GOLF: CADDIE'S ROLETHE 1980s was the turning point for European golf. It marked the beginning of an era in a game that was until then dominated by the more traditional golfing countries. The Swedes arrived on tour. Or should I say they landed on the ranges of the European Tour. A new work ethic was introduced to a talented, if somewhat complacent tour.
Despite four-round events being the norm back then, the standard procedure on tour did not entail seven days at the golf course. This was partly due to logistics. David Feherty has often reminisced about road trips through Europe in a mini-cooper stuffed with over-sized professionals and their equipment. This was a regular adventure on tour in the early ’80s, a two-day voyage through the heart of the continent towards southern Iberia. If you arrived on site by Wednesday morning you were early. Players are criticised today if they breeze into an event later than Monday.
The art of tournament preparation back then was actually getting there before your tee-time on Thursday. The chatter on tour nowadays, particularly for majors is, did you have a few practice rounds the week before the actual event? The question on arrival is more likely to be was your transatlantic journey in the private jet to your satisfaction, sir? And not – did you get stuck on the road works in Perpignan and have to take the back roads to the Spanish border in your Ford Capri, mate?
The concept of preparation was a very different one to what is frequently discussed today. The Swedes brought with them wealthy sponsors, fast cars and open access to the most convenient flight to their next destination. They were always first on the range on a Monday at the next event. They set the new stringent standard for being ready for tournament play on Thursday morning.
We all observed this new wave of players with some astonishment. They had come from the Scandinavian background of technique, analysis, coaching and collective thinking. There was a limited history of golf in Scandinavia pre-1980s but there was a voracious appetite to learn and develop.
Naturally, when you are not exposed to what lies in any field beyond your norm you may reach a high standard and complacently believe it is the ultimate. When you stretch your horizons you frequently realise there are much higher peaks to climb.
When Tiger Woods arrived on the US Tour in the ’90s a new level of golfing excellence was set. He removed a lot of the soft underbelly on tour. Physical fitness became an intricate part of the game. When I started working for better players as I moved along in my caddying career I was also raised on the higher wave of enthusiasm and expectation within those players’ teams. We are all influenced by our environment and, as in my case, with the more diligent north European work ethic, you either move upward with it or fade away.
So when we look at the remarkable achievement of three players from the province of Ulster who have won three Majors in 13 months it is worth looking at the work ethic from that part of the country and question why so many Major winners have come from such a relatively minuscule region.
Rory McIlroy is an exceptionally talented golfer and without question the most gifted of golfers amongst the Irish Major winners. Observing him at events, he looks like he prepares much like Tiger did in his prime. He does most of his honing during his weeks off, away from the tournament. He is conscious of saving energy for a surge to the top of the leaderboard at the weekend. The fact Rory has a sophisticated driving range in his back garden would suggest he likes to hit balls.
I have been out with Graeme McDowell on several occasions during practice rounds and recall being impressed by his astute preparation. He always spends extra time on the greens, drawing in relevant information and detail necessary for him to make the right decisions during the tournament. There is nothing left to chance when it comes to Graeme’s preparation. This is on top of long daily range and short-game sessions.
Our most recent major champion Big D may well look like he wouldn’t know where the driving range is. I had the pleasure of caddying for him for a short time in the ’90s. He may well have a penchant for an evening drink but that does not stop him from beating the Swedes to the range the following morning. Darren Clarke is one of the hardest workers on tour and always has been. His casual image can be a little misleading. In case you are thinking that the festive nature alone breeds success, think again. Darren has hit more practice balls in his two decades on tour than half the Swedes combined.
There are always exceptions and not coincidentally our southern multiple- major winner Pádraig Harrington had his own slot reserved on the European driving range. Practice makes perfect and we are all, whether consciously or not, products of our environments.
The Protestant work ethic made western capitalism great. Perhaps the same influence in northern golf clubs has made Ulster golf the force it is today. It may well be a surprise to the world such a small region has produced so many major champions. It’s not to them.
CADDIE’S ROLE
