Wayward Shots — Don’t Mess With the Golf Ball
They’re going to change the golf ball. I don’t know why, but they are. And they’re going to do it wrong. By “they,” I mean the USGA, the R&A, and the PGA Tour, in concert, perhaps, with the manufacturers. By “change” we mean not allow it to go so far. And by “wrong” – read […]
Waywards Shots — The Worst Masters Ever
Worst. Masters. Ever. There is not even any debate about it. Fifty years later, the 1968 version stands out as a singularly awful golf tournament. The event changed lives – not for the better – and damaged reputations. The result seemed so outrageous that it distracted us from many other outrages. That took some doing. […]
The Quandary of Golf on TV
Golf is the most boring sport on television. A recent poll judged our game to be more boring, even, than darts. Darts! We should give a damn, I think, at least a small one, because television is the gateway drug to more participants, and more players improves the health and wealth of every aspect of […]
Wayward Shots — The Man Who Knew Too Much
The pre-shot routine of the world’s best golfer involved so much wiggling that he looked like he was trying to take his pants off without using his hands. With his stationary rhumba concluded, the world’s best finally seemed ready for launch. He wasn’t. He paused. He paused again. Spectators checked their watches. They looked at […]
Wayward Shots — Kevin Sutherland, the Anonymous Pro
Last month the Champions Tour wrapped up its final event of the season with an unusual finish to the Schwab Cup playoffs. Kevin Sutherland, with help from his caddy, Billy Lewis, won our version of the “Tour Championship” for his first Champions Tour victory, and also won first prize in the lucrative Schwab Cup payoff […]
Wayward Shots — Different Strokes
Over the last 26 years, I’ve caddied for seven players full time. About 5 years ago, my roommate came up with the idea to see how many players we’ve actually worked for, which included one-week jobs or more. Once I did the math, I was shocked to learn it was in the 100-200 range. That’s […]
Wayward Shots — To Anchor or Not to Anchor
For those of you who follow the PGA and PGA Tour Champions regularly, you’ve no doubt heard chatter over the last few years about the anchoring ban. Rule 14-1b states, in simplistic terms, that the putter cannot be directly anchored to the torso, or indirectly anchored by a forearm when making a stroke. Recently most […]
Wayward Shots — Another Face in the Crowd
Typically, when I show up for an event on Tour, there’s not much thought into what I’m doing or where I’m going. I’ve been to most events numerous times and rarely need GPS to get from the airport to my hotel or the golf course. Most guys who have done this awhile will tell you […]
Wayward Shots — Rental Car Remorse
What happens when you get hit by a rental car? It Hertz. For those who aren’t used to traveling, the rental car experience each week can be very unpredictable. Sometimes getting your car is smooth and easy, and other times it’s like pulling teeth without Novocain. These days, with all of the memberships and reward […]
Wayward Shots — Meeting My Brother’s Famous Foe
Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to meet many celebrities and sports figures. I’ve met musicians Glenn Frey, Branford Marsalis and Huey Lewis, to name a few. Professional athletes Penny Hardaway, Joe Theismann, and Drew Brees. And actors George Lopez, Andy Garcia, and Josh Duhamel. I’ve even met President George H.W. Bush – he shoved […]
Wayward Shots — My Caddy Mentors
When I first decided to become a Tour caddy in 1992, I figured, how hard could it be? I’d played golf for 12 years up to that point, including a couple in college, and despite never club caddying, I knew it couldn’t be that difficult. Oh man was I wrong. The only time I was […]
Wayward Shots — Toughing Out an Injury
Injuries are as much a part of sports as the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat, and can rear their ugly head at the most inappropriate times. Professional athletes, in particular, have the mindset to play through these injuries because of the fear of being labeled soft, losing their job, or because they […]
Wayward Shots — A Caddy’s Contribution
In 1938, the PGA Tour made its first charitable donation to the tune of $10,000 at the Palm Beach Invitational. Almost 80 years later, it has surpassed the $2 billion mark. The Tour contributes to a variety of great causes including the growth of the game, the military, education and leadership, just to name a […]
Wayward Shots — Caddy Perks on the PGA Tour
To combat the long season each year on the PGA Tour, tournaments will occasionally offer perks to help soften the grind and help take your mind off the golf. These can come in the form of fishing trips, car-racing schools, or cool things associated with the local area like flight simulation at the Fed-Ex Flight […]