CADDIE'S ROLE:Old caddies need some young blood to reignite their enthusiasm for the profession, writes COLIN BYRNE

I READ a newspaper headline last weekend before Ireland’s skilful display against France that Brian O'Driscoll is “still hungry” at the ripe old age of 30. I would imagine he still is, how else could he face the fearsome task of modern top-class rugby.

There is, of course, no age limit for the modern golfer to be considered fairway unworthy although many do fade somewhat as they advance into their fourth decade. There are always exceptions like Bernhard Langer and Jay Haas who still performed on the main tours at a very high level in their late 40s. Of course the seniors’ tours around the globe, but particularly in America, have rejuvenated many the flagging old pro both psychologically and financially.

As a rule, though, there is a fading chance that you are going to win majors as you advance into your 40s in golf. So despite golf being one of the professional games with the longest lifespan there is naturally a limit to the realistic expectation for major success.

The same cannot be said of a caddie. Having lugged bags worldwide for several decades there is no doubt that the appetite to continue wanes the further you go, this is particularly true in today’s limitless worldwide golf seasons. Golfers are of course reliant on their own talent. Caddies, however, are reliant on their player’s talent on top of their own caddying expertise. The player’s talent being way more significant than the caddie’s, I must add. The old adage of “the best way to be a good caddie is to carry the bag of a very good player” will never be untrue.

It is the one great advantage of being a caddie; you can transport your skill from player to player so as one relationship loses steam there is always the prospect of regenerating interest with another golfer.

I have recently enjoyed almost half a decade with the one player whose talent certainly made me look like a great caddie. As time passed and the air miles mounted, our partnership lost its dynamic. It was tired.

So when I got the opportunity this year to link up with a young, enthusiastic and very talented Alexander Noren, my own flagging career was given a shot in the arm.

It raises the question of what is the ideal age partnership with a player and a caddie? I remember going to the States for the first time and being slightly shocked at how elderly the average caddie was on the US Tour.

In Europe it had been a young man’s game, so I was amazed by the amount of greying temples on tour over there.

As a player I am sure there would be a comforting air in having an experienced hand at your side. Then again there is an age group of the opinion that older is not necessarily wiser.

A bit like we all felt at a certain stage of our youth; our parents seemed stupid and uncool for many of our formative years.

It is the same for young golfers. Do they appreciate the gnarly reassurance from a weather-beaten caddie with decades of experience and a face betraying a lifetime of afternoons spent in intense sunshine? Or do they prefer the plucky advice from a smooth- skinned young advisor whose enthusiasm is matched by his stride and whose positive nature could easily be mistaken for the final word?

Much of a caddie’s lifespan depends on how well he or she has taken care of themselves. I have noticed some European caddies who have been around for a long time getting sidelined due to physical incapability at a relatively young age. One of our colleagues got stranded in Asia last year due to deep vein thrombosis. Many of us have experienced back and limb trouble with years of contorting our spines to accommodate the unnatural act of lumping a heavy golf bag around the fairways of the world.

Apart from the physical demands of the job, the lifestyle of globetrotting has curtailed some bagmen. Dealing with family life is not always the easiest on a caddie’s budget. A compromise in recent years has been for some older loopers to get involved in sharing a players bag over the year with another caddie, thus getting more time at home with the family.

There is a general consensus that a caddie with decades of experience can be an invaluable asset to a young ambitious player. The problem can be that the age gap makes it difficult for a young golfer to relate to an older caddie in matters other than golf. So the balance of wisdom and removal due to years is a delicate one. Who wants a caddie that looks like his daddy?

There is a sentiment that the older caddie can contribute greatly to the keen-to-learn younger pro, particularly one who has worked for a top golfer in the past. Many are hoping to gain some of their employees knowledge which has been effectively gleaned through their former superstar bosses.

It makes sense.

It is both invigorating and flattering to feel the inquisitive eyes of a young hopeful golfer absorbing the stories of your old boss and sensing that they are taking a short-cut to the position that they yearn to hold in world golf.

So like O’Driscoll in his 89th game in an Irish jersey, of course he has desire but it has been reignited by the ambitious talent that surrounds him in the green jerseys, the same can be said for some of us ageing bagmen with our enthusiastic and hungry young bosses.