FAQ: Do caddies ever get to veto a player’s decision?
By The Caddie Network Staff · December 19, 2019
Through our readers and social media followers here at The Caddie Network, we often receive questions related to the caddie profession. We’ve collected the most frequently asked questions from our readers and followers and tasked actual PGA Tour caddies to serve up the answers based on their experiences. Here are the answers — from PGA Tour caddies — to the questions we most often receive from you.
These days, more than ever before, player and caddie are viewed as a team. They talk over every shot and typically come to a decision together. Are there times when the caddie can overrule the player on a particular shot or club selection? Well, that all depends.
Do caddies ever get to veto a player’s decision?
It all depends on the player. Some allow their caddies to veto and some don’t. One of my players I had to ask every year, “am I allowed to say something if I don’t think you have the right club?” His response every year was, “when I want your advice, I’ll ask for it.”
I personally don’t look at it as a veto, though. Because the player is ultimately making the last decision.
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Love this take. I never see the decision as a veto. I loop at a local country club and strongly voice my opinion on how the shot will play. If the player opts to disagree with my opinion and hit the shot they believe in I let it happen. More often than not though, it’s an “I told you so.”
That’s a tough way to work, when I see any of my players pull the wrong club I kind of say mmmm…my tournament pro and am don’t mind when I strongly disagree but know plenty that would. I have learned it’s better to hit the wrong club confidently than the right one without so you just let it play out. Good experienced caddies are almost always right on what yardage a shot plays. What club your man wants to hit is up to him