In golf or disc golf, a caddie (or caddy) is the person who assists a golfer on the course. Typical duties for a caddie include carrying a player's bag and clubs or discs, performing any course maintenance that is the player's responsibility (e.g. repairing divots and raking bunkers) and offering the player advice and moral support. Other nicknames for the position is a looper or jock.
The Scots word caddie or cawdy was derived in the 17th century from the French word cadet and originally meant a student military officer. It later came to refer to someone who did odd jobs. [1] [2] By the 19th century, it had come to mean someone who carried clubs for a golfer, or in its shortened form, cad, a man of disreputable behaviour. [3]
The first recorded use of a caddie was in Edinburgh in 1681 by the future James II of England when taking part in the first international golf contest. [4] [ better source needed ]
Caddies tend to be low paid, and usually get only a small share of prize money. At a professional level, they work as contractors to individual players but without guaranteed hours. In 2020, caddies on the PGA European Tour became eligible to earn bonuses through sponsors' logos on their gear. [5]
Caddies have been depicted in television, films, and books, including:
William James Murray is an American actor and comedian, known for his deadpan delivery in roles ranging from studio comedies to independent dramas. In 2016, Murray was awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
Brian Murray, known professionally by his stage name as Brian Doyle-Murray, is an American actor and screenwriter. He has appeared with his younger brother, actor/comedian Bill Murray, in several films, including Caddyshack, Scrooged, Ghostbusters II, Groundhog Day, and The Razor's Edge. He co-starred on the TBS sitcom Sullivan & Son, where he played the foul-mouthed Hank Murphy. He also appeared in the Nickelodeon animated series SpongeBob SquarePants as The Flying Dutchman, the Cartoon Network original animated series My Gym Partner's a Monkey as Coach Tiffany Gills, The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack as Captain K'nuckles, a recurring role as Don Ehlert on the ABC sitcom The Middle, and Bob Kruger in the AMC dramedy Lodge 49.
Groundhog Day is a 1993 American fantasy romantic comedy film directed by Harold Ramis from a screenplay by him and Danny Rubin. Starring Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, and Chris Elliott, it tells the story of a cynical television weatherman covering the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, who becomes trapped in a time loop, forcing him to relive February 2 repeatedly. The film also features Stephen Tobolowsky, Brian Doyle-Murray, Marita Geraghty, Angela Paton, Rick Ducommun, Rick Overton, and Robin Duke in supporting roles.
Caddyshack is a 1980 American sports comedy film directed by Harold Ramis, written by Brian Doyle-Murray, Ramis and Douglas Kenney, and starring Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight, Michael O'Keefe and Bill Murray with supporting roles by Sarah Holcomb, Cindy Morgan, and Doyle-Murray. It tells the story of a caddie, vying for a caddie scholarship, who becomes involved in a feud on the links between one of the country club's founders and a nouveau riche guest. A subplot involves a greenskeeper who uses extreme methods against an elusive gopher.
A cordwainer is a shoemaker who makes new shoes from new leather. The cordwainer's trade can be contrasted with the cobbler's trade, according to a tradition in Britain that restricted cobblers to repairing shoes. This usage distinction is not universally observed, as the word cobbler is widely used for tradespersons who make or repair shoes.
Augusta National Golf Club, sometimes referred to as Augusta National, Augusta, or the National, is a golf club in Augusta, Georgia, United States. Unlike most private clubs which operate as non-profits, Augusta National is a for-profit corporation, and it does not disclose its income, holdings, membership list, or ticket sales.
Francis DeSales Ouimet was an American amateur golfer who is frequently referred to as the "father of amateur golf" in the United States. He won the U.S. Open in 1913 and was the first non-Briton elected Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.
Sewsunker "Papwa" Sewgolum (OIS) was a South African professional golfer of ethnic Indian origin, who carved a niche for himself in golfing folklore when he became the first golfer of colour to win a provincial open in South Africa. He became a symbol of the sports boycott movement when pictures of him receiving his trophy outdoors in the rain were published across the world: due to apartheid, he was not allowed to enter the clubhouse.
The Legend of Bagger Vance is a 2000 American sports film directed by Robert Redford, and starring Will Smith, Matt Damon and Charlize Theron. The screenplay by Jeremy Leven is based on Steven Pressfield's 1995 book The Legend of Bagger Vance: A Novel of Golf and the Game of Life. The film is set in 1931 Georgia. It was the final film starring Jack Lemmon and Lane Smith. The film was a box office bomb, grossing just under half of its $80 million budget.
Shyster is a slang word for someone who acts in a disreputable, unethical, or unscrupulous way, especially in the practice of law, sometimes also politics or economics.
John Feinstein is an American sportswriter, author and sports commentator.
Steve Williams is a New Zealander who has served as a caddie for several top professional golfers, most recently with Jason Day. Williams is best known for having served as Tiger Woods' caddie from 1999 to 2011. Woods was the top-ranked golfer in the world for much of Williams' tenure as his caddie.
Michael Thomas "Fluff" Cowan is a professional golf caddie on the PGA Tour. He is a 40-year tour veteran and one of its best-known caddies. Cowan has caddied for Ed Sabo (1976–1978), Peter Jacobsen (1978–1996), Tiger Woods (1996–1999), Jim Furyk (1999–2024) and Pan Cheng-tsung (2024–present). In 2003, he caddied for then-13-year-old amateur ladies' golfing sensation Michelle Wie for one tournament while Furyk was off due to injury. The Ryder Cup in 2012 was Cowan's 11th, carrying for four different players: Jacobsen, Fred Couples, Woods, and Furyk. Cowan earned his nickname "Fluff" from his resemblance to professional golfer and broadcaster Steve Melnyk, also nicknamed "Fluff."
Golf equipment encompasses the various items that are used to play the sport of golf. Types of equipment include the golf ball, golf clubs, and devices that aid in the sport.
Fanny Sunesson is a professional golf caddie, made notable for being the caddy of Nick Faldo from 1990 to 1999. She is the first female caddie to win a men's major golf championship.
Jim "Bones" Mackay is an American golf caddie and golf commentator. For 25 years, he was the caddie for Phil Mickelson. His nickname, "Bones", was created in 1990 when PGA Tour player Fred Couples couldn't remember the name of the lanky, 6-foot 4-inch Mackay.
Jessica Regina Korda is a Czech-American professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour.
The Evans Scholars Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Glenview, Illinois that provides full tuition and housing college scholarships to golf caddies. Operated by the Western Golf Association, the Evans Scholars Foundation has helped more than 11,550 caddies graduate from college since its creation in 1930.
A caddie is a person who carries a golfer's equipment and provides them with other assistance.
