RUGator’s Blog

The most nervous I’ve ever been while caddying? Two years ago, while on PGA tour player Kenny Perry’s bag during a pro-am at Somerset Hills Country Club. Now Kenny was a pleasure to caddy for. Low key, gracious, and definitely no prima donna. Yet he has had (and continues to have) a very successful career. He’s got over twenty million dollars in career earnings, while winning multiple times on tour. So with a decent sized gallery following, I was doing my best balancing routine of acting like it “was no big deal” while fighting the urge to have a complete panic attack for fear of giving a bad read or suggesting the wrong play.

Through the first fifteen holes, nothing had happened of consequence. We were getting along fine. Chatting it up like “good ‘ole boys.” It was a pro-am, no pressure, right? (I kept telling myself). I know this course like the back of my hand, right? (I kept reminding myself). Then we got to 16.

A wonderful par 3 amongst four of the best par 3’s you could ever hope to encounter on a golf course. Playing to 165 yards to an elevated and harshly sloping (left to right) green, par on 16 at Somerset is “take your par and quickly move on to the next hole” of the highest order type hole. With the gallery ringed around the tee box and green, Kenny stuffed in a nice 6-iron to about 15 feet. On the low side. On the walk up, Kenny turned to me and said, “It’d be nice to make 2 here. Talk to me, Mikey.” While the other members of our group cleaned up their respective messes, Kenny and I surveyed the work which lie in wait. He got chatty with the crowd. “This is where a caddy earns his fee. On a read like this,” he announced. “I got it left to right, about a cup out. What ‘cha think about that, Mikey?” (You kidding me, Kenny? No way this putt goes left right. I know this putt. Had it a million times before, I’m thinking). This is not a Sunday member guest, however. “Kenny, I’m sorry, but I don’t see it (gulp!). This is a right to left putt. Keep it a cup out on the right. Just give it a little room to move at the end. I know this putt, it’s right left, no doubt (butt cheeks now puckering).” “O.k, Mike you’re the boss,” he admits, then he looks up to the gallery and goes, “I’ll do what my caddy says,” (increased puckering).

As he addressed that putt, I found my lord and savior.

And when it dropped in for the duece, he turned to me and gave me that “ESPN You the man! finger point” that we’ve all seen before. And for that moment, in my mind, I was.