In this episode for HomeofGolf.TV I am joined by registered Old Course caddie John Boyne and he explains to me what life is like as a caddie here in St Andrews and talks me through how to play the famous 17th “Road Hole” on the Old Course.
This video was made possible
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by the kind assistance of Mike Woodcock at The Links Trust. Visit StAndrewslinks.Allianz.com to see Mike in the Working at the Home of Golf section under Community.
Life as an Old Course Caddie
John is in his 8th season as an Old Course caddie, having started purely by accident back in 2002. He explained to me how his wife encouraged him to join a caddie program she saw advertised in a golf magazine, which was organized by the Caddie Master at the Old Course. John signed up, completed a 4 day training course and 8 years on he is enjoying caddying on the Old Course for up to 160 rounds a year.
The Old Course caddies’ season begins properly in mid-May, which is when I shot this episode. From May through to the end of October, the main golf season at the Old Course, the caddies work full-on typically doing 36 holes a day. John told me that as well as himself, the St Andrews Links Trust has 132 caddies who are working for them this year on the Old Course as well as caddying on the other six St Andrews Links courses which are also open to the public. Caddies are all self-employed and some of them work 11 rounds a week. When winter descends on St Andrews and the Old Course becomes less busy many of these caddies jet off to Naples in Florida or Las Vegas to caddie for 5 months.
Finally, the Question of the Day:
What is your favorite Open Championship Hole? Leave your comments below and we’ll have fun reading them!
By homeofgolftv
Tags : 17th, 2010, Andrews, Boyne, Bunker, Championship, Course, David, Duval, Faldo, Hole, Hotel, Inn, Jack, Jigger, John, Links, Lorena, Nakajima, Nick, Nicklaus, Ochoa, Old, Open, Road, St, Tommy, Trust, caddy, hole, tour, tours
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