Sometimes caddying on tour is easy, and sometimes it can be really tough, writes semi-retired tour caddy Sean Russell
Sometimes being a tour caddy is easy, but sometimes it most certainly is not.
Being inside the ropes, we find ourselves next to the finest players on the planet, but there are times when you can’t look the other way or pretend you didn’t see them do something when you did – because integrity is part of every professional caddy’s make-up.
Take caddy Dave Renwick for example. While caddying for Ricardo Gonzalez at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in 2014, he thought he saw Rory McIlroy fail to take full relief from a spectator walkway. After the round, he advised Rory about what he saw, and Rory agreed he needed to see a rules official before the card was signed. The video evidence was inconclusive, but a buggy trip out to the second gave the answer once they saw where the divot was. Rory accepted the two shot penalty, signed his card, and ultimately lost the tournament by one shot.
The point is that Dave, seeing this happen to one of the best players in the world, could have easily looked the other way – but he didn’t.
Fast forward to the seventh hole of the final round of Ladies European Tour Qualifying School in December, where I was on the bag for Jess Baker. One of the girls in our group missed a short putt for bogey. Then, from where I was standing at the side of the green, it looked like she had an air shot while trying to tap in, turning her six into a seven… Only she didn’t fess up.
What do I do? I’m pretty sure I saw what happened. Jess was looking the other way. I needed to say something, if only to protect Jess from knowingly signing an incorrect card – which would mean a disqualification.
Over the next few holes, I spoke to the other girl in the group and her caddy – who came over as they thought they saw the same thing; and a referee who was handily sitting by the next green; while the tournament director was notified so the issue would be brought up before any scorecards were signed.
Of course, none of this was helpful for anyone going into the back nine at Q School!
Ultimately, I knew I had to say something – if only because the initial question is easier to take coming from a caddy than fellow professionals. As we shook hands on 18, I asked for a chat to one side, explained what I thought I saw, and witnessed the colour drain from player’s face. She was either a very proficient liar, or she genuinely had swung the putter in the air as she then explained.
Irrespective of whether she did or did not have an air shot – and granted there was less at stake than there was all those years ago in Abu Dhabi – the principle remains the same. In the same way that Dave didn’t look the other way, I’m proud that I didn’t either.
