When I was a young caddy
During my caddying days, I was caddying for a pair of skilled young golfers entered in a tournament which they, with any breaks going their way, had a good chance of winning. At one point in an early round of the tournament, I was sitting near the fairway over a rise and out of sight, waiting with the golf bag for my golfer to catch up with me. When he finally arrived he asked me calmly and good-naturedly if I had taken any of his golf balls. Apparently that had happened to him, or someone he knew, or he might have even done it himself as a caddy. He told me he would be glad to give me some balls if I wanted them. I can say it didn’t even occur to me to steal anything out of his bag, and however I responded must have convinced him.
After that he trusted me and requested me in the additional rounds of the tournament. He took more of a personal interest in me than any golfer I can remember. And he was young enough that he could still closely relate to being my age. It felt good to be on the requested caddy list. It was the best relationship I ever had as a caddy with a golfer, including with my own brother who cut his teeth golfing at Fort Bragg’s course. I was extremely well-paid and, though I don’t remember them winning their flight in the tournament, they came close.
But they definitely won with me, and left me feeling like a winner.
-
Share this story:
