In July 2023, I began sharing stories I had collected while caddying - the best job in the world.

As we kick off 2024, I intend to share a lot more, having carefully documented every golfer, caddie and local I encountered during an incredible summer season. Every Sunday I will post the next phase of the journey.

Maybe one day, these Sunday Substack entries will morph into a book. Maybe they already have. Depending on the success of these short extracts, you could be reading first editions of a future must-read for caddies everywhere. We must have a dream, after all.

Below is a version of the very first entry of my CaddyShack series, originally written on 11th July 2023. I am excited to release these stories, and I sincerely hope you enjoy.

 

 

Caddying is a fantastic job.

You know, provided you’re a bit twisted.

The basic criteria for the job are as follows: a good level of strength and fitness, a willingness to tolerate anything and everything, chief group photographer, tour guide, golf enthusiast, green-reader, bag-carrier, conversation starter, source of moral support and occasional therapist.

But there’s more to it than that.

I’ve been fortunate enough to begin - and enhance - my caddying career while stationed at two of the best golf courses in the world. Cabot Links & Cabot Cliffs – hugging the coastline of Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada – currently sit comfortably in Golf Digest’s World Top 100 Courses. They’re at the very top (literally #1 & #2) in terms of Canada’s best.

During the 2023 summer season, I’ve walked the course with a vast range of clients. Senior managers, former athletes, current athletes, a nine-year-old, an eighty-two-year-old, golfers from Australia and Asia, Texas and Tennessee, California to Connecticut and New Zealand to New Orleans.

About the Author:

For context, I grew up playing links golf in England from the age of 12; got down to a respectable six handicap at age 17, then continued to follow the game as university degrees, rugby, a pandemic, and moving halfway across the world took priority.

Golfers of any ability can be great caddies - course knowledge supersedes golf knowledge – but it helps if you’re decent, especially when getting the client to trust you.

After graduating in 2021, I flew to Canada, before driving, skiing, golfing and rafting my way through British Columbia in 2022 and early 2023.

Then an almighty drive commenced; through a couple of Canadian provinces and twenty-two American States which allowed us to make it over to the miniscule town of Inverness, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.

Encapsulating one summer season, written by yours truly: a self-appointed golf sicko whose golf knowledge, passion and understanding far supersedes my ability to play the game, making me the ideal coach, or in this case – caddie.

Over the next few weeks; I’ll be spilling some trade secrets and explaining what goes on in the 4-5 hours you spend with the golfer (or golfers) when caddying.  In the interest of discretion, names will not be used.

At the end of each entry – I’ll share three memorable statistics in a random summer week – taken from my notes gathered while caddying.

Week Ending 4th June 2023

·       Distance walked: 55 miles

·       Putts into a bunker:  4 times (3 different guys)

·       ‘So, are you from London?’: 6 times

Stay tuned, see you next Sunday.

Patrick Brennan

7th January 2024

P.S. The great Cindy Morgan passed away today. A fitting tribute to commence the CaddyShack entries. May her character give hope to caddies and golfers everywhere, and may she rest in peace.

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