How to Golf With a Caddie

Having a caddie at your side as you’re playing golf is a bit of a luxury. However, if you’ve never used a caddie before, you may be wondering what it’s about and what you should do. You don’t want to feel uncomfortable and you don’t want to make anyone else feel uncomfortable either. A caddie isn’t there to judge you on how you’re playing. A caddie is there to try and help improve your game. So, what do you need to do when a caddie is around?

Flickr

Forget That They’re Lurking

Whether it’s a caddie or a fellow golfer, it can be off-putting and intimidating knowing there’s someone watching your every move. You could go from playing the best game of your life yesterday, to the worst game of your life today. Try and forget that anyone is watching you. A caddie is supposed to work in your favour, so if you miss a shot, they might have the answer for correcting it.

Lighten the Load

Golfers tend to have a golf travel bag for every occasion. The bags are filled to the brim with things they don’t always need. When it comes to caddies, they’re hired to take the load off you. Whether you hire a buggy or walk around the course, your caddie is responsible for your bag and everything in it. With that in mind, if you know you’re golfing with a caddie, do him a favour and take out any unnecessary belongings in the golf bag.

Your Caddie is NOT Your Slave

Just because they’re hired to do certain things, like carrying your bags and clubs and being responsible for moving the flags, it doesn’t mean you can make demands. More often than not, most golfers feel unsure about someone else doing all the heavy work for them, but there is the odd occasion where a golfer develops a sense of entitlement that shouldn’t exist. Just remember, every caddie has a specific job to do, and as long as you’re nice, you’ll get on famously. Here’s a list of do’s and don’ts.

golf

Flickr

Listen

A caddie has the advantage of watching many golfers play the game, over and over again. If they weren’t exceptional golfers before being hired, they certainly are now. If your caddie is trying to give you advice that will improve your game, listen. It’s surprising how much you pick up when you’re observing a game on a daily basis.

Develop a Rapport

Generally, you have to spend around four hours with each caddie whenever you play. That being said, it’s important to build up a friendly rapport. Don’t be afraid to tell your caddie to stay quiet while playing your shots but in the meantime, have a chat and find out about each other. Offer to buy your caddie a drink or a snack when you return. You can usually request a caddie when you book a game, so if you hit it off with a particular caddie, you could develop an outstanding friendship and game.

The first time playing with a caddie can feel strange, but give it a go and you may find you’ll never play without one again.