DP World Tour caddy Chris Simmons shares his thoughts on travelling the world throughout 2022 and looks ahead to some well-earned time off
Caddying on the DP World Tour for Matt Jordan is a great job – every caddy will tell you the same when asked what it’s like travelling the world and being part of the very top level of the sport we all love. But, when you delve a little deeper, it’s not always the holiday you might think it is.
When we’re travelling, it’s intense. In 2022, Matt played 28 events on the DP World Tour – competing in South Africa, the Middle East, Kenya, Spain, England, Scotland, Wales, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, Denmark, France and Portugal. That’s a lot of hotel rooms, Airbnbs and commercial flights – particularly when there are issues with baggage handling!
We’ve been away from home a lot. That’s great when you’re younger, but now I’m married and we have our son George, being away for four or five weeks isn’t the total luxury it once was. When I have been home, it’s been flying visits, so I’m relishing the festive period at home as Matt’s chosen to take nine weeks off, including a well-earned holiday for himself, before we head out for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in January.
So, what do we get up to when we’re back home?
For me, it’s all about getting into a family routine. George was born earlier this year, so I’ll be getting into some full-on dad duties. I’ll also being playing a bit of golf, including a visit to Muirfield, as I’ve not played since George was born and I’ve missed it.
I’ll speak to Matt occasionally, mainly about the football, but we’ll not spend any time together. We’re good friends, but we spend more time together in person than we do with our partners, so it’s not like we’ve got a lot left to say at this point in the year!
Fitness is important and I’ll be stretching every day and working on my wife’s parents’ farm. I’m 31 now, so I need to keep an eye on things when I’m not carrying the tour bag around, and I’ll be aiming to head back out there stronger than I was last season.
As for Matt, I know he’s keen for a break. It’s a taxing season for him too. He’s got some training planned in and he’ll see his coaches – all the things you’d expect from a professional athlete during their time away from competing.
Overall, this is a great opportunity to take a break from tour golf. We’ve got a great lifestyle on tour and I could never complain about my job, but it is nice to be back home in your own bed for a few weeks. I also like to be able to get out of the tour bubble and back into the real world at home – even if it’s the north of England in December. Happy Christmas, see you in the new year.
