My Caddying Experience

Recently, I had the incredible opportunity to caddy for a friend in a golf tournament. While I went in thinking my main jobs would to be find errant shots and keep the clubs clean, I walked away with more than that: I left with an appreciation for the game and a lesson in mentality.

Caddying is not just being a butler but the epitomy of a mini psychologist. Beyond the obvious physical task of hauling a heavy bag for a couple kilometres, a caddy is a mentor. Notably, there were a couple key things I learned:

First, golf is a rollercoaster. A bad bounce or a missed short putt can send a player's focus spiraling. As a caddy, the responsibility fell on me to be the steady hand. My tone, my demeanor, and my simple, reliable presence can be the difference between a round falling apart and a player resetting for the next shot. I learnt the art of positive reinforcement and the power of a well-timed compliment.

A good caddy eliminates chaos. This means having the clubs cleaned and ready, being ready to pull the flag whenever they ask, and always being one step ahead. The priority is to create a buble of calm for the player so that they can focus purely on execution and strategy.

In terms of execution and course management, caddying requires discipline and the ability to take control when needs be. For every hole, my friend set out a clear plan before teeing off, whether that was going for a smart approach to secure a par on a tough hole or finding the "percentage shot" to get to a birdie. But once we left the tee box, the responsibilty fell on me to ensure that the game plan was stuck to and to ensure that nothing could entice or distract him from the strategy.

Following on from the idea of strategy, another striking thing I noticed was the meticulous, unbreakable routines. The privilege of being able to caddy for my friend came with the benefit of watching two other elite golfers that we were paired with. For both golfers, every single shot was a ritual, an almost perfect display of focus on consistency and focus. Every instruction in their movements had a purpose, whether that was a couple waggles of the golf club to stay loose or a set number of looks at the hole before pulling the trigger.

As an aspiring golfer myself, watching this up close was humbling. It made me realize that great golf isn't all about the great shots that set you up for an eagle or birdie. As my coach would say, "it's about making the bad shots less bad". And how is that done? It's about making a boring, repeatable, disciplined process that makes those shots possible more often than not.

In essence, golf mimics life: mastering what you can control and not getting discouraged by what you cannot.

The experience was a rich education. I carried a new perspective on focus, preparation, and what it truly takes to perform under pressure. I hope that this caddying experience won't just make me a better bag-carrier but also fundamentall a smarter, and more composed player.