Caddy

Caddy (golf)

In golf, caddy (or caddie) is the person who carries a player's bag, and gives insightful advice and moral support. A caddy is aware of the challenges and obstacles of the golf course being played, along with the best strategy in playing it. This includes knowing overall yardage, pin placements and club selection.

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Etymology

The records are not certain, but historians believe that Mary, Queen of Scots, came up with the term "caddy" in the late 16th century. Mary grew up in France where military cadets carried golf clubs for royalty. It is possible that Mary brought the custom to Scotland, where the term evolved into the word "caddy."

Related Topics:
Mary, Queen of Scots - France - Scotland

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Alternatively, the word "caddy" may have originated from the Malay word 'kati'. Kati is a measure for tea leaves and is printed on boxes used to carry and collect the tea leaves, hence its use in terms reflecting carrying and collecting.

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Types of caddying

Traditional caddying involves both the golfer and the caddy walking the course. The caddy is in charge of carrying the player?s bag and both the caddy and the golfer walk at the same pace. This is the most common method used in golf clubs and is the only method allowed in the PGA (Professional Golf Association) and LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association).

Related Topics:
Golf clubs - PGA (Professional Golf Association) - LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association)

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Fore-caddying is a type of caddying where the caddy is always ahead of the golfer, marking their shots where they land. The caddy will start out a hole by running to the landing spot of their golfer?s tee shot. The job of the caddy is to mark the ball with a towel, stick, etc. so that the golfer does not have to waste time searching for it. If the hole is long and requires multiple shots before the golfer can reach the "green" (the putting surface at the end of each hole), then the fore-caddy will go ahead to the next landing area and mark his/her golfer?s ball until the ball reaches the green. Once the golfer is on the green, the fore-caddy maintains regular caddy duties like raking sand traps and taking the pin out of the cup. After the golfer is finished putting on the green, the fore-caddy returns to his/her duties and heads out to the next hole?s landing spot. This routine continues for the remainder of the course. The main purpose of this type of caddying is to let the golfers ride in carts if they are unable to walk the course with a caddy.

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Cart-caddying, a type of fore-caddying, consists of a caddy driving a cart for the entire round of golf. The main job of the caddy is to drive ahead of the walking golfer and mark their ball before they get there. Getting to the ball first, the caddy can determine what type of shot the golfer should play.

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Duties

The caddy's duties include carrying the bag, reading greens, raking bunkers, giving correct yardage, helping with club selection, cleaning clubs and golf balls, replacing ?divots? (chunks of grass), pulling the pin, knowing the conditions of the course, and providing pleasant company. Caddies must also be alert at all times. Any penalty caused by the caddy is added on to his/her golfer?s score. The caddy should be aware of their surroundings at all times, especially when players are hitting. Standing in other golfers? line of putting or line of sight while they are hitting a ball is discouraged. Also, during tournaments the caddy is expected to know the rules and point out any rule-breaking on the part of the golfer. The caddy is responsible for knowing the maximum club limit allowed. A caddy on the PGA Tour, Miles Byrne, became famous when he forgot to count the clubs in Ian Woosnam's bag (only 14 allowed) before the final round of the British Open. His mistake cost Woosnam two strokes and possibly the championship. Duties performed by the caddy can directly affect the play of the golfer.

Related Topics:
Bunkers - PGA Tour - Ian Woosnam - British Open

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Relationship between the caddy and the golfer

The caddy and the golfer spend hours at a time together, which allows them to develop a relationship. One of the caddy?s jobs is to support the player mentally to help them golf a better round. "Small talk" is one of the ways that the caddy and the golfer can get to know each other. Most of the time, the golfer initiates the conversation by asking the caddy personal questions to get to know them and build a rapport. Questions brought up may include where the caddy lives, where they go to school, and the size of their family. The golfer usually proceeds to tell the caddy about himself, forming a relationship for the duration of the round.

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Weekly schedule

The weekly schedule for a caddy consists of working one to six days. The most caddied days are Saturdays and Sundays when golfers have off work. Caddies that are dedicated will work up to the maximum six days a week. The number of days worked is limited to when the course is open. Usually the course is closed one day out of the week (typically Monday). This allows for the ?greenskeeper?, or person in charge of keeping the course up to playing standards, to maintain the course; mowing and doing repairs where is needed. At some courses, caddies are allowed to golf the day the course is closed.

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Pay scale

Caddies are paid at the end of the round by cash or with a ticket that can be cashed by the club. Depending on how good the caddy is, there is a minimum base pay that is enforced by the club: the better the caddy, the higher the base pay. Along with the base pay, the golfer is expected to tip, based on how the caddy performed. Base pay can range anywhere from 15 dollars to 75 dollars, and tips can be nonexistent or up to a couple hundred percent of the base. However, on average, a caddy at a local golf club or country club will earn forty to sixty dollars for a day?s work.

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Attire

• Collared shirt
• Khaki shorts or pants
• Gym shoes (lots of walking and standing)
• Smock
• Towel

Alternative names for a caddy

• Bagger
• Bag-toter
• Jock
• Looper
• Lugger
• Nunen