Anyone ever caddie in a PGA Tournament?

Very cool story. I always wondered how hard it would be to caddy for someone on the Web.com tour.

Thanks for sharing that story, memories you'll always treasure. I never had the opportunity to do what you did, just got to marshall at some PGA events, but I can vouch for how well many of those guys treated us GIs.

Caddied for j. L. Lewis. A few times and Rex Caldwell also. It's been a long time though

Very cool story. I once caddied for Jeff Hart, in the then nation wide tour event, the henrico open at the Dominion Golf Club.

Great experience, but a lot of work. 5 rounds of lugging a tour bag with one strap was a bit much. Honestly on Friday I was almost wishing he would miss the cut, and he almost did. We were playing the 18th, par 5, he is 2 off the number, but it could still change. Jeff was first in driver accuracy, and last in driver distance. No kidding, most of his playing partners teased him about it in a fun way. Anyway, he finds the fairway on 18, hits the best 3 metal he hit all week, but ends up in the greenside bunker left. He then settled in and casually holes out from the bunker to make the cut on the number. I was excited as can be. The rest of the weekend was a breeze compared to the first 3 days.

He finished near the bottom of the field, I was paid $100 per loop and he offered me 10% of his winnings. I declined the 10%, he needed to travel after all. I was happy with the $500, and he gave me 4 Titleist hats, 2 dozen pv1's and some misc swag.

It was a fun experience, but it would take some lifestyle changes to do it for a living.

I also met a young Matt Kucher who happened to win the event. Bumped into him in the lot, shook his hand and congratulated him.

Brandon Dejonge was in our group the first 2 rounds.

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Cool stories. The closest I ever got was caddying in a few NJ State tournaments while I was in HS and college. Even they were small scale, compared to PGA events, I was still awed by the talent of these local pro's.

Great story, thanks for sharing.

Love the stories! Thanks for sharing!

I got to caddie in a (then) Nationwide Tour event for 12 holes on a Friday about 10-12 years ago. Me and my buddy were watching on a par 3 under a tree when on of the caddies sets the bag down and lays down under the tree next to us. He had gotten sick the day before and it was 90+ with humidity and he just couldn't go anymore. I offered to fill in if he wanted. The player, John Adams (older guy, just trying to keep up his game to try and make it on the Senior Tour the following year), came up to check on him after he holed out and he told him I offered to fill in. He just asked if I played and knew what to do. I told him I did so he said pick up the bag.

Luckily, the third player dropped out a few holes prior so there was just one other player. The other player and caddie were really nice and gave me some tips and talked a bunch as we walked. It was really fun to be inside the ropes. Although the downside is that there is absolute no shade. But there were water bottles and a jug on every hole so definitely didn't go thirsty. I would mostly just hand him he club he wanted and keep them clean, took the pin when it was our turn to putt, and find sprinklers with the yardage for him, he did the rest. He asked a couple of times for an extra read on a putt just to confirm what he saw. On one hole I told him what I saw a putt do earlier in the day and he took my word for it and lipped out a long putt that was a tough read.

Overall a fun experience. He missed the cut by two, and had he made it, I probably would have been with him for the weekend. Don't think I'd want to do it for a living unless I was on the big tour, but fun to do here and there for sure. We got done and he told me to wait for him after he got done scoring. As we went to the locker room I told him I didn't expect anything, was just happy to do it and have the experience. Didn't give me money, but gave me two dozen Callaway balls for my trouble. The cool thing about them was that they were in a plain white box since they were not yet released to the public. When they were released the following year, they changed the font on the ball so while I had the same ball, I had unique markings on them.

Mach2 said:

I've been lucky enough to have caddied in 2 Pro Tournaments

First one was 1968, the Hawaiian Open at Waialae Country Club. Back in those days very few, if any, caddies flew over to Oahu to caddie so caddies were local folks. I was 6 years into my Navy career and stationed at Barbers Point Naval Air Station. The local paper asked for volunteers to caddie so I took 6 days leave and signed up. Tuesday afternoon I showed up and was given a number, 39. Everyone that signed up to caddie have their last name alphabetized and given a number. When the Pro's started to arrive at the Pro Shop they reached into a large brandy sniffer and picked a piece of paper with a number on it to have a caddie. I heard "will number 39 come to the Pro Shop". Hot Dam, I got a job. When I reached the front door I saw a Pro and a HUGE white golf bay with red trim and Wilson Staff on the side of it. Looked like a 55 gallon drim it was so big. Then I saw "Rod Funseth" on the bag. Rod reached out for a handshake and introduced himself and I responded. He went to the 10th tee to play the back nine and I grabbed that big bag and almost tore my shoulder up. He apologized for the weight and said when we get through with the nine holes, he'll put the 3 pair of shoes, 4 dozen Titleist balls, rain gear, about 15 FootJoy gloves in his locker and it won't be so heavy. After the nine holes we went to the locker room and he took the bag and came out a few minutes later and said the Pro Am tomorrow tee's off at 9:00 and be here by 8:00. He told me to not worry about yardages since he played the Hawaiian Open every year and was good. Checking on Rod Funseth Tuesday evening when I got home I found out he was 2nd on the Driver list for 1967 behind only Jack Nicklaus, and man he could putt. Pro Am was enjoyable and by then I told him I was in the Navy and was a 14 handicap, but taking lessons at the base Golf Course with the Pro there, Hank Rente. When we were done with the Pro Am he said to follow him to the locker room so I'd know our tee time Thursday and who we would be playing with. He also said he hoped it wasn't with Arnold Palmer and of course I asked why. He said that Arnie's Army was loud, applauded way too long and generally made it hard for the other 2 Pro's in his group to concentrate. A few minutes later he came out and said we'd be playing with Gardner Dickinson and ARNOLD PALMER. I didn't hardly sleep that night. Next morning we tee's off and about the 6th hole, as I was carrying Rod's bag down the fairway, I felt a hand on my right shoulder and heard "Hello Son, Rod tells me you're in the Navy and have a 14 handicap, wish I had you in my Pro Am group yesterday." I was speechless, all I could utter was humma humma.............. I still can't believe I got to walk inside the ropes, and in the fairways, with ARNOLD PALMER. He was still smoking like a steam locomotive and hitching up his pants before after each shot. After 2 days Rod was 8 under and in 3rd place. Joe Dey, the PGA Director (I think that was his job) gave Rod a telegraph. It said that Rod's Father had passed away. Rod thought about leaving Hawaii and going home but then realized the funeral wouldn't be till mid week the following week and decided to stay the weekend. He still hit the ball great but his putting was no where near as sharp as it had been Thursday and Friday naturally. He ended up winning $1000, gave me a hun, all his FJ gloves that he wore for only 9 holes and all the Titleist balls he had played. Just a wonderful experience.

Second one was 1995 for the Hogan Tour, I think that's what it was called then, just west of St. Louis, MO. I took a week off from my job and checked in Monday. Tuesday morning I got a call that I had a caddie job. Got to the course, I think it was Lake Forrest Golf and Country Club, and was introduced to my guy..........Damon Green. I had heard of him and was most impressed with his friendship and character. He used the soon to be released Ping Great Big Berth. That thing was HUGE. He made the cut and we played the 4 days. He gave me $140 and alot of golf game help.

Both wonderful experiences.

Late in 2014 I decided to write Mr. Palmer a letter telling him about my great 1968 Hawaiian Open experience with Rod and him for the 1st two day. I received this letter from Mr. Palmer the second week of 2014;

Click to expand...

Wow! THAT is a cool story. Thanks for sharing!