Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, Castle Stuart course, Inverness, Scotland.
Being a Coach on Tour require also Traveller Skills. As a Circus the Tour is moving around the World of Golf and with it its Players, Caddies, Managers, Physiotherapists, Equipment Makers, Journalists, Organizers, Administration Staff, Coaches and others. Every week comes the off course challenges to find the best and/or most affordable transportation (Bus, Taxi, Plane, Boat etc) and accomodation (Friends, Villa, Hotel, Hostel, Guest House, AirBnB etc). So far, I have shared rooms with Players, Caddies and most of the time by myself.
This week, for the first time I am sharing a townhouse just south of Inverness with leading European Tour journalists (Bernie and Fathia), top Tour photographer (Stuart) and a very special veteran caddie named John Roberts but with everyone who is anyone on the 'Tour' knowing him as 'Ronnie', and named after the late, legendary commedian Ronnie Corbett and one half of the 'Two Ronnies'.
"Ronnie" was born in 1946 and started his working life as an "Army" accountant. In 1973, during holidays, he caddied for Peter Cowen playing the European Tour (Today a Star Coach). In that "Era" professionnal caddies were mostly "Bag Carriers". Later Ronnie sold computers and switched to financial services and retired at 50 with a view to caddying. Ronnie then approached Peter Cowen who advised that in order to learn this job quickly/better he should caddie for as many Players as possible in the first year...... Yards, Meters, Cultures and Countries to rapidly gain a wealth of International experience. In 1998, Ronnie's first year, he worked for 13 different players.
"I was fortunate to have several high finishes and learned so much from players including Gary Nicklaus (Jack's favourite caddie son) Eamon Darcy (Ryder Cup player) and Jeev Milkha Singh. I quickly learned the ability to calculate a "Playing Figure" to the pin for every shot into greens. As every golfers knows this is extremly complicated as it takes account off actual yardage to the front, pin position into the green, hill elevation (up or down), altitude (ball can travels in excess off 12% further in Crans for example), rain, temperature ( as last week in Paris the ball can travell 7% further in excessiv heat and less far then normal when cold) etc". Caddie and Player must then determine where to pitch in relation to the pin and choose the appropriate club. I believe golf is primarily about 2 things fromTee to Green.... Line (a coach's job) and Length, as per quote above is the Caddie's job if he is capable".
To conclude Ronnie has caddied for 86 Tour players with the highlight of his distinguished career being two Asian Tour Orders of Merit triumphs and seven tournament wins on both the Asian and European Tour. Included in his victory celebrations was back-to-back wins in the 2000 Macau Open and Volvo China Open with England's Simon Dyson while Ronnie enjoyed back-to-back success with Australia's Brett Rumford who won the 2013 Ballantines Championship in South Korea and a week later landed the Volvo China Open title.
For this week's Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open 'Ronnie's is on the bag for leading Indian golfer Shiv Kapur, who he has worked for several times previously.
I can't believe such a little chap can do such a physical job while at the age of 70! Ronnie is at this moment next to me and still full of enthusiasm! Until next time #IamCaddiePlayer #IamStéphaneBarras
Myself with Caddie Ronnie and Journalist Bernie (Picture from GolfbyTourMiss)
All info about Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open > http://www.aamscottishopen.com
