carry his bag in the major events.
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