As we move into an increasingly modern age, we’re seeing more and more professional golf players employing female caddies to support them. This is a great step forward, as golf has been considered a male dominated sport for decades.
Some people may believe that the role of the female caddy is to simply carry the clubs around, but this isn’t the case at all. Caddies (see also: What Is A Fore Caddy?)actually add a lot of value to the game itself, and are a massive support to their players.
To find out more about the role of the caddy within golf, as well as what their responsibilities consist of, keep reading, as we take a look below.
What Exactly Is A Caddy?
Before we jump straight into some of the key duties undertaken by female caddies, first let’s take a look at where the name caddy actually comes from.
It is interesting to note that the role of the caddy was originally constructed by a woman, a queen in fact. That’s right, it is initially thought that the role of the caddy was developed by Mary Queen of Scots.
Mary spent much of her time in France, where she hired young soldiers to carry around her clubs for her. These were of course, called military cadets, hence the name, ‘caddy’.
After her time in France came to an end, Mary returned to England, and brought the custom with her of using cadets to carry her golf clubs. So originally, it was military personnel who fulfilled the roles of caddys.
This is an important piece in golfing history, especially for women, as Mary Queen of Scots is actually known as the first woman to golf.
What Kind Of Behaviors Does A Female Caddy Need To Practice?
When women sign up to be golf caddies, there are a number of different ways that they need to conduct themselves in order to become professionals.
First of all, knowing the right place to stand is incredibly important. They should always make sure that they are standing out of the way, and are as silent as possible when the golfer is taking their shot.
They have to remain professional at all times, and make sure that they offer the maximum level of support to their players.
Many people don’t actually realize that caddies will provide the players with high levels of encouragement.
They are the one’s to tell them that they’ve made a great shot before anybody else, and encourage them if they’re not playing as well as usual.
This shows that caddies aren’t just there to carry around their golfer’s clubs, but actually provide a high level of emotional support and encouragement to the golfers themselves.
What Do Female Caddies Wear?
In professional golf tournaments such as the Masters, female caddies will dress in the exact same way as the men. This will consist of a while jumpsuit, green cap, and their golfer’s name on the back.
Apart from the Master’s tournament, female caddies have a little more freedom in terms of dress. They are able to wear trousers or shorts just like the men, but also have the option of wearing skirts too. These skorts do have some particular rules however, in terms of length.
All skirts or shorts worn by female caddies can be no shorter than 2 inches above the knee. As well as this, shoes must be completely smooth and have a rubber based sole.
What Are Some Of the Main Roles Of Female Caddies?
So, as well as providing encouragement and support to golfers, what exactly do caddies do when they’re out on the green? Below, we’ve created a list of some of the key responsibilities practiced by caddies.
Carrying The Clubs
Since we joked about this one earlier on, it’s best to get it out of the way. One of the most obvious responsibilities conducted by caddies is carrying around the golf clubs for their players.
They will also be responsible for handing the correct club to the golfer after they’ve requested it, as well as knowing the different number configurations of the clubs.
After the golfer has finished their shot, they will put the club back in its appropriate place.
Be Familiar With The Course
Another key responsibility of the caddie is having an advanced knowledge of the course that they’re playing on.
This is because they need to be on the lookout for potential water spots or where out of bound markers are located.
Pre Game Checklist
Another one of the most important responsibilities exclusive to golfing caddies, is making sure that a pre game checklist is prepared.
This means making sure that you have items to keep the player comfortable throughout the duration of the game, such as clean towels and bottles of water.
As well as this, the caddie will also need to make sure that they’ve got plenty of spare balls and tees for when they’re out on the course.
Providing Advice
Many people might not be aware of the fact that caddies actually offer advice to their golfers about which clubs they should select.
The caddy will need to utilize their knowledge of club distances, which can help them to recommend the appropriate selection for the shot.
The more they work for a particular golfer, the more accustomed they will become to how they hit different shots. This can help to give them an unique insight and rapport with the golfer.
Fixing Divots And Marks
Another important responsibility for female caddies is to make sure that the golfing green stays as smooth as possible.
Sometimes when a player hits a particular shot, they’ll take off a slice of grass in the process. It is the responsibility of the caddy to make sure that the golfing green stays completely free of any patches of divots.
Have A Good Knowledge Of Golf
Although this one might seem obvious, one of the key responsibilities of golfing caddies is to make sure that they have a sufficient amount of knowledge about the game.
They need to know exactly what is going on in the pitch, and how they can best assist their players.
This includes having a good grasp on golfing terminology, as well as knowing club distances that they’re able to provide their players with advice along the way.
Count The Clubs
There is nothing more embarrassing for a caddie than realizing they’ve forgotten to include one of their golfers clubs in the bag. Counting and checking that they’ve got them all at hand is incredibly important.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, a golfing caddie’s responsibilities aren’t just exclusive to carrying the clubs around for their players.
They’re actually a big emotional support for the players, and help to give them encouragement along the way.
As well as this, they need to have an excellent knowledge of the game, and provide advice for their players about which clubs to use.
Hi, my name is Garratt Shmidt and I have been playing golf in my spare time for almost a decade.
Before I found a passion for golf, I didn’t see the appeal. I thought it was slow, repetitive, and quite frankly boring.
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