Ohio Golf Journal November 2019

T he life of a professional caddie can be very demanding. First you work long hours carrying a 40-pound bag filled with everything a professional golfer needs during a round of golf. There are also countless hours standing either on a practice range or putting green watching your guy hone his game. Plus, you are always outdoors in every type of weather imaginable. From cold, wind and rain to extreme heat and glaring sunshine. Most importantly you are a mother, father, confessor, coach, motivator and psychiatrist on the golf course. There is very little assurance of payment. Most tour caddies are guaranteed a weekly salary, but that barely covers travel expenses. If your guy hits a hot streak, then the percentage bonus from a win or top-25 finish can help balance the check book. There is definitely no health plan, major medical, or retirement plan, but there are however, a few perks that make traveling the world with a professional golfer worthwhile. The following is a story related to me by a good friend, who has spent over 30 years as a professional caddie in Europe, South Africa and America. My friend, I will call him John, for this story, was contacted by a former Open Championship winner to caddie for him at the Open Championship in Scotland. John was working for a Champions Tour player at the 3M Championship in Minneapolis the week prior to the Open and had no clue how he would get to Scotland without incurring expensive travel costs. The PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic is traditionally held the week before the Open Championship in Illinois and one of the enticements, to attract top names to their event, is to offer every player and caddie a free ride to the Open Championship on a charter flight, after the conclusion of their event. The problem being, how could John make it to Silvis, Illinois, the location of the John Deere Classic, 350 miles south of Minneapolis in time to grab a seat on the charter to Scotland. As his guy w a s By Fred Altvater Caddie Tales: Worldwide Travel on the Cheap Ohio Golf Journal