It’s wrong to tee off about Rory’s caddie
Barely a week goes by without an email landing at this address ‘ advising’ rory McIlroy to ditch the close friend who is his caddie and hire someone more qualified for the job.
But is there another role in sport where the lines are so blurred as to what constitutes someone who is supposedly qualified? It is getting more blurry all the time, too.
Back in the day, caddies used to fit a stereotype and lived by the motto: ‘Show up, put up, shut up.’ Now, with the help of wall-to-wall coverage and on-course mics, we can see and hear how the role is evolving and the requirements differ radically from player to player.
Take 47-year- old Stewart Cink, who was ranked outside the top 300 when he ditched Kip Henley, widely acknowledged as one of the best caddies in the game. When he gave the job to 24-year-old son reagan instead, you can imagine what people were thinking.
That was seven months ago. Since then, Cink’s career has undergone an astonishing renaissance. after finishing tied 12th at the Masters, the 2009 Open champion claimed his second PGa Tour win of the season following a masterclass in front-running at the Heritage Classic in South Carolina. He is now one place above Sergio Garcia in the world’s top 50 and being talked about for a ryder Cup berth.
leading for the final three rounds is the hardest way to win a tournament but reagan proved the perfect foil because it became less like a cut-throat business and more like a family outing. One of the key reasons behind lee Westwood’s resurgence over the past 18 months is the fact fiancee Helen Storey is doing a similarly admirable job of lowering the stress levels.
What is right caddie-wise for a player in his mid-forties, however, is clearly different to someone just starting out on tour. It still makes perfect sense for a young golfer to employ one of the hired hands who have seen and done it and continue to have desire and ambition.
For a player in their thirties, however, when the wiles of course management have hopefully been learned, it becomes more about the chemistry. With excitable golfers like Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Wallace, it is plainly advisable to stick to strictly business arrangements.
When you are blessed with an equable temperament like McIlroy or Tommy Fleetwood, though, it is understandable why you would want a close friend by your side, although it should be added that Harry Diamond and Ian Finnis, the two mates in question, are both as dedicated as they come and fine golfers in their own right.
as for those at the Cink-Westwood time of life, when you have seen so much of golf, the main qualification, ironically enough, seems to be someone who has not.
What makes a great caddie? If you are one of those who likes to dash off a line in this direction regarding Diamond, feel free. But it is a question that is a little more nuanced than it looks.