cident that somehow almost everyone outside the caddie ranks has missed. The caddie in question is no longer on the same bag, and although I don’t know if his dalliances were the reason for leaving one player, I can’t imagine they helped, either. As for me, I try to stay above it: “For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” – WITH JOEL BEALL
weird thing is, you can’t try to distance yourself from the situation because then you’re perceived as disloyal, so you try to just keep your head down, mouth shut and wait for the storm to pass. Of course, caddies are guilty of straying as well. I even know one cad- die who hooked up with a player’s spouse. When it does happen, you can imagine the gossip that follows. In fact, there was a fairly high-profile in-
date at a wedding and another involv- ing an inappropriate text between a player and a player’s wife (though accounts vary as to who was at fault). When that happens, caddies can become entangled. It doesn’t matter if we have a strictly business or per- sonal relationship with the player. To many in the tour’s ecosystem, we are seen as an extension of our player. When that player is in trouble, well, it can feel like we’re in trouble, too. The
GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 17
JUNE 2024
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