CADDIE CORNER
Welcome to the Caddie Corner. Check out all the information you need to know about a golfer, caddie and their relationship on the course. Find out what a Caddie does each round, how they prepare and how to read a Tour yardage book. Follow our Blog to hear stories of Caddies from inside the ropes on Tour.
How a Player and Caddie Work Together
CADDIE/PLAYER DIAGRAM
1. Fundamentals – There are basic fundamentals that a player and a caddie must do in order to be their best as a team. For players the fundamentals are short game, driving and approach shots. Each player is constantly working on these areas to improve their game. Players strive to perfect many different types of shots in these categories in order to play their best. For Caddies the fundamentals are knowing the basic knowledge of the course such as yardage, wind, green reading, recording data, cleaning clubs and knowing how to conduct yourself in a positive way throughout the round with your player and group. It is also fundamental to prepare yourself for each tournament by pacing greens, rolling balls to identify slope in the green, checking the accuracy of the yardage book, preparing for pin placements and knowing carry yardage’s.
2.Course Management– To be an effective team both the player and caddie must be on the same page when It comes to course management. The player and caddie must communicate clearly in order to determine a pre-round strategy and have a thorough knowledge of the course and greens. Also, they establish a game plan of when to attack, play aggressive or when to play safe. They understand how to seize opportunities and how best to play to the golfer’s strengths. The player and caddie both are on the same page throughout the round and are prepared for how different conditions may affect their game plan.
3.Mental- Probably the most important part of a competitive round is the mental mindset of the player during competition. It is vital that a player and caddie be on the same page and is able to communicate with each other during each round. Having the proper mental approach to the game means a player must block out any distractions, think positive in all situations, play one shot at a time, visualize the shot, play without fear, have patience and trust your swing and ability. A player may also prepare for his mental state each round by visualizing his upcoming round before he gets to the course. The caddie’s job is to know how their player operates, to encourage in difficult times, to remind them of the mindset they need to be in, to give confidence throughout the round, to be calm and loose and keep it fun. When both player and caddie verbally communicate struggles to each other and give encouragement throughout the round, it can have enormous impact on the results.
4.Motivation– This focuses more on the long term than each individual round. A player must know how to persevere each week, believing he can win no matter how he has been playing the previous tournaments. A player must be ready to play even though the game of golf can be repetitive and draining day after day. A caddie and player must establish goals that they strive to achieve throughout the year. They must communicate and evaluate their goals after each event in order to stay on track for the future. The caddie’s responsibility is to remind the golfer of their goals and be encouraging in attaining them. A caddie wants the golfer to think about the big picture when things aren’t going well. A caddie needs to be involved in the day to day grind of the sport making sure that practicing and drills are fun, loose and pointing toward their overall goals. Caddies build up their player to ensure that each week they are prepared to play and have a belief that they can win on any given week.
5. Purpose- This is bigger than the game. It reminds us that Golf is just a game. It reminds us that our personal worth doesn’t come from a score on a scorecard. It’s about seeing that life is more than us, in the big picture a bad round isn’t a big deal. It’s about using your talent and a passion for a higher purpose. A caddie and player can benefit their game and life by remembering why they do what they do. A caddie and player can encourage one another, display joy in tough situations, and remember how fortunate they are to be playing the game they love. Players who don’t have an overall purpose, or who evaluate themselves solely on how they play will have a career that is up and down. It will be a career that is full of frustration and will affect every area of their life. However, a player and caddie who have a good outlook on life and the game of golf will be successful no matter what they shoot.
What Does a Caddie Do During A Round
