Understanding the Quality and Functions

of the Golfer-Caddie relationship

Dr Sophia Jowett

Dr Xinmiao Zhong

School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences

Introduction

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There is ample anecdotal evidence to highlight the important role of the player-

caddie relationship. The relationship has also been at the centre of media attention

as its subject-matter can easily provide splashy headlines, sensational stories,

breaking news – all of which can grab an audience’s attention and hold it. The

player-caddie relationship has been regarded as a key ingredient in the performance

of many golfers. For example, Matt Majendie for CNN on March 2014 published an

article entitled “Inside the mind of a caddy: The bag men behind the world’s top

golfers” (http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/27/sport/golf/steve-williams-golf-caddies/ ).

He provided an overview of what the relationship is like while illustrating successful

partnerships. The relationship between golfer and caddie was described as a

marriage where understanding how the golfer thinks and feels, what makes them

tick, being patient and friendly, managing potential conflict effectively, taking different

roles including coach and psychologist, as well as supporting were all deemed

important relational properties. Perhaps it is these relational properties that make

these partnerships long-term and successful: Steve Williams with both Adam Scott

and Tiger Woods (which is considered the most successful partnership by many as

Woods achieved 13 out 14 major wins with Williams), as well as Terry Mundy with

Laura Davies and Ian Poulter. Poulter recently said, “Your relationship with your

caddie is very important every day, not just practice days. Terry has been with me for

seven and a half years and we get on great – we’ve got the same sense of

humour…You need to be able to rely on your caddie at certain times to be able to

give you the right information.” (IMG, interview dated May 2013)

To this list of extraordinary sporting partners one must add Padraig Harrington and

his caddie of ten years, Ronan Flood plus Fred Couples and his caddie for over 20

years, Joe LaCava. Padraig Harrington has explained the relationship with his

caddie Ronan Flood as being successful because they both seem to be “on the

same wavelength”. There is a great deal of shared knowledge and understanding –

they know one another, what they think and how they feel. In addition, such factors

as trusting and believing in one another, being open, honest and relaxed glue them

together. It was these relationship characteristics that seemed to help the

relationship succeed over time.

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Finally, in the interview both agreed the golfer-caddie relationship had changed over

the years, and that both technical and relational aspects are central to the success

and longevity of this type of relationship (IMG, interview dated on 10/06/14).

Collectively, these examples of successful partnerships underline the capacity of

caddies to help golfers raise their game and in doing so, they become an important

dimension to successful performance. Thus, the need to understand what makes the

golfer-caddie relationship successful is a priority for the development of golfers’

performance, for caddies who work – or aspire to work – in a high performance

environment, and the sport of golf more generally.

The media portrayal of the player-caddie relationship is certainly vibrant and at times

realistic, often dramatized and entertaining. However, are there any scientific insights

into this important and significant area of sport performance? There is one single

research study that has investigated the golfer-caddie relationship, paying particular

attention to the role of the caddie. Lavallee, Bruce, and Gorely (2004) interviewed

eight golfers and eight caddies at the Australasian Professional Golfers Association

Tour. A four-component model was developed that describes the roles of a caddie:

(a) technical (e.g. carrying the bag, providing information for the shot) and

psychological role (e.g. keeping and optimising the golfer’s mental state); (b)

supporting role as this concerns the golfer and his/her final decision (even if the

golfer does not take the caddie’s advice); (c) friendly role with a sense of being

familiar and close to one another; and; (d) helping the golfer focus on the present.

While this study attempted to encapsulate the roles of the caddie while touching on

the importance of the relationship, it does not explore in great detail its content and

quality as well as its potential impact on performance and other performance-related

outcomes. This current study aims to address the dearth of research, provide

scientific answers to important practical questions and pave the way for more

research in this important area of sport performance.

The 3+1Cs Relationship Model

Based on the key assumptions of Kelley and Thibaut’s (1978) interdependence

theory, Jowett and colleagues (e.g. Jowett & Meek, 2000; Jowett & Cockerill, 2003;

Jowett & Frost, 2007) developed a model to describe the content and quality of key

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relationships in sport, namely, the coach-athlete relationship. Accordingly, the coach-

athlete relationship is defined as a situation where coaches and athletes’ feelings of

closeness, thoughts of commitment, and behaviours of complementarity/co-

operation are interdependent, both mutually and causally (Jowett, 2007; see also

Jowett & Felton, 2012). Closeness refers to the emotion and affection between the

coach and their athletes and is manifested in their levels of trust, care, liking,

appreciation and respect. Commitment refers to the coach’s and the athlete’s desire

to stay in a familiar relationship over a period of time. Complementarity refers to the

co-operation between the coach and their athletes which is manifested in their levels

of responsiveness, friendliness, easiness, and openness as well as acceptance of

the distinct roles each takes within the relationship. Co-orientation provides another

descriptive factor of the relationship quality and reflects relationship members’

similarity and understanding.

The quality of the coach-athlete relationship as defined by the 3+1Cs (Closeness,

Commitment, Complementarity and Co-orientation) has been found to be associated

with athletes’ and coaches’ motivation (Adie & Jowett, 2010; Jowett, 2008), passion

for sport/coaching (Jowett et al., 2012; Lafraniere et al., 2008; Lafraniere et al.,

2011), performance (Jowett & Nezlek, 2012), interpersonal conflict (Jowett, 2009),

empathy (Jowett et al., 2012; Lorimer & Jowett, 2008), personality (Davis & Jowett,

2012), eating disorders (Shanmugam et al., 2013), physical self-concept (Jowett,

2008), team cohesion (Jowett & Chaundy, 2004), collective efficacy (Jowett et al.,

2012; Hampson & Jowett, 2014), and psychological well-being (Felton & Jowett,

2013). This concerted scientific inquiry has highlighted the central role of the coach-

athlete relationship for successful coaching and performance.

The 3+1Cs relationship model, as it is more commonly known, has also been applied

to diverse types of relationships in and outside of sport; including coach-coachee

relationships (Kanakoglou, 2010) in business settings, instructors-exercisers

relationships (Rowe & Jowett, 2013) in exercise and health settings, and teacher-

pupil relationships (Warburton & Jowett, ongoing) in education settings. Applying the

3+1 Cs model in golfer-caddie relationships will allow a systematic and organised

investigation into the content and quality of the golfer-caddie relationship as well as

its determinants and consequences.

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Method

Participants

A total of 12 participants took part in the study. Six professional/semi-professional

golfers and six caddies were interviewed. Golfers’ ages ranged from 19 to 47 years

old (M = 27.33, SD =10.67) while caddies’ ages ranged from 20 to 72 years old (M =

38.50, SD =19.87). There were two male golfers and four female golfers, and five

male caddies and one female caddie. The longest relationship that a golfer had with

their current/most recent caddie was seven years and the shortest was a one-off

relationship lasting a tournament. The longest relationship that a caddie had with the

current/most recent golfer was two years, and the shortest was two weeks. The

average length of the golfers playing competitive golf was 10.67 years (SD = 9.37),

and the average length of the caddies being a caddie was 7.61 years (SD = 13.50).

The highest competition that the golfers and caddies participated in was The Open

Championship. There were ten partnerships where both golfers and caddies

originated from the same country and two partnerships where members originated

from different countries. Only two partnerships were of the same gender (e.g. male-

male); the remaining twelve partnerships were of different gender (e.g. female-male).

From the golfers’ interviews, all of the golfers had an older caddie while from the

caddies’ interviews, three caddies had an older golfer and three caddies had a

younger golfer.

Procedure

Golf organisations were contacted, including the Professional Golfers Association

and The Caddie Association, to generate interest in the study and help recruit

participants. Participants who expressed an interest in the study were initially briefed,

highlighting the aims of the study and criteria for participation. It was explained to all

prospective participants that the aims of this study were to understand “the nature of

the golfer-caddie relationship and its potential impact on the golfer’s performance”.

The main criteria for participation were that the golfers had to have played golf at a

high level of performance and had had or currently have a caddie in their team. For

the caddies, they had to have worked or currently work for a golfer whose level of

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performance is of a high standard (professional/semi-professional). The interviews

were audio-taped with the permission of the participants. Participants were

reassured that the content of the interviews would be kept confidential and the

interview recordings would be used for the purpose of transcription; the information

supplied would not be attributed to them personally. All twelve participants were

interviewed separately in one-to-one interviews either by telephone or face-to-face.

All of the interviews were conducted in English. The duration of the interviews

ranged from twenty minutes to one hour for each participant. The tape-recorded

interviews were transcribed verbatim immediately following their completion. The

golfers and caddies who participated in the study were independent from one

another in that they did not have existing “working” relationships with each other. The

study obtained the approval of the Ethics Committee of the researchers’ university,

prior to data collection.

Instrument

An interview schedule was used as the basis for examining the content and functions

of the golfer-caddie relationship. The questions aimed to assess the quality of the

relationship (4Cs), important determinants (e.g. personality, communication,

empathy), and consequences (e.g. performance, confidence, motivation, wellbeing).

The aim of the interview schedule was to permit participants to reveal, as adequately

as possible, the complexity of the relationships they had experienced and the

performance-related aspects of those established relationships. During the interview,

participants had an opportunity to answer ten main questions (e.g. how would you

describe your relationship with your caddie? In what ways does this golfer-caddie

relationship contribute to your performance and success?). Probes and follow-up

questions were developed and used as appropriate and necessary. Their purpose

was to enable participants to express their views as completely and coherently as

possible and thus reveal an in-depth understanding of their subjective experiences.

An interview schedule for golfers and a corresponding interview schedule for caddies

were used and a copy of each can be found in Appendix A. At the end of the

interview, participants had the chance to elaborate or clarify anything they felt was

relevant.

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Data Analysis

Content analysis was conducted. According to Smith (2000), content analysis aims

to organise the obtained information in a coding system. Content analysis was used

to reduce a large body of qualitative information to a smaller and more manageable

form of representation through the use of codes or categories. The coding system

employed considered three elements: (a) coding unit defined, (b) categories of

classification, and (c) rules for applying the system. The coding unit reflected a

theme. A theme was subsequently defined as a single expressed idea (e.g. themes

of success, themes of pressure and distress). A theme was expressed in a phrase or

one or more sentences. The theme formed the coding unit when each theme was

identified and then classified. There were four main categories: Relationship,

Development, Relationship Quality, Relationship Maintenance, Relationship and

Performance-related aspects. The Relationship Development category dealt with

issues surrounding the manner in which the golfer and caddie started working

together (e.g. how/why did they get together). The Relationship Quality category

contained information about the content and substance of the partnership (e.g. what

are its main ingredients or relational properties). The Relationship Maintenance

category aimed to highlight issues pertaining to the ways the relationship was kept

up to date, in-check, healthy, harmonious and stable. The Relationship and

Performance-related aspects category included information that indicated how the

relationship was linked to performance, motivation, confidence and other such

aspects. As part of the content analysis, qualitative information was transformed into

quantitative information by recording category frequencies. Thus, the presence or

absence of specified information was recorded. The data were coded into the main

categories and subcategories by the principal investigator and co-investigator. Both

investigators were familiar with the coding system and its coding rules; they

discussed the coding decisions especially where there was disagreement. There

were no unresolved discrepancies demonstrating the objectivity of the system used

(see Smith, 2000).

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Results

The transcribed qualitative data was categorised into four main categories:

Relationship Development, Relationship Quality, Relationship Maintenance and

Relationship-Performance Link.

1. Relationship Development

From the golfers interviewed, the majority of them (67%; 4) felt that they had to

quickly develop and adapt to a new relationship within a couple of weeks from a

major sporting event. However, they all agreed that it would take different amounts of

time for different golfers to adapt to a new golfer-caddie relationship, learn each

other’s ways and adjust to them. While only one caddie had to strike a professional

partnership with his/her golfer straight away, the remaindering five (83%) caddies

had a little longer time (up to a week) to develop a relationship before a major

sporting event. Apart from one caddie, all others felt that a week is sufficient to get to

know the golfer, his/her idiosyncrasies, personality, likes, dislikes, preferences, and

start building a level of trust. Despite this rather brief encounter, all of the golfers and

caddies (100%) acknowledged that the best players tended to have longer term

relationships with their caddies. Most of the golfers (67%; 4) explained that longer

relationships reflected the development of strong relational ties and understanding

(e.g. thinking alike, being on the same wavelength, reading each other’s thoughts),

both of which are important on the golf course. For example a golfer said, “Last year

I took a caddie which is just local where I was playing…this is good from a technical

point of view because they know the course really well, but they don’t know me really

well. It is important to find a caddie that knows you and understands you….I prefer to

have someone familiar…..My regular caddie is a friend but also a good golfer, he

would give me some good technical advice and I trust him….I’d love to have a long

relationship with my caddie. It’s like a marriage, a happy marriage.” (G1) It was

argued by some of the participants (three golfers and two caddies) that successful

relationships stood the test of time either because of matching personalities (e.g.

“these players have found the right person”) or because “they have all the

ingredients necessary for a successful partnership, much like one finds in a happy

marriage”.

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It was agreed by the majority (83%; 5) that caddying experience can accelerate the

amount of time needed to develop a professional relationship that works. Maybe the

fact that over half of the caddies were former golfers themselves (thus they

recognised the demands, pressure points) may also contribute to the development of

an effective relationship even when time was not on their side. In addition, two of the

caddies of the golfers interviewed were family members. This familial tie helps to

quickly establish positive relationships. The other four golfers met their caddies

through friends.

2. Relationship Quality

All participants, apart from one, experienced a “very good” golfer-caddie relationship.

Only one golfer described the relationship with his/her caddie as “about average”.

There was a general sense of care and honesty. The relationship contained such

relational properties as closeness (i.e. trust, liking, appreciation and respect),

commitment (i.e. long-term orientation towards each other), complementarity (i.e.

responsiveness, friendliness, easiness, openness as well as acceptance of the

distinct roles each takes within the relationship), and co-orientation (i.e. similarity,

shared knowledge and understanding). For example, one of the caddies illustrated

how complementarity manifested itself on the golf course: “We are going out on the

golf course; we discuss what’s going on or is likely to happen. I know her golf game

and what’s best and sometimes I think I make better decisions….she sometimes

accepts that but other times doesn’t, but we never fall out. She doesn’t blame me,

because at the end of the day, it’s her decision.” (C5). Here is how another caddie

explained the level of closeness experienced: “We are friends, I like her – I don’t

work for people I don’t like. ...We trust each other, she knows I am reliable, and I

know she always tries her best, doesn’t always play well but at least she tries well.”

(C2). A golfer similarly said: “Yes, it has to be a dependable partnership. You need to

trust them to give you a correct number, because we don’t usually do it ourselves.

Essentially, we are trusting someone else to get the yardage correct… We are very

similar in many ways, from how we view the world to how we view a certain type of

shot…Our roles are set at the beginning; this would help to know whether they want

to work for you but also it would help ensure that we are clear who does what.” (G6).

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And another said: “You’ve got to be working well together. You are out here some

days for eight or nine hours, so it’s a long time especially if you don’t get on well with

each other…. you are out there on the golf course for five hours, you’ve got to have

the trust, to be able to understand, respect…The relationship is based on trust,

dependability, reliability…and accepting mistakes.” (G5). And another said: “It’s

important to have someone who is like-minded, and believing in you. My aspirations

are very high. I want to be an elite, international player. I am only at the beginning of

my success. Generally people who caddie for me want to be part of my success. If I

do well, they do well; if I don’t do well, they don’t do well. So I want to do well and

they want to do well.” (G1).

The golfer that described his relationship as average explained that there was lack of

commitment and a lacking sense of permanency. Moreover, this caddie with his/her

golfer was not characterised by co-orientation as they seemed to lack a common

goal (the caddie had higher performance goals than the golfer). Half of the golfers

(50%) interviewed thought that the most important ingredient in an ideal relationship

was mutual knowledge and understanding and half of the caddies (50%) thought that

trust was the most important ingredient in an ideal relationship.

All of the golfers (100%) thought that the golfer-caddie relationship can be compared

to friendship and family relations in that its members like to spend time together and

get along with one another, have similar interests and common goals. For example,

a golfer said: “He’s like a friend ” (G2) and “You have to be friends, if you don’t like

each other, you cannot work together…you need to like one another and be friendly

otherwise it would be too hard to tell [him/her] what you like and what you don’t

like…” (G4).

Some of caddies responded that they were genuinely good friends. For example, a

caddie stated: “…we have the same sense of humour. I went to her wedding and her

daughter’s christening, so we are good friends as well.” (C2). However, one caddie

viewed the partnership with his/her golfer as an employer-employee relationship.

One golfer pointed out that the golfer and the caddie should be “friends” only on the

golf course (i.e. relationship boundaries) and not off the course, while one other

thought it was a friendship off the golf course but a professional relationship on the

golf course.

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When participants were asked to rate their satisfaction with the relationship quality

using a rating scale from one (non-satisfactory) to four (moderately satisfactory) to

ten (extremely satisfactory), the average satisfaction level for all participants (100%)

was eight, ranging from six to ten.

3. Relationship Maintenance

Like all relationships people develop, the golfer-caddie relationship is not immune to

conflict (disagreements, misunderstandings, arguments). The majority of the golfers

(67%; 4) and caddies (67%; 4) explained that disagreements and arguments usually

revolved around golfing strategies (e.g. club selection and decisions for shots).

However, most of the golfers (83%; 5) and caddies (83%; 5) did not encounter

conflict frequently. One caddie explained that conflict or arguments are better dealt

with off the course as they can affect performance.

All of the golfers and caddies interviewed treated communication in the golfer-caddie

relationship as vital, not only for managing and dealing with potential conflict, but

also for strengthening relationship ties as well as the effectiveness and success of

the relationship. They talked with their caddies about everything, including golf and

non-golf related topics. Most of the golfers stressed the importance of non-golf

related topics, as this would take their mind off golf and between shots when on the

golf course. All the golfers had open and honest communication with their caddies,

and it was important for a caddie to be empathic and understanding of the golfers

they work with while being patient, tolerant, open and flexible. It was also important

for the golfer to know the caddie and to be appreciative of their point of view. For

example a golfer explained: “When you come off the course, sometimes you might

say I didn’t like what you did on this, I didn’t like what you said. It’s a constant

learning process. Again, that goes back to the communication, you’ve got to

communicate with each other. You try to make it better for the next time that you go

out….Communication is one of the biggest factors of a successful relationship.” (G5).

Correspondingly, the caddies thought that communication that was open and honest

and concerned both golf and non-golf matters helped develop better and more

functional working relationships. All of the caddies interviewed explained that they

had open and honest communication with their golfers. Communication helped the

caddies ensure that their relationship with their golfers remained. They highlighted

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that good communication skills, working hard and showing their commitment, their

desire to co-operate and respect as well as a communicated level of appreciation

from their golfers, enhanced the present and facilitated the future status of the

relationship.

4. Relationship - Performance Link

Most of the golfers (83%; 5) thought that the golfer-caddie relationship contributed to

their performance and success in that their caddie was central to energising,

motivating and supporting them. All six (100%) golfers highlighted that a caddie’s

role included keeping the player calm, relaxed, focused, happy and confident while

two golfers explained that caddies can help manage the player’s pressure and

another two felt that technical support was an important component of what caddies

can offer. However, one of them stressed the point that it is important that caddies

appreciate when it is the right time/place to offer their emotional, mental and/or

technical support. The relationship-performance link was most evident when four of

the golfers explained that employing a caddie became important to them when they

started setting higher performance goals and reaching professional status. For

example, a golfer said: “My goals these days are to become an international golfer.

You know for me, it’s not just me playing golf, I have a team around me, my team is

my coach, my caddie, my psychologist, my wife and family who support me. When I

started setting my goals higher it became apparent that I needed a caddie.” (G1).

Golfers explained that they sought out a caddie who can “take away the burdens and

by doing so, I can focus on shots” (two golfers), “keep me calm and happy” (two

golfers), and “echo their thoughts and feelings” (one golfer), as well as “get technical

support” (one golfer).

All six (100%) caddies thought it was important to energise, motivate and calm the

golfer, instil the golfer with confidence, comfort and encourage the golfer if/when

needed. The majority of the caddies described that poor attitude on the part of the

caddie (e.g. being negative, anger, argumentative) could lead to an apparent

deterioration of the golfer’s performance. A good, trusting, harmonious and stable

partnership was described as beneficial for golfers as it can fill them with confidence,

a sense of purpose, direction and determination, all of which are likely to enhance

the golfer’s performance. For example, a caddie stated: “If you’ve got a good

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relationship with the golfer, you’ve got the opportunity to learn. I am quite open to

learning new thing…. It’s got to be in a safe environment. Sometimes learning

involves trying different things, taking calculated risks, making decisions you never

made before.” One caddie took a different view when he/she responded that “it is

possible for the caddie to help the golfer make money even in the absence of a good

quality relationship.”

The relationship-performance link was most evident when all caddies (100%)

interviewed responded that all top level performance golfers require a caddie in their

team because caddies can provide practical assistance (e.g. carrying the bag and

giving yardage information), technical assistance (e.g. helping with decisions for

shots when needed by the golfer) and emotional and mental support. A caddie

stated: “When the golfer really wants to do well, win, that’s when the caddie can be a

real benefit, because that’s when the golfer becomes more stressed and have

pressure on….The relationship contributes 25%-30%. When the golfer is stressed,

the caddie is very important, that’s when they [caddies] earn their money” (1C). And

another caddie explained: “The relationship can contribute quite a lot to one’s

performance. If you are with the wrong person, it can destroy you. If you are with the

right person, it can make you better. The percentage can vary, every performance

day depends on how she feels.” (C5).

The majority of golfers and caddies (67%) felt that performance accomplishments

can promote the relational bonds between golfers and caddies – strengthen the

relationship and its longevity. Most of the caddies (67%; 4) and most of the golfers

(67%; 4) thought that the relationship could be different in higher levels of

competition (e.g. golfer-caddie relationships are generally better, caddies are more

professional and give golfers better technical support). For example a golfer said: “In

bigger events, a lot of those players have their long-term caddies; they’ve been

working with them for at least 6 months. Whereas here a lot of the girls have caddies

for a week or two weeks, so the relationship is much shorter. If you’ve been together

longer, you know each other better and may perform better as a result.” (G3).

Interestingly, two golfers clarified that golfer-caddie relationships are important

regardless of one’s level of competition/performance – especially if the goal is to

improve one’s game and do your best in events. Finally, two caddies stressed the

point that the role and significance of a caddie in a team is likely to depend on the

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golfer and thus striking a relationship based on mutual understanding – knowing,

understanding each other – can help develop a relationship that meets the needs

and expectations of golfers. Here is what a golfer said: “When people caddie for me,

they know that I like to make the decisions, so they don’t...kind of…once I decided

what I am going to do, they let me do it, and if it works, good, if it doesn’t work, then

it’s fine, it’s accepted, ‘cause in golf, nothing is perfect, some days are good, and

some days are bad. My caddies, they quickly understand. I am the boss and I make

the decisions.” (G1).

Discussion

The present study aimed to explore the views of golfers and caddies about the

content and functions of the golfer-caddie relationship. Interviews with twelve

participants (six golfers and six caddies) helped to shed light on what this type of

relationship is like (quality: 4Cs) as well as its potential determinants

(communication) and consequences (performance). The reports of participants in

this study highlighted that the relationship was viewed as a friendship, marital,

working and familial type of relationship. The relationship was underlined by such

relational properties as: (a) closeness including mutual trust, respect, appreciation,

interpersonal liking, emotional caring and support; (b) commitment including a desire

to maintain a strong bond or ties that is long-term; (c) complementarity including

good levels of co-operation, being responsive to each other’s efforts, comfortable in

each other’s presence as well as a sense of give and take through fulfilling each

other’s roles efficiently and effectively; and (d) co-orientation including mutual

knowledge and understanding, having common goals, pulling towards the same

direction, being supportive of each other’s views, having similar opinions and

generally viewing the world in a similar light. The 4Cs described the content and

quality of the golfer-caddie relationship. Collectively, these interpersonal constructs

indicated that the caddies and golfers had generally good quality relationships that

were mostly satisfying, fulfilling and purposeful. This finding is consistent with other

research findings (e.g., Jowett, Kanakoglou, & Passmore, 2012; Yang & Jowett,

2013; Jowett & Lafraniere, 2014) that have revealed the utility of these constructs in

accurately mapping the content and quality of two-person relationships in such

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diverse contexts as sport coaching (e.g. coach-athlete), executive/life coaching

(coach-coachee), family (e.g. parent-child) and romantic/marital (e.g. husband-wife)

relationships.

Communication was viewed by the participants as a means to keep the relationship

going, as a means to update the dyad’s common ground, as a means to develop

shared knowledge and understanding. Open channels of communication enabled

both members of the relationship to adjust their ways and make themselves more

easily understood. Communication allowed them to take the other person’s

perspective and start viewing the world in ways that perhaps it was not viewed

before. Communication provided them with a better understanding of expectations,

demands and opportunities. Communication is essentially a process that connects

two different people with different personalities, likes and dislikes, and preferences.

This is an important element to successful relationships and is consistent with

studies conducted within the context of sport (see Rhind & Jowett, 2011, 2012).

One issue that seems important to briefly discuss is the emphasis that was placed by

participants of this study on the longevity of the relationship. It would appear that

both caddies and golfers felt that the length of good quality relationships can aid their

purpose which is to enhance performance, help the performer reach their potential

and bring about performance success. What is paradoxical with this belief is that in

practical terms this was not occurring within the relationships of the participants

examined. Most of the participants (83%) interviewed had short-term relationships

despite the fact that all of the golfers and caddies (100%) interviewed operated at

higher levels of performance or competition. What is also paradoxical with this belief

is that most of the participants felt that communication was a vital factor in

developing mutual knowledge and understanding (co-orientation). Both elements

require time to develop in relationships. The participants of this study highlighted that

“getting to know one another”, “reading the other as an open book”, “viewing the

world in similar ways”, “understanding the same things”, and “being on the same

wavelength” are important aspects of their relationships. These aspects are also

central processes that help the maintenance of the relationships and ultimately their

success. All of these were discussed in the interviews but while extremely important

they would only have been experienced minimally due to the lack of permanency or

longevity of the majority of the relationships examined. This may need to be rectified

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if these participants are to enjoy the highest levels of performance accomplishments

within the sport of golf. It is not coincidental that the majority of successful golfers

also enjoyed strong ties with their caddies for long periods of time (i.e. Padraig

Harrington and his caddie of ten years, Ronan Flood, and Fred Couples and his

caddie of 20 years Joe LaCava). Relationship research in sport has shown that

developing strong relationship ties that last over time are associated with higher

levels of performance and success (Jowett, 2008, 2009; Jowett & Nezlek, 2011).

The link between the quality, success and performance of the golfer-caddie

relationship was evidenced across all the interviews conducted. Generally, all of the

participants agreed that at the highest level of performance/competition where the

pressure for success is potentially at its highest, the golfer-caddie relationship is

stronger, better, longer and more professional. Nonetheless, they also all agreed that

the relationship while stronger and better at the highest level of performance, it can

be central regardless of one’s level of performance. It was explained that the

relationship is critical for everyone who cares to raise their standard of play.

Caddies are thought instrumental in the services they offer; while a participant

stipulated that caddies can make a difference of up to 30% or more in one’s

performance game, all of the participants explained that caddie’s influence on

performance may vary depending on many parameters including, the situation (e.g.

type of competition, weather conditions) and the golfer (e.g. psychological, physical

state). This is a significant finding as it highlights that caddie’s contributions may be

central especially at certain times, for example, when the golfer feels less in control

or more vulnerable. It is these moments that caddies may need to be perceptive and

sensitive as they can make the most difference in a player’s game. This finding

echoes the experiences of Padraig Harrington who described what happened in The

Open Championship as: “He (Ronan) won me The Open in 2007 (Carnoustie). On

the Sunday I hit my tee shot in the water on 18 and was despondent, I then hit my

third shot into the water again and felt like I’d lost. I had to walk about 150 yards for

my next shot and Ronan was talking to me….In that moment of time I do believe

Ronan made the difference – with any other caddie I would have thought I had lost

The Open but my caddie believed in me.”

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Although, there is growing evidence of the significant role two-person relationships

play in sport (e.g. Jowett & Wylleman, 2006), research into the golfer-caddie

relationship is still extremely limited. This study aimed to uncover further knowledge

and understanding in an area that until recently was unexplored. The results of this

study help clarify and extend the complexity and challenges associated with the

golfer-caddie relationship, its quality and its functions. Further research is needed

and is currently on-going. The conclusions of this research should have a bearing on

golfer/caddie educational programmes and good practices by emphasising the way

in which the golfer-caddie relationship can be improved, enhanced and if needed,

repaired.

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

1. Raise the awareness of the power of the relationship to golfers and caddies to

enhance performance accomplishments

2. Educate golfers and caddies about the main ingredients of quality

relationships or relationships that are effective and successful

3. Highlight the importance of long term golfer-caddie relationships

4. Teach golfers and caddies ways to enhance the quality of their relationships

that last over time through good communication skills

References

References available by the principal investigator upon request.

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Appendix A

GOLFER: Interview Schedule (in bold main research questions)

1. Name2. Age_____________ Gender______________Nationality____________3. what is the highest level of competition you have achieved

_____________________4. How many years have you been playing competitive golf____________5. When was the last time that you worked with a caddie___________________6. What is the length of collaboration with your current or most recent caddie___7. What is your caddie’s approximate age_______, gender_________and

nationality________________

8. How did you get playing golf?

What do you enjoy the most from playing golf?

9. What is the role of the caddie in the world of golf?

How important is a caddie in a golfer’s team?

10.When did you start thinking of the possibility of adding a caddie to your team?

11.What were your own motivations and reasons for employing a caddie?

12.How did you meet your current or most recent caddie?

13.How would you describe your relationship with your caddie? (main characteristics/ingredients, good and bad?) (trusting, relying, accepting mistakes, work ethic, dependability, ability to understand, perspective taking)

a. Is the relationship characterised by mutual trust, respect, appreciation, and interpersonal liking? Can you give me some examples?

b. Is the relationship characterised by long-term orientation towards the golfer?

Does the caddie shows that he/she wishes the partnership to last over time through devoting time and energy, and sacrificing? Can you give me some examples?

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c. Is the relationship characterised by co-operation? For example, behaviours that display friendliness, responsiveness, easiness, a clear understanding of the roles, and expectations to make the relationship work? Can you give me some examples?

d. Is the relationship characterised by understanding and similarity?

Do you feel you have similar opinions with your caddie on how you view golf and the world?

14.How did your relationship with your caddie develop and evolve?

15.What are you looking for in a caddie? (e.g. personality, knowledge) And what is an ideal caddie?

16.What is an ideal (successful and effective) golfer-caddie relationship?

17. Can you rate your relationship with your caddie from not ideal at all 1 to very ideal 10?

18. In what ways does this golfer-caddie relationship contribute to your performance and success?

a. Putting success aside, what is the caddie’s role in energising, motivating and calming the golfer, instilling golfer with confidence, and comforting and encouraging golfer?

19.What aspects of the golfer-caddie relationship are likely to affect your performance (positive and negatively)?

a. How does your relationship with your caddie help you to be a better golfer?

b. How does your relationship with your caddie help your caddie to be a good and effective caddie?

20.Do you think the golfer-caddie relationship is likely to be different in different levels of competition or different types of tour?

21.How do you think caddies care for their golfer’s success and wellbeing?

22.How important is communication in the golfer-caddie relationship?

What topics are commonly discussed between you?

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a. Does your relationship with your caddie encourage open and honest communication?

b. How important for a caddie to be empathic and understanding and Why?

c. How important for a caddie to be patient, tolerant, open and flexible with the golfer and Why?

d. How important for your caddie to know you – in terms of golf and able to “read you as an open book” and Why?

e. How important for you to know your caddie and be able to understand your caddie’s point of view and Why?

23.What do you do to ensure that your relationship with your caddie is in check, strong, effective, and successful?

24.People compare the golfer-caddie relationship to friendship, what is your view?

25.How long does it take for a caddie/golfer to adapt properly to a new relationship and learn each other’s idiosyncrasies?

26.How do you deal with conflict, disagreements and arguments with your caddie?

What areas are you likely to disagree with your caddie?

a. How often do you have to deal with conflict?b. How does conflict may affect the relationship and performance,

motivation, confidence, etc?

27.The best players tend to have a longer relationship with their caddie. What are your thoughts on this and why?

28.What aspects are likely to influence the quality of the golfer-caddie relationship? (golfers/caddies personality, knowledge, communication, ability to relate)

29.Finally, would you like to add anything that we perhaps did not touch upon in the interview, and is there anything you’d like to elaborate more?

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CADDIE: Interview Schedule (in bold main research questions)

1. Name2. Age_____________ Gender______________Nationality____________3. what is the highest level of competition you caddied for_____________4. How many years have you been a caddie__________________5. When was the last time that you worked with a golfer___________________6. What is the length of collaboration with that golfer________________7. What is your golfer’s approximate Age_______ ,Gender_________ and

nationality_________

8. What is the role of the caddie in the world of golf?

How important is a caddie in a golfer’s team?

9. How did you start considering being a caddie?

10.What do you enjoy the most about being a caddie?

11.What were your own motivations and reasons for working as a caddie?

12.How did you meet your current or most recent golfer?

13.How would you describe your relationship with your golfer? (main characteristics/ingredients, good and bad?) (trusting, relying, accepting mistakes, work ethic, dependability, ability to understand, perspective taking)

a. Is the relationship characterised by mutual trust, respect, appreciation, interpersonal liking? Can you give me some examples?

b. Is the relationship characterised by long-term orientation towards the golfer

does the golfer show that he/she wishes the partnership to last over time? Can you give me some examples?

c. Is the relationship characterised by co-operation? For example, behaviours that display friendliness, responsiveness, easiness, a clear understanding of the roles and expectations to make the relaitonship work? Can you give me some examples?

d. Is the relationship characterised by understanding and similarity?

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Do you feel you have similar opinions with your golfer on how you view golf and the world?

14.How did your relationship with your golfer develop and evolve?

15.What do you think golfers look for in a caddie? (e.g. personality, knowledge) And What is an ideal caddie? What is an ideal golfer for a caddie?

16.What is an ideal (successful and effective) golfer-caddie relationship?

17.Can you rate your relationship with your golfer from not ideal at all 1 to very ideal 10?

18.How much does this golfer-caddie relationship contribute to your golfer’s performance and success?

a. Putting Success aside, what is the caddie’s role in energising, motivating and calming the golfer, instilling with confidence, and comforting and encouraging the golfer?

19.What aspects of the golfer-caddie relationship are likely to affect your golfer’s performance (positive and negatively)?

a. How does your relationship with your golfer help you to be a better caddie?

b. How does your relationship with your golfer help your golfer to be a successful golfer?

20.Do you think the golfer-caddie relationship is likely to be different in different levels of competition or different types of tour and in which way?

21.How do you think caddies care for their golfer’s success and wellbeing?

22.How important is communication in the golfer-caddie relationship? What topics are you likely to talk about frequently?

a. Does your relationship with your golfer encourage open and honest communication?

b. How important for a caddie to be empathic and understanding and Why?

c. How important for a caddie to be patient, tolerant, open and flexible with the golfer and Why?

d. How important for you to know your golfer – in terms of golf and able to “read the golfer as an open book” and Why?

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e. How important for your golfer to know you and be able to understand your point of view and Why?

23.What do you do to ensure that your relationship with your golfer is in check, strong, effective, and successful?

24.People compare the golfer-caddie relationship to a friendship, what is your view?

25.How long does it take for a caddie/golfer to adapt properly to a new relationship and learn each other’s idiosyncrasies?

26.How do you deal with conflict, disagreements and arguments with your golfer?

What areas are you likely to disagree with your golfers?

a. How often do you have to deal with conflict?

b. How does the conflict may affect the relationship and the performance, motivation, confidence, etc?

27.The best players tend to have a longer relationship with their caddie. What are your thoughts on this and why?

28.What aspects are likely to influence the quality of the golfer-caddie relationship? (golfers/caddies personality, knowledge, communication, ability to relate)

29.Would you like to add anything that we perhaps did not touch upon in the interview, and is there anything you’d like to elaborate more?

23