Why do PGA golfers need professional caddies?

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Why do professional golfers need professional caddies?

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Answer by Richard FellnerEditor of Inside Golf Magazine (www.insidegolf.com.au) with 35 years experience in golf and the golf industry.

The great British golf writer/broadcaster Henry Longhurst once said: "A good caddie is more than a mere assistant. He is a guide, philosopher and friend." Other people have likened a caddie to a co-competitor/teammate, strategist, best friend or even a "wife without benefits."

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The caddie is an extremely important resource for the professional golfer. Apart from carrying the clubs, cleaning them, etc., a typical caddie goes out prior to the tournament to walk the course, check yardages, identify ideal targets/landing spots, identify any "danger" areas to avoid, check the slope and breaks of the green, check weather patterns, prevailing wind direction, etc. They collect this information to help make informed decisions to the player during the tournament, or to help a player strategically prepare for a round prior to teeing off.

They are also there for moral/mental support and confidence. If a player is indecisive about which club to hit, then the caddie can give him/her a few words of encouragement like "This is the right club", Trust the swing", etc. Or, if a player is in contention to win — and the adrenaline is pumping hard — then the caddie can help the player to focus on the shot, and not make any mental mistakes. Alternately, if a player is suffering through some negative emotions (i.e. from bad shots, missed putts), then the caddie can help them try to stay positive, and perhaps regain the confidence they may have had earlier in the game.  

That last part is extremely critical, as many tournaments are won/lost by what happens inside a player's head. Jack Nicklaus once said that the most important six inches in golf are those that lie between the ears — i.e. your brain. A good caddie helps keep a player's mind focussed, and their emotions in check.

Of course, the player is the one swinging the club, but as golf is so much more than just hitting the ball a certain distance, the caddie is truly an integral part of the "team," and should be recognised for helping contribute to a player's success. 

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