Lydia Ko fires caddie #9

[GolfLug]

36 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

Mamas' don't let your babies grow up to be caddies
Don't let 'em pick golf or haul those old bags
Let 'em be doctors and lawyers and such
Mamas' don't let your babies grow up to be caddies
'Cause they'll never stay home and they're always alone
And fired by golfers who suck.

[iacas]

I think the count is a little awkward. When she was still an am, it counts her caddies then, too, right? Because she wasn't exactly playing a consistent schedule back then, and if she wasn't making money as an am, she might not have been paying a ton either.

I've heard her mom controls everything, though, and it's troubling. That said, the girls outside the top 30 are barely making a living, so the CADDIES outside the top 10-15 aren't doing very well for themselves, either.

[Golfingdad]

13 minutes ago, iacas said:

I think the count is a little awkward. When she was still an am, it counts her caddies then, too, right? Because she wasn't exactly playing a consistent schedule back then, and if she wasn't making money as an am, she might not have been paying a ton either.

Good point.  Here is what I found: http://www.golfdigest.com/story/world-no-1-lydia-ko-ditches-caddie-despite-four-wins-this-season

That's the story about when she fired Jason Hamilton last October, who was the caddy for 10 of her 14 wins.  The guy she just fired was Hamilton's successor.  So she has had two caddies since the end of her rookie year in 2014.  Her rookie year up to that point is where the other 7 came into play:

Quote

Before Ko hired Hamilton, the New Zealand star went through seven caddies during her rookie season, including her father and longtime PGA Tour looper Mike "Fluff" Cowan.

So I agree that the count is probably a little awkward, since the big majority of those were basically just tryouts. 

[caniac6]

Mabye she should just get a push cart.

[MRR]

The caddies won't be able to help line up shots next season, correct?

If so, there will be less blame for players to place on them and maybe Ko('s parents) can stick with a single caddie soon.

[Hacker James]

not quite the same thing, but I wonder how many players have had Butch Harmon as an EX coach?

[iacas]

14 minutes ago, MRR said:

The caddies won't be able to help line up shots next season, correct?

Why?

If you mean the proposed rules…

• they're proposed only right now (though I expect that one will "stick")
• they're not going into effect until 2019.

[Let it Fly]

I have to imagine that a successful caddy/player relationship is heavily influenced by their ability to be friends...at least on some level.  Of course Phil & Bones/Spieth & Greller are extreme examples, but there has to some immeasurable benefit of just being comfortable with/around someone.  The game can be so robotic with swings, numbers, yardages, angles, wind speed etc that being able to joke freely (or argue freely) in high pressure situations must be a settling feeling to some degree.  When Spieth broke out, I remember all the positive (somewhat astonished) press he received for always saying "we" and "team."   

Long story short, I wonder if she has trouble connecting with people?  Just food for thought, as I don't know much about Lydia Ko and have never had experience playing with a caddy.

[MRR]

18 minutes ago, iacas said:

Why?

If you mean the proposed rules…

• they're proposed only right now (though I expect that one will "stick")
• they're not going into effect until 2019.

That's what I was thinking about.

So, just a theory and even longer than I had thought.  I bet Ko can get through four more caddies by then.

[1badbadger]

2 hours ago, cipher said:

Brilliant!  

I wonder who the next sucker is that will agree to pick up her bag?  I'd stay clear of that one.

As a caddie though, how do you turn down the bag of the #1 player?  Unless you've already got a good gig, that would be hard to pass up, even with her history.

[MRR]

4 minutes ago, 1badbadger said:

As a caddie though, how do you turn down the bag of the #1 player?  Unless you've already got a good gig, that would be hard to pass up, even with her history.

At the very least, you are getting exposure.  Might get picked up by someone else looking for a caddie.

 

Nine is a lot; but if the fit's not right, why force it?  I just hope the parents aren't pressuring her to get rid of good caddies just because they think their power is being usurped.

[GolfLug]

 

1 hour ago, iacas said:

I think the count is a little awkward. When she was still an am, it counts her caddies then, too, right? Because she wasn't exactly playing a consistent schedule back then, and if she wasn't making money as an am, she might not have been paying a ton either.

I've heard her mom controls everything, though, and it's troubling. That said, the girls outside the top 30 are barely making a living, so the CADDIES outside the top 10-15 aren't doing very well for themselves, either.

Do LPGA caddies generally get 10% of player's winnings as I have heard is norm on PGA?

 

 

[mchepp]

I have two thoughts on this. One, she might not have liked the guy. If she wasn't getting along then she is within her rights to drop him. Yeah, she has ran through a few, but this guy saying she needs to change something smells like sour grapes. He should move on. She didn't like him. 

I also pretty much completely disregard what Leadpoison says. He has been whining about players parents for years. After forcing the A swing on her, and moving her away from a really good swing, he wants to blame the parents. When he met her family to decide if he was going to be her coach he should well understand the dynamic he was walking into. Yet, he spent her money, got fired, and now want to blame the parents. Hogwash. 

[cipher]

11 minutes ago, 1badbadger said:

As a caddie though, how do you turn down the bag of the #1 player?  Unless you've already got a good gig, that would be hard to pass up, even with her history.

I would imagine if you are offered the job you would have to be pretty good at your gig and would be able to hold a steady good paying job elsewhere which would be much more rewarding.  

[CarlSpackler]

I don't think Darth Vader went through that many admirals. 

[Yukari]

I think the OP misread the article. 

See here: http://www.golf.com/tour-news/2017/04/19/lydia-kos-fired-caddie-she-needs-wake

She is replacing her caddie after only 9 events. Not that it is her 9th caddie. 

[GolfLug]

1 hour ago, Yukari said:

I think the OP misread the article. 

See here: http://www.golf.com/tour-news/2017/04/19/lydia-kos-fired-caddie-she-needs-wake

She is replacing her caddie after only 9 events. Not that it is her 9th caddie. 

Nope, clearly says she has gone through nine caddies. Mattews lasted 9 events.

[iSank]

There was a few rain/ lightning delays last week at the Lotte and that's a lot of time hanging out at Roy's waiting. Plenty of time to get on someone's nerve.

I talked with a handful of caddies last week at the Lotte and I was wondering for these non-marquee players it can't be cheap coming out to Hawaii only to miss the cut. At least she took home $139,000+ while the two I followed holding the scorecard took home $10k each.