Random question about caddies

[bjh1]

Thing I’ve noticed over the past few years… as soon as a player holes out, his caddie is handing him the driver for the next hole, or when he hits the green from 200 yards away the caddie is handing him the putter. I could be wrong, but I don’t think this was a thing back in the day, they waited till they got there to hand him a club.  Something relatively new, or always been like this?

totally unimportant I know.  Just wondering. 

[iBanesto]

[BHI 99]

My guess is something to do with your hands while walking. Golf’s version of a fidget-spinner. 

[jordan2240]

My guess is it totally depends on what the player wants.  I'll often pull the club I know I'm going to use prior to getting to the ball, particularly the putter.

[bscinstnct]

Is like a “pro” move. Ok, that’s fine, get in the mindset of the next shot.

 

Plus gives the club brand/sponsor a little air time ; )

[idrive]

Guessing it just depends on the player.  - All of the above.

 

Of course if the caddie thinks he's going to be tied up in the porta-potty he doesn't want to hold up play.

[IMeneses]

I caddied in a qualifying school event in Europe and the player told me in our practice round: “once the ball is in the green hand me the putter”! I guess it’s a preference, to feel the club you’ll be using. 
 

But if the ball was in the fringe or we weren’t sure where it was, he would wait to get to the ball and only then choose the club. 

[Hawkeye77]

Some don't need to fondle their putters up the fairway for confidence!

 

 

[Pepperturbo]

6 hours ago, bjh1 said:

Thing I’ve noticed over the past few years… as soon as a player holes out, his caddie is handing him the driver for the next hole, or when he hits the green from 200 yards away the caddie is handing him the putter. I could be wrong, but I don’t think this was a thing back in the day, they waited till they got there to hand him a club.  Something relatively new, or always been like this?

totally unimportant I know.  Just wondering. 

Handing the player his putter as he walks to the green gives the player something to fiddle with while walking.  IMO, today's players are not relaxed.  Tour guys from earlier years, that are on the Champions tour now, still tend not to walk with their putter.  My relative now mid-80s, played on the tour back in 60s, never walked with his putter.

[m d g]

Those are known as 'smart caddies.'

 

Who wants to lug around a driver or a putter when you can get the player to do it for you?

[kmbean]

[Santiago Golf]

I caddie for living 

 

Handing the putter is must when double bagging because you never what the other player might be, so at least your player has a putter

 

The driver one is all preference, sometimes an annoying one if the players just jerks out the bag one the way to the next hole

[iBanesto]

In regards to the driver, it can also depend on the course layout/next tee box position.

 

For example at Augusta, it is common for the caddie to give the driver on the 10th green to their player so the caddie doesn't have to walk back all the way to the 11th tee. They can wait further down the hole.

 

Edited February 5, 2023 by iBanesto

[Creedo77]

I caddie on the KFT, I never give the driver to my player when we’re walking from green to tee. That’s a country club move. The putter always comes out if we know it’s on the green but players hate having the putter pulled and they’re not on the green. 

Edited February 5, 2023 by Creedo77

[Ghostwedge]

7 hours ago, Creedo77 said:

I caddie on the KFT, I never give the driver to my player when we’re walking from green to tee. That’s a country club move. The putter always comes out if we know it’s on the green but players hate having the putter pulled and they’re not on the green. 

"a country club move" LOL😎

C77....you da man. 👍

[leezer99]

On 2/5/2023 at 3:17 AM, Creedo77 said:

I caddie on the KFT, I never give the driver to my player when we’re walking from green to tee. That’s a country club move. The putter always comes out if we know it’s on the green but players hate having the putter pulled and they’re not on the green. 

 

Friend told me their player was short of the green once and needed to chip. Pulled wedge and putter... they said never to do that again because it makes them think that the caddie doesn't believe they'll make it. 

[Creedo77]

2 hours ago, leezer99 said:

 

Friend told me their player was short of the green once and needed to chip. Pulled wedge and putter... they said never to do that again because it makes them think that the caddie doesn't believe they'll make it. 

Yep seen that happen. 

[PuffyC]

I don't know about caddies but I'd want it the same way. If I hit a 7i and I'm on, I'm pulling my putter the same time that 7i goes back in the bag. Once I putt out and we're done, if I know I'm hitting driver on the next hole I'm pulling driver when the putter goes back in the bag. No real reason, I'm just ready to go.

[ChipNRun]

In country club setting, caddie would give player the driver as soon as he holed out so caddie could go out ahead to landing area to watch for ball. At a country club, you don't have 400 people along each side of the fairway to watch for errant shots.

 

For the putter, it just depends.

 

I last was "inside the ropes" at an LPGA Symetra Tour event in 2017. I would give my player the putter as we got near the green. Then I could drop the bag and my have hands free when she marked the ball and tossed it to me for cleaning.

 

Bunker shots were always a sprint as I had to clean the sand wedge, rake the trap, and then be ready to clean the ball.

 

I caddied for her just for this tournament, so she lined up her own putts all the time and selected her own clubs. Less for me to do compared to season-long caddie.

 

Caddie Teamwork. In pro tournaments, caddie teamwork is somewhat more limited than in a country club. In pro tourney you still have "take and rake" (one caddie takes the pin while other rakes trap, if necessary). BUT, you don't touch the other player's bag and take it to next tee like you would at a country club - don't touch the other guy's tools of the trade!

[Elkhair]

This is my biggest pet peeve. Stupidest thing I have ever seen. Why do you need your putter. Wait till you get to the green. I swear one person did it, now everyone follows the leader because they think its cool.

[LeepYear]

There’s just no better feeling in golf than a long walk with the putter. Also let’s the player and the caddie take the straightest possible lines.

[Louis_Posture]

On 6/7/2023 at 8:28 AM, Elkhair said:

This is my biggest pet peeve. Stupidest thing I have ever seen. Why do you need your putter. Wait till you get to the green. I swear one person did it, now everyone follows the leader because they think its cool.

 

Please consider that often times the caddie will be walking to the side and, or, back of the green to deposit the golf bag.