I have just finished an unprecedented nine-week run on the tour starting at the Evian Masters on the 19th July finishing in Spain on the 19th September and thought it time to reflect on an interesting period in my professional life.
After a player I was particularly fond of decided she was unable to afford a caddy anymore I was o'ut of work and ‘on the spit’ as it’s known. Don’t ask.
A week or two prior to this news I was enjoying a third or fourth caffe con leche in Portugal when I was asked by one of the LET’s – hell, Ladies Golf’s - most colourful characters, Smriti (Simi) Mehra to work for her, should she be granted her anticipated invite to the year’s premier event, the Evian Masters.
The following week in Tenerife the invite duly appeared on the home page of the LET website and a few days later I was on the plane to Geneva for a week of slander, libel, abuse and a whole lot of fun with Simi.
It was during this great week – via text message during the practice round in fact - that I received the news that I wasn’t going to be working with my favourite player anymore.
Breanne was struggling with a few issues off the course, which sadly affected her performance on the course. One of the consequences of all this was me. I was gutted. I had never enjoyed working with anyone as much as I did with Breanne and now I was not only out of a job, but with eight weeks straight coming up that I had committed to mentally, vocationally and financially, I was screwed.
One event at a time...
Simi and I had a great opening day overlooking Lac Leman shooting an unexpected two under par 70 leaving us comfortably in the top 20. Unfortunately she followed it up with an equally unexpected 80, which left us on the next flight home.
I enjoyed my time with Simi and to be working at the Evian Masters with the best players in the world at one of the best events on the Ladies’ calendar was a real honour.
The British Open at Royal Birkdale followed and through a good friend of mine known as the Scouse Mouse, I had managed to arrange couple of days work with an American girl called Beth Bader. Final Qualifying was held at the sensational Hillside Golf Club. one of Jack Niklaus's favourite courses no less. It was Beth’s only chance to qualify for the prestigious event and I did all I could to help her through.
I had two agendas that week: a, she’s a really nice girl and had flown all the way from California to try out for the event and secondly, thanks to my recent ‘redundancy’ I didn’t have job for the Open and figured, if I got her through, I’d have a week’s work at a major tournament.
My Grandmother and her brother, Harold were members at Royal Birkdale for many years and since becoming a caddy on the LET, I knew it was an event I wanted to work at. Beth played ok but missed a few crucial putts and sadly missed out playing in The Open that time around. Hopefully she’ll return next year when we’re at Carnoustie.
Desperate to work within the ropes at Birkdale, I was lingering around the course trying hard to ask every player that walked by if my skills might be of interest. I'd committed to accommodation which wasn't an easy thing to get during this week in a small town like Southport.
I was running out of time, patience and was considering driving home considerably out of pocket for the week, when I saw some of the French girls coming out of the bedroom next door in the B&B I was staying at. Quelle surprise.
One player I knew had a caddy – the giveaway being her canoodling with him the corridor - but the other I wasn't sure. I’ve always had a soft spot for the delightful Melodie Bourdy and couldn’t quite muster up the courage to approach her for the first time and it be asking for work. So like a complete coward, I didn’t.
The following day I was loitering with intent around the putting green when she approached me! Shaking like a pathetic pubescent boy, I tried to look cool and indifferent - as is my annoying defence mechanism - but rather than approaching me for my good looks and irresistible charm, she wanted me to carry her bag for the week.
She was obviously feeling less than confident about her ability in this field of elite players and only offered me a day rate until the cut on Friday. With a practice round included I was going to be marginally better off and assuming she made it through to the weekend, the percentages and two more days work, right…? Nope. She wasn't prepared to offer me a percentage. I was keen to work but not be taken advantage of. I have some standards.
With a hint of reluctance, I agreed and walked away pleased to have the work but bitterly disappointed with not only my poor negotiating skills but the pitiable, quivering state she saw me in. It was as if I had been offered a date but on no accounts was there to be any suggestion of a kiss…
After a fair bit of thought the night before, I approached her on the putting green and before I lagged her weighty bag on my shoulder, I said I wanted percentages included - as any decent caddy worth his salt should - to which she looked at me pitifully and said, “Bien sür.”
Royal Birkdale is tough, really tough for a big hitter and Melodie isn't a big hitter. She narrowly missed the cut at her first Open and left understandably disappointed. I, however could now go to my cousin’s wedding the following day. It was a quandary that had been bugging me all year but even though Melodie missed the cut and I perhaps missed out working the weekend at a Major tournament, I’d worked at Royal Birkdale and went home with some cash in my pocket. My grandmother would have been proud.
A great time was had by all at the wedding too. They call that a win, win situation.
Word travels fast in this game and it was common knowledge that I was without a bag for the foreseeable future and the head of our Caddies' Association, Shane had been in touch with me regarding a job the following week in Ireland. Being his home event he had his ear pretty close to the ground and had been asked to find someone to work with Irish teenage sensations, the Maguire twins. I called up their coach and after a very brief conversation had a week’s work lined up at The AIB Irish Open with Lisa Maguire.
We had a great week together playing alongside Laura Davies for two days and enjoyed, by far the biggest crowds I have ever experienced. Lisa even beat Laura shot for shot over the two days and finished 22nd as the highest placed amateur. I was thrilled for her but she’s so good with such high expectations that only winning the event would have sufficed. She’s an immense talent and I believe I’ve sown the seed for a promising future.
Knocking back a few well-earned ‘points a da black stooff’ on the Sunday afternoon I was still unsure as to what I was doing the following week in Wales. There was to be no doubt that I would be attending the event as I had left my car in the car park the week before to avoid the ridiculous ferry charges for two cars. Having asked about during the week at Killeen Castle I hadn’t pinned down anyone for the following week.
Just as I about to consider driving home the next day from Conwy, I was approached by Anne-Lise Caudal and asked if I could do the next couple of events with her. I was delighted. I know of all the players out there she is one of the better ones who hasn’t ever had a full time caddy for any length of time. Flattered would be an understatement. I still I had prove my worth though.
The following Sunday, on a very tough, very windy course in north Wales we finished 4th earning Ms Caudal a tidy sum and me a little bonus - something that had been missing for a while this summer.
Anna Lise never quite got it going in Scotland on a course that I thought might suit her long, low, straight hitting style but with dire conditions on the final day she battled it around for a respectable top 20 result. Not knowing or having even discussed our working relationship after the final putt on Friday in Scotland, I had to ask her whether she would like me on the bag the following week in Finland. She wasn't going.
The LET had had a few tournaments cancelled and therefore the season was finishing early this year. I was keen to blitz the last nine events and really wanted to go to Helsinki and Finland, a country I had yet to visit. I had to find yet another bag first though. It wasn't just a holiday!
An American girl had caught my eye in New Zealand earlier in the year and had seen her floating around, especially at the higher end of the leader-boards all year. I’d also shared a room with a friend of hers at Evian a few weeks before and we'd been introduced. We got on well straight away and I had since heard through the very thin LET grapevine that she quite fancied me on the bag. How this happens I don’t know. Anyway I spoke to her on Facebook – as we do – and within about 30seconds, the following week in Helsinki was lined up.
Alison Walshe has a great all round game and barring one mistake we could have finished top five. She was a bit disappointed to have finished 12th but it was still a good week for both of us.
It was only when I was on the way to the airport that she texted me saying she couldn’t afford the money I was asking for. This puzzled me no end and whilst we were ‘chatting’ on FaceBook we were on the verge of falling out when Anne-Lise texted me asking if I was available for Austria the following day. I hadn’t heard from her all week and her timing was impeccable.
I signed off from Alison with a, "No worries. good luck with everything x" just in the nick of time and bought myself a beer to celebrate another bag lined up for another week.
Anne-Lise wasn't quite on form in Austria and we missed the cut together. That never looks good on your CV but you have to forget about it and move on. She’s about as cool as they come in the world of women’s golf and if she wasn’t too bothered then why should I be?
Austria was only a three day event this year through lower than usual prize money and so I decided to work the Sunday for anyone I could get hold of. You never get much money for the day’s work but it’s a day spent on the course and, if you're lucky, in contention.
I had lined up - through everyone’s favourite medium; FaceBook, a day’s work with a great girl called Holly Aitchison and was looking forward to it immensely. We’ve always got on well and knew she’d been playing well of late as we’d played with her on the final day in Wales a few weeks before. I was all set to work with her when I bumped into Alison in the lobby a couple of hours before tee time.
She’d played well so far and was lying in 15th place. She asked if I was available for the day and I agreed instantly. Apologies were profusely passed to Holly who thankfully lined up a great caddy in Pete.
Sadly Holly struggled that day and posted a +5 score to slip her down the leader-board. Alison however played her socks off shooting the low round of the day 67 leaving her 2nd for the tournament. In one round of golf on the LET Alison managed to secure her playing privileges for the 2011 season and I was proud to be a part of it. Second place was my best ever finish and I was on a day rate. Typical. Alison gave me a ‘drink’ for a good day and promised me more but hey… I'm still waiting. All good PR I guess.
So Anne-Lise and I regrouped in Paris and, playing once again with Laura Davies, we battled through three rounds with nothing really happening. Ironically, just as her coach was leaving on the Sunday she stepped up a gear and shot another final round 67 ascending the leader-board to finish 11th. A decent cheque banked and on we went to Spain.
Get around don't we?
The members of the LET were exhausted by now. I was one of the select few who had worked eight consecutive events prior to this by working Evian and the British Open as well as the limited field in Scotland but most of the girls had chosen to play all the remaining events too so there was a little fatigue evident within everyone.
Yet another lightning delay reduced the four days to three, which helped the weary players and caddies no end and after a fairly uneventful three rounds we finished a disappointing 30th.
Laura Davies won her fourth event of the year, which took her into top spot on the Henderson Money list. For any player that’s an achievement but for a 46 year old, that’s just awesome. She’s a special talent and no mistake.
So, nine events in eight countries caddying for six different girls made for a summer I’ll never forget and some learning experiences some will never have. I could quite easily have given up after Breanne let me go but I had been looking forward to the tail end of the season and decided to persevere with the tour until the end. The thought of being a ‘bag-hopper’ and having fellow caddies calling me Tesco’s or Sainsbury’s thanks to the number of bags I’d had, was always a prospect I despised. I’d done my best to spend the previous two years with just the three players and desperately wanted to find another good player, form a solid relationship and normality would resume.
In hindsight, however I worked for some of the most interesting and talented players in the women’s game and learned a lot about people, girls, caddying, perseverance, pressure and most of all about myself. I can get down in the dumps, negged out, depressed and generally hate everything and everyone sometimes but somehow I always manage to dust myself off and come back stronger. This is what I did this summer and I think I am a better person and a better caddy for it.
CK
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