By Larry Canning.
When I think caddies, the first image that comes to mind is that wonderful photo of a 10 year old Eddy Lowery striding alongside his boss, Francis Ouimet, who came from nowhere to win the 1913 US Open.
I love the concept of coming from the shadows to defeat the world and in fact that concept is going to be used as the back page quote to sell my next autobiographical book.
“Larry Canning – the journey of a skinny kid from Woy Woy… who went on to total obscurity”.
Is there another sport where the person who carries your equipment around to save you doing it yourself has so much influence on your career?
Loopers like Fanny Sunesson who steered Nick Faldo away from reasonable success straight to greatness, Jim “Bones” Mackay found a way to get the best out of a sometimes self-destructive Lefty Mickelson, Angelo Argea who dared to have a better hair than his employer Jack Nicklaus… the list goes on but all these toters were defined by their one off famous bosses.
The caddie who stands alone as the bloke not defined by a single player but instead carved his own path to the point where he became the most sought-after golf bag conveyer in modern history is Steve Williams.
The Kiwi with the weird lope and the unique skill to make a golf fan with a mobile phone feel like they should use that device to check on their life insurance, worked for World Number 1’s in Greg Norman (331 weeks) and Tiger Woods (681 weeks), plus other luminaries such as Peter Thompson, Raymond Floyd, Ian Baker Finch, Adam Scott and more recently, Jason Day.
I don’t know Steve personally but Im assured by a mutual mate, he’s a ripper bloke but if a photographer or fan managed to put themselves in the wrong position right before his boss was about to pull the trigger, he wasn’t overly forgiving. I couldn’t help thinking he would have no problem removing your spline through the orifice of his choice without the thought of any anesthetic.
Given Steve caddied for, amongst others, two world number ones with nicknames representing carnivorous animals known to dine on humans, surely it’s not much of a stretch to think he had no choice but to react in a way a Bengal Tiger or Great White Shark would if threatened?
The reason Im telling you this is I had a recent experience caddying for my prospective Trainee Professional, Mat, in the NSW PGA Induction event (36 holes), part of the PGA Membership Pathway Program at the fabulous Lynwood Golf and Country Club in Sydney’s west.
At this point I need to point out I’ve been covering golf live for radio since 2006 so I’m not exactly out of touch with the modern power game. I’ve even played golf with my three sons who all hit it that far past me Im finding myself using my range finder measure the distance to the flag and then to my son’s ball.
Lynwood is a respectable 7000 yards long off the backs but its so much more about tactics than taking it on with brute strength and herein lies my reason to share this experience with my loyal readers.
As a kid, Mat was an obvious talent but chose another path and became extremely good at it.
Recently, and despite making a really nice secure living from the industry he chose all those years ago, he has opted to pursue his dream and make golf his career.
This kind of young bloke inspires me and despite my personal transformation from the somewhat normal person I was before turning Pro 45 years ago to now a jabbering, old dickhead with sociopathic elements who has to check if he’s wearing pants with a glove hanging out the back right hand pocket before he leaves the house; I’m going to do whatever I can to see him to realize his vision… even walking around Lynwood for 36 holes to help him with course management.
As I said, I’m familiar with how strong young golfers play now but since I looped for my son, some years ago, I haven’t been inside the ropes and making important decisions for some years.
So it begins – 1st tee – We are allowed to use rangefinders and I’m measuring how far to the hazard on the right. I think was something like 245 meters.
Mat – “How far to carry?”
Larry – “Why would you try?”
Mat now with his own rangefinder – “270 something.”
Larry hoping I’m only thinking this and not saying it “Why the @#$% are you even considering that? It’s a par 5 and you could get close with a couple of three woods.”
Mat staring at me because I actually did say it – “I’ll just take the driver.”
Sure enough driver three iron later and two putts and we are 1 under.
Notice I’m using the term “we” there?
The second hole looked pretty tight and as it was only 327 metres I figured a layup followed by one of his rusty looking wedges but no, off came the driver head cover followed by a 7 metre chip shot from right in front of the green.
By the time we got to the 8th tee my caddie confidence was down to wondering if I could even fill a divot in correctly but I figured I’d offer an opinion anyway.
Larry – “That penalty area right is 270 metres. I think its an iron for the tee.”
Mat – “Nah I’m confident with driver.”
After a pull hook left leading to out of bounds.
Mat – “I wasn’t thinking of that hazard on the right until you pointed it out. So I made sure not to go right and pulled it too far left.”
Larry – “………………………………………….” for about the next 2 hours.
I’ve always had respect for caddies, but after that day I now worship them.
