Being a caddie on Tour isn’t easy. Players can be finnicky and slightly demanding. If they hit a bad shot, guess who’s getting thrown under the bus? Not all Tour players are difficult bosses, but there are a few who are notoriously challenging to work for.
When it comes to selecting a caddie, a golfer will want someone they can trust who fits their specific needs. While it seems like this may be an unbreakable bond, nothing lasts forever when it comes to player-caddie relationships. If they are solid at their job, a good caddie will have no trouble finding a new golfer to work with even if the partnership sours.
“Not one of us would ever want a 9-to-5 job. We’re not built that way,” said a longtime Tour caddie. “I think caddies are quite an optimistic bunch. Our glass is always half-full. It depends on the player, obviously. We see them at their best and at their worst.”
Last week, we saw not one, but two big-name players split with their caddies.
Justin Thomas shocked fans when he took to Twitter to announce that his caddie, Jimmy Johnson had made the decision that it was time for him to move on. The two had been working together since JT’s rookie year back in 2015.
Thomas has already found a replacement though. His new fulltime caddie with be Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay who worked alongside Phil Mickelson for decades.
“It came out of left field very recently. I have just tremendous respect for (Thomas) as a person and a player.” Mackay told Golf Channel on Thursday. “It was an incredible phone call to get and I said yes.”
Then, in another surprising split, Bubba Watson announced he will no longer be working with Ted Scott after an “incredible 15 years”:
While Thomas was able to find a replacement rather quickly, something tells us that Watson will have a harder time finding a good match. He has been known to take out his frustrations on Scott which is likely to rub other potential bag men the wrong way. This is not lost on Bubba who admitted he owes a lot of his success to Scott.
“Teddy deserves more credit than anyone can imagine for our success on the golf course, but I am just as grateful for his friendship and the way he has helped me grow as a person.”
These splits are a reminder that even the longest running partnerships are not meant to last forever. Though there is talk of caddies being considered ‘family’ of the golfers they work for, they are just employees who sometimes head on to greener pastures. We’re sure there will be a long list of eligible caddies who would be happy for a chance to work with even the most challenging of personalities.
