Caddies and Greens Keepers: Helpers to the Golf Course
The golfers are not the only ones who make up the golfing atmosphere. There are always the fans that stand close by so that they can catch glimpses. There are the television cameramen who are there because it is their job. Two other people that must be acknowledged are the caddy and the greens keeper. These two people have different roles, but still contribute to the wellbeing of the golf course and thus the golfer too. A caddy is the person who carries a player’s bag, and gives insightful advice and moral support. A good caddy is aware of the challenges and obstacles of the golf course being played, along with the best strategy in playing it. This includes knowing overall yardage, pin placements and club selection. A caddy is not usually an employee of a private club or resort. He is classified as an “independent contractor,” meaning that he is basically self employed and does not receive any benefits from his association with the club. Of course, some clubs and resorts do have caddy programs, although benefits are rarely offered. Caddies often demonstarte many of the qualities held by greens keppers. They are always on the golf course and always and constantly busy. Their work is very important, and that is why nearly every professional golfer has one and they are busy each and every tournament. Traditional caddying involves both the golfer and the caddie walking the course. The caddy is in charge of carrying the bag of the player, with the caddie out in front of and a couple of steps above the player. Though some may consider the profession of being a caddy to be less prestigious than a golfer, and in some cases egregious, it is actually a feasible system where caddies can move up ranks. Most clubs use a ranking system. Caddies will start as a trainee, and be promoted through the ranks of Intermediate, Captain, Honor, and finally Championship. Championship is reserved for only the best caddies. The intermediate and captain ranks can usually be obtained within the first year of caddying, and the honor rank is usually obtained in the second or third year of caddying. Championship takes at least 6 years and often as many as 10 years to obtain. Many professionals in the golf industry once had started out as caddies. Greens keepers are also important. They are the professionals who maintain a golf course or a country club. These people are very important to the game of golf. In basketball, they have janitors who scrub the floor in between breaks and baseball has its own ground crew to help with the field and also during rain delays. The greens keeper’s role is so important because golf is a game of prestige and a lot of prestige comes with the state of the golf course. If the golf course is in a good condition it enhances the morale of everyone and everything involved. The golf course is one of the things that make golf between due to its versatility and its diversity. The course has many features, from holes to hazards.
