MASTERS & SERFS LONG GONE

Stupendous changes have occurred in golf during the past four decades.

Courses and clubs have been completely renovated, new complexes have come on stream, golf clubs and balls have been marketed to suit the needs and pockets of everyone, ladies have gained a well earned status, juveniles have been encouraged to take up the game and professionals are now highly classed and respected throughout the world.

Probably the most dramatic change has been the rise in prestige of the once humble caddy.

No longer one who hung around courses, hoping to earn a meagre sum carrying a bag, dressed in tattered clothing, sleeping in doss houses or underneath a hedge in the summertime. Scraping together enough money for sustenance, cheap alcohol and the odd packet inexpensive cigarettes.

Today, caddies are probably as vital to the professional as the clubs in his bag and are recompensed accordingly. The are certainly more valuable than coaches, psychologists and the other host of other "advisers" who have materialised on the pro. circuit. The good caddy carries out all these functions during a round.

Therefore the caddy, one confined to the male gender, now has females and all welcome additions to the world of golf.

Sadly, the elevation has seen the demise of some real characters in the game.

The colourful Max Faulkner, who won The Open Championship at Royal Portrush in 1953, for many years had the "services" of a "sporting gent", several inches taller than his master, shabbily dressed in a long grey raincoat which reached his ankles and wearing a long straggley beard. Around his neck, anchored with string, he carried a huge pair of binoculars, minus glass in both lens. Every now and again Max would seek his advice on the line of a putt. Invariably this would be followed by "Jimmy" lying face down at the side of the green to survey the putt through his binoculars and then declaring in a loud voice " I think it's a slightly straight one, sir "   Sometimes Max would take his advice.

The old time caddy always was involved with alcohol and those of Irish descent were most vunerable. Within the past ten years, Ian Woosman, stood on the second tee in the last round of The Open Championship at Royal Lytham and was penalised two shots for having an extra club in his bag. This ruined any chance he had of having his name inscribed on " The Auld Claret Jug" and his caddy certainly had to carry a lot of the blame. after what appeared to be " a night on the tiles".

Another point is the decline in schoolboys, acting as caddies during the school holidays, a starting point for many leading professionals in the modern game.

Overall, however the rise of the caddy must be welcomed and long may they continue to prosper.