Examining the relationship between Golfers and their Caddies.

With the Masters (the first major of the golf season) just around the corner, professional golfers and their caddies are doing everything they can to prepare for one of the most famous golf tournaments in the world. In their chase for the green jacket, golfers leave no leaf unturned to ensure their swings are dialed in. The focus of the sporting world will be on the hundred or so golfers and their caddies competing for the green jacket this weekend in Augusta, Georgia. With all this attention I thought it would be apropos to examine the relationship between golfers and their caddies from a leadership theory perspective. Is leadership shared between the two? Is the caddie considered a leader or follower? And finally, in what ways do they function as a team?

One might think that a caddie is just a person who carries the clubs around for 18 holes for their PGA tour golfer. At first glance, this seems to be the case, as all the attention and accolades go to the individual golfer, but when one examines this relationship a bit closer it becomes apparent that the caddie plays a crucial role in the success of the individual player. Viewing the relationship between caddy and golfer through the lens of servant leadership theory places caddies in a leadership role rather than a follower (as some might believe). The core principle of servant leadership theory is that leaders need to be attentive to the needs of followers, empower them and help them develop their skills to achieve goals” (Northouse, 2022, P.458). Servant leaders put followers first much like caddies. Many caddies are very proficient golfers and have a vast knowledge of the game while also having insights into their golfer’s personality and playstyle. Before almost any shot you will see golfers having conversations with their caddies. The caddies give their input based on the research they have done on the course and develop a game plan that caters to the golfer and how they can play the course. Caddies act as a course coach, who knows how their player wants to play the course and makes sure the golfers execute their shots to put up a competitive score.

Spears (2002) identified 10 characteristics of servant leaders (Listening, Empathy, Healing, Awareness, Persuasion, Conceptualization, Foresight, Stewardship, Commitment to the growth of people, & Building community). When it comes to analyzing caddies for leadership, all these characteristics can be seen in the caddie’s relationship with the golfer.

As I’ve said, caddies do more than just carry the golfer’s bag. A caddy must be a good listener and be able to listen and understand how a golfer wants to attack a course or specific shot. Servant leaders usually communicate by listening first and realize that “listening is a learned discipline that involves hearing and being receptive to what others have to say” (Northouse, 2022, P. 462). At the end of the day the golfers are the ones hitting the shots, and while a caddie’s input is highly valued it may not be followed if the caddy and golfer have conflicted views. Listening is an important facet of a caddie’s job which includes making shot recommendations or providing coaching that aligns with the current mental and physical health of the golfer. The caddies have to get into the mind of their player to fully understand what might be going on in the golfer’s head. Caddies and leaders from the servant leadership theory require empathy, or being able to understand what another person is going through, they “demonstrate that they truly understand what followers are thinking and feeling (Northouse, 2022, P.462). Being empathetic ensures that followers’ needs are being met before the leaders. Obviously, the end golf of these golfers is to win, for caddies, it is to help the golfers win. Caddies are often someone that a golfer would look to in a struggle. Healing is the third personality type, and is characterized by “leaders who
Servant leaders care about the personal well-being of their followers. They support followers by helping them overcome personal problems.” (Northouse, 2022 p.462). Like any sport, a golfer might get into a rut or cold streak that may be caused by personal problems unrelated to golf. In many cases, caddies are very close to golfers and will help them work through their individual problems which are hurdles that the caddies clear to achieve success.

Awareness (the 4th characteristic) is characterized by “ Servant leaders caring about the personal well-being of their followers. They support followers by helping them overcome personal problems” (Northouse, 2022 p.462). Often caddies and their golfers are very close to each other and as a result, caddies can and do assist their golfers over personal hurdles. An example of this is when Tiger Woods won the 2006 US open. Before the event started his father passed away, despite this, Woods went on to win the 2006 US open and after finishing his final round he had a very emotional embrace with his longtime caddy Steve Williams. Williams was there as someone Tiger could lean on after his loss, and Williams was there for Tiger when he needed him most.

Persuasion is another characteristic of servant leaders. There will inevitably be times when a golfer wants to go for a very difficult shot (which could end up in disaster). Caddies can talk them off the ledge and make the golfers hit a safer, less challenging shot. Spears describes persuasion as compliance, creating change through the use of gentle nonjudgmental argument (Northouse, 2022 p.462). Caddies use their knowledge of the course, conditions, and playing style to inform themselves when certain shots should be made. In addition, they can persuade the player to take a shot that they might not consider, to set up a scoring opportunity or avoid mistakes. In this same vein caddies must be able to see the bigger picture, what spears characterizes as conceptualization or the ability to be a visionary for an organization, providing a clear sense of its goals and direction” (Northouse, 2022 p.463). Caddies use their knowledge of the course and the conditions to get the golfers where they want to be (holding the 1st place trophy). Caddies visualize the round that the golfers might have, to know what kind of club and swing is needed to achieve the goal of winning. Foresight, “or the ability to predict what is coming based on what is occurring in the present and what has happened in the past.”(Northouse, 2022 p.463). This obviously ties to some degree with conceptualization and could be said they

Stewardship is another characteristic, it is about taking responsibility for the leadership role entrusted to the leader (Northouse, 2022 p.463). Stewardship is important to caddies because sometimes the golfers and caddies disagree and it is important. From this point, the caddy must be
kind of fun. The last two characteristics in Sears’s haunted theory are committed to growth, and Community building. Caddies are pretty in tune with the golfers and are committed to seeing them succeed and take-home hardware. Servant leaders are committed to helping each person in the organization (Northouse, 2022 p.464) This very much reflects the caddy and how they choose to realize the goals of the golfer instead of their own goals. The last characterization is community building. This is built into the PGA tour almost naturally. There is a whole network of caddies who all use similar information that they collect about the course to pass along this way.

In summation, based on Sears’s 10 characteristics, caddies can be seen as servant leaders.

Northouse, Peter G.. Leadership (p. 462-458). SAGE Publications. Kindle Edition.