St-Andrews July 17th, 2016

For any golfer, Arriving in St-Andrews is Emotion. Arriving in St-Andrews for the World Science Golf Congress is Honor. Arriving in St-Andrews to witness the greatest British Open Duel in history is Undefinable.

After a 4 hours Train journey from Inverness where I spend a week hiking (after the Scottish Open), Here I arrive at 14h00 in St-Andrews.  After the quick Check In,  I walked to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club to see the course invaded by Citizens!? Later, I found out that every Sunday (except on Tournaments days) The Royal and Ancient becomes a walking Park! What a great initiative...

Walking along and behind the club house, my surprise reach its pinnacle when I pump into register CaddiePlayer Angus Hay!  Angus, the current Caddie of Oliver Wilson and occasionally LET Kelsey Mcdonald.

Angus is leaving nearby and as many Caddies in St-Andrews, was watching the 145thTroon British Open at the local "Golf-Inn" Pub. Thanks to Angus, he got me in introduced and I was then welcome by its Peers watching with a "T" Local Beer, the greatest Duel of GOLF or I would say the greatest Putting Duel of GOLF > Stenson - Mickelson, You were Awesome! > http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2016/tournamentid=2016054/news/newsid=302323.html   

Tusday July 19th, Swiss PGA Karim El Baradie and Myself will present our Tutorial Poster #129 "Better Understanding Realistic Golfers Scoring Expectations by the 4 Shots Rule" Interesting enough in this Tutorial we will use as a reference Phil Mickelson > "Tour pros handicaps" (Dean Knuth and Golf Digest). If you pass by join us. If not I will soon post it....  

Proud to quick see on TV > 2004 Troon British Open Champion Todd Hamilton, who I assited back in 2013 and help me to validate the CaddiePlayer Protocol as well as Emiliano Grillo (T12)  who I coached putting, back in 2014.

Until next time, Cheers from St-Andrews the Home of GOLF,  #IamCaddiePlayerStéphane

More >

• http://www.theopen.com/
• http://www.golfbytourmiss.com/2016/07/stenson-creates-golfing-history-ending-42-major-victory-drought-to-lift-claret-jug/
• http://www.pgatour.com/news/2016/07/17/henrik-stenson-phil-mickelson-duel-in-the-sun-II.html
• http://www.golfdigest.com/story/why-phil-mickelson-is-the-unluckiest-golfer-in-history-or-at-least-since-1983

Inverness July 11th 2016

As the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open ended yesterday with a few contenders still hoping to make it to Rio. Here we are, July 11th, the 2016 Olympic "DeadLine" selection has been made officially during a press conference held in Troon, this week hosting the 145th British Open. GolfbyTourMiss was there to report > IGF Chief Peter Dawson Declares Top-Ranked Golfers ‘Overreacting’ To Zika Concerns.

As Jordan, Jason, Dustin and Rory, I will not go to Rio but not for the same reason....  Instead I will write about it. So far I am extending my stay in Inverness and started to read "The Hitler Trophy" by Alan Fraser. Maybe you should read it too?.... Best regards, #IamCaddiePlayer #IamStephaneBarras following Rio and after ...

If you wish to buy the book click on the picture below. More stories about the Hitler Trophy > http://www.golfdigest.com/topic/hitler-trophy

Rio Final Selection list:

• Women > http://www.igfgolf.org/olympic-games/qualification-system/ogr-women/
• Men > http://www.igfgolf.org/olympic-games/qualification-system/ogr-men/

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