8 Things you need to know if you want to be a caddie!

8 Things you need to know if you want to be a caddie!

Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional.  I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website.  The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time!  Please post your comments below.  Keep it clean and tasteful.  We are here to learn from one another!

First of all, becoming a caddie is not only for young people!  A lot of retired business people caddie just for something to do and earn some extra pocket money.  Most of the time you are paid in cash, and you get to meet some really nice people along the way. Every time I travel to Scotland, Ireland or South Africa, when I play golf, I always take a caddie.  Most of the caddies I have had in the UK are pretty good golfers themselves and many times are members of the club.  My recent round at Carnoustie (played in a gale!) was enhanced when our caddies joined us for a drink in the members pub after the round.  We would not have been able to have a drink there without them.  

Thanks to Bob Carney of Golf Digest for giving us an insight of what it takes to become a caddie!

Don’t be intimidated. Follow our guide to getting started and you’ll have a bag over your shoulder in no time.

Most club caddie masters hold an orientation/training session for prospective caddies prior to the beginning of the season. These sessions orient you both to the club itself and to the job — where to stand, how to hold the bag, how to take care of divots, keeping clubs clean, tending the flagstick, etc.  Don’t miss it. And don’t be afraid to ask questions when you’re there. It’s good to have the caddie master, who assigns loops, know your name. One of the most basic questions is, “Do you schedule individual caddies or is it first come, first serve?” That makes a big difference as to when you have to be in the caddie yard. There are training films on the web that can help, too.

8 Things you need to know if you want to be a caddie!

2. Be brave. Most golfers don’t bite.

It’s daunting to walk into the world of private clubs, much less the sanctum of a golfer’s round. For some kids, it’s plain scary. Just know the nerves will calm and you’ll meet golfers and staff members who will go out of their way to help you get comfortable. You’ll not be asked to do more than you’re capable. And if you should be, say, asked to “read” a putt that you have no clue about, just say, “I don’t know.” No demerits for honesty. Golfers are often asked to rate their caddies. Ask the caddie master for feedback when someone rates you. You’ll learn faster that way.

Dan Costello of Caddiemaster, which staffs and manages caddie programs for resorts such as Whistling Straits and Pebble Beach, says dress professionally, and present yourself with confidence, even if you might not be feeling it. He sounds like your Dad. “Look people in the eye. Shake their hand with a firm handshake. You see so many kids who aren’t like that. I wasn’t like that as a kid. I was shy. My parents could have coached me to be better on that.”

To see the other 5 great tips on becoming a caddie, go here!

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