I can't imagine that caddies are a requirement on tour.
I know some will say "Why wouldn't you have a caddie" but I'm sure in some case, a guy would choose to carry his own bag, in this long history of professional golf.
Just get a larger Nylon standbag and do it yourself. There would be benefits - nobody to break you out of your zone by talking.
I would love to see a pro carry his or her own bag - just once
I know their are a few Nationwide Tour guys that carry their own bag. But why should/would a PGA player want to? Caddies are used more for just carrying a bag.
In some events, caddies are not needed. Andrew Coltart, 1999 Ryder Cupper, regained his card at the European Tour School this year carrying his own clubs in a pencil bag.
It may be an econonic thing too. A lot of struggling players may not be able to afford a caddie, especially when they are not making money consistently.
I think I remember watching Golf Central a few years back and watching Ernie hoofing his own bag during a round. It might have been on the Euro tour...but I distinctly remember watching it...it was the first time I had ever seen a pro do it.
IIRC you can carry your own bag at Q-school until you get to the final stage then you have to have a caddy. I've never seen a player on the Nationwide Tour without a caddy so I would imagine it's a requirement. At every mini-tour event I have ever attended it's about 50-50. A lot of the mini tour guys have their wives on the bag and most of the single guys carry their own.
I would love to see a caddie-free, every man for himself PGA Tour event. Or at least a silly season event. I think it could be genuinely exciting - we'd learn something about what these guys are really made of. It could be a way to really shake things up and generate some interest. It seems gimmicky at first but when you think about it, it's actually a very pure form of competition. But I'd bet that most tour players would consider this too much work and want no part of it. So instead we get 9-10 months worth of the exact same 72 hole stroke play format every week.
I would love to see a caddie-free, every man for himself PGA Tour event. Or at least a silly season event. I think it could be genuinely exciting - we'd learn something about what these guys are really made of. It could be a way to really shake things up and generate some interest. It seems gimmicky at first but when you think about it, it's actually a very pure form of competition. But I'd bet that most tour players would consider this too much work and want no part of it. So instead we get 9-10 months worth of the exact same 72 hole stroke play format every week.
I agree thats why I was so impressed with Chad Campbell and it was raining and these guys just played.
Let's organize a PGA Tour event with a big name sponsor - and make it a "no caddie" event. If I were a CEO of a major company I'd get onboard. The TV ratings would be huge. Big name sponsors = bigger purse = more big name players.
Maybe we should revive the International at Castle Pines, stroke play format, no caddies. Call it the GolfWRX International.
Man, then we'd find out what these guys are made of.
Let's organize a PGA Tour event with a big name sponsor - and make it a "no caddie" event. If I were a CEO of a major company I'd get onboard. The TV ratings would be huge. Big name sponsors = bigger purse = more big name players.
Maybe we should revive the International at Castle Pines, stroke play format, no caddies. Call it the GolfWRX International.
Man, then we'd find out what these guys are made of.
No practice rounds, yardage books or rangefinders either. Lets watch them play golf like we do!!!!
Let's organize a PGA Tour event with a big name sponsor - and make it a "no caddie" event. If I were a CEO of a major company I'd get onboard. The TV ratings would be huge. Big name sponsors = bigger purse = more big name players.
Maybe we should revive the International at Castle Pines, stroke play format, no caddies. Call it the GolfWRX International.
Man, then we'd find out what these guys are made of.
No practice rounds, yardage books or rangefinders either. Lets watch them play golf like we do!!!!
Just spoke to a friend that plays on the PGA Tour and he confirmed that caddies ARE required on tour. Same goes for the Nationwide Tour. Back when I tried to qualify for the Canadian Tour, I remember reading that you can carry your own bag for the 1st 2 rounds, but you must have a caddy for the weekend rounds.
Didn't someone win one of the smaller European Tour events this year with a pullcart? I know the Challenge Tour allows players to use pullcarts.
Also, no caddy means no big staff bag. No big staff bag means less endorsement dollars for the player. Most Tour players will get more money for the name on the staff bag than what the caddy will cost them for the year.
I'm fairly certain that caddies are amndatory on the European Tour as well.
Not at the qualifying school
Tour entry still on the cards for Coltart after round of 67 at qualifying school
ANDREW Coltart's bid to return to the European Tour gathered momentum in the third round of the qualifying school final at PGA Catalunya near Girona in Spain yesterday. The 38-year-old former Ryder Cup player stayed in the hunt for one of the 30 tour cards on offer with a four-under 67 over the Red course for a seven-under aggregate of 207, which left him in a share of 15th behind halfway leader Oskar Henningsson of Sweden, who moved to a 17-under 197 with a 65.
Coltart, who lost his card at the end of 2007 and has been relying on invites to compete through the current campaign, has opted not to employ a caddie for the gruelling six-round marathon and is carrying his own clubs in a tiny pencil bag.
The Scot's DIY approach continued to reap the rewards yesterday with a tidy four-birdie round. The two-time tour winner said: "I'm much happier when I'm just myself and I know I don't need anyone beside me to get through this. When I lost my card last year I was in a rut and it's hard to play week in, week out when you're struggling. I'm in a much better place mentally now and I'm slowly starting to enjoy golf again."
I'm fairly certain that caddies are amndatory on the European Tour as well.
Not at the qualifying school
Tour entry still on the cards for Coltart after round of 67 at qualifying school
ANDREW Coltart's bid to return to the European Tour gathered momentum in the third round of the qualifying school final at PGA Catalunya near Girona in Spain yesterday. The 38-year-old former Ryder Cup player stayed in the hunt for one of the 30 tour cards on offer with a four-under 67 over the Red course for a seven-under aggregate of 207, which left him in a share of 15th behind halfway leader Oskar Henningsson of Sweden, who moved to a 17-under 197 with a 65.
Coltart, who lost his card at the end of 2007 and has been relying on invites to compete through the current campaign, has opted not to employ a caddie for the gruelling six-round marathon and is carrying his own clubs in a tiny pencil bag.
The Scot's DIY approach continued to reap the rewards yesterday with a tidy four-birdie round. The two-time tour winner said: "I'm much happier when I'm just myself and I know I don't need anyone beside me to get through this. When I lost my card last year I was in a rut and it's hard to play week in, week out when you're struggling. I'm in a much better place mentally now and I'm slowly starting to enjoy golf again."
WOW I don't know Andrew Coltart from adam, but if he qualifies I will definitely be a fan. That is hardcore. Who knows, maybe it's actually a good way for players to re-gain focus. Plus it's hard times and if you can cut back on expenses that's always good too.
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