Sometimes it goes unnoticed how important caddies are for professional golfers. In the real world, a caddie is just a person who carries someone’s golf clubs. But on a professional level, caddies are the most trusted partners of golfers.
In the end, the golfer has the final say on how he wants to play every single shot. But by treating their caddies as a soundboard, golfers can gain valuable insight on any given shot. That level of chemistry and trust is built over time, and it’s what made Tiger Woods and Steve Williams a formidable duo.
Steve Williams was Tiger Woods’ caddie for 12 years
Williams took over for Mike Cowan as Woods’ main caddie in 1999. Together, they won countless tournaments during the prime of his career. Although it ended on a sour note, their relationship on the golf course was a shining example for other golf-caddie tandems.
Perhaps no moment better explains their trust and chemistry than an approach shot at the 2009 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill. Woods was setting up for the shot, before Williams intervened and told him he preferred a wedge shot. Woods obliged, and the rest is history.
The announcing team was stunned by the club and shot selection, but it worked out beautifully. Woods went on to win the tournament, one of his final triumphs with Williams by his side.
Williams was fired by Woods in 2011, following a spell of injuries and controversy for the golfer. The caddie was stunned when it happened, but there’s no denying the two made history together, and because of each other.
Read the full article here
