Golf
Michael Collins, ESPN Senior Writer 7y

Caddie Confidential: Tiger Woods lowering expectations?

Golf

Let's start the 2016-17 season off with a bang!

Tiger Woods did the "Hokey Pokey" with the Safeway Open. We know what effect it caused in the media, but what about the guys inside the ropes?

This week's caddie drops opinions on Tiger's withdrawal, the Safeway Open course and the fans.

Remember how this works: We get the truth and inside access, the caddies get anonymity. Enjoy!

Collins: How different is the vibe since Tiger isn't playing?
Caddie: "Well, they moved the tee box up on (the 10th hole) I had heard to alleviate some congestion from the fans. That's not going to be an issue anymore. I think amongst the players, I haven't heard a whole lot of chatter about him not being here. I think it's definitely made an impact with the fans and the people in the area. A lot of people I talked to were excited to see him play and don't get the opportunity to now.

"A couple [of] people were like, 'I don't even care if he showed up and didn't play well. I just wanted to see him play.' So it's interesting, the dynamic [and] the difference between what Tiger is thinking about relative to his game and what the fans want.

"Obviously everyone wants to see him play well. But I think the fans just wanted to see him play. That's been the biggest difference. The fans are disappointed he isn't here. For the players, it's business as usual."

Collins: What's your opinion on how Tiger withdrew?
Caddie: "It was very interesting that he used the word 'vulnerable' to describe his golf game. I've never heard a golfer use that language. It would be something that, maybe, a golfer would say to his wife if he was in a moment of despair. It's a very telling word that he used and he definitely did it on purpose. I mean, all his words are very calculated.

"So I don't know if he's kind of letting everybody know, 'Hey, I'm being truthful. This is where I'm at. Don't have too many expectations for me right now. I'm not ready yet.' I think it's tough for Tiger post-scandal. ... He sees all the eyeballs now. He used to have that tunnel vision. He used to own the entire golf course and everybody that he played with. He was the man.

"Without knowing him well and without trying to speak for him too much, he might [still] have some embarrassment from that. It's hard to play golf. You need to have an ego out on the PGA Tour. All of the players do. When that gets compromised, for whatever reason, then it becomes more difficult to perform at a high level.

"A major-winning player that I spoke with about it thought that Tiger might not be interested in playing golf on the PGA Tour if he knows that he can't compete at the highest level that he's used to. ... I still think he can win! I'm a little less confident that he can win a major now, but I still think he can win. ...

"If I had any advice for him, you'd look at some of these players in other sports that have made comebacks in their careers. I would say, 'Hey man. You're not going to be the same guy you used to be, but you can definitely reinvent yourself. You're still a champion. You might just have to figure out a different way to do it.'"

Collins: Is there anything the caddie can do to help his player when they have a case of the, I won't say the word, but it rhymes with "hips"?
Caddie: "[Big sigh.] That's an interesting thing. One of the things you're always trying to do is instill as much confidence as possible in your player. Another thing that you can do is take your player's mind off the 'task at hand,' so to speak. Be somewhat of a distraction.

"Those are two things some of the top caddies on tour do very well. And they don't always do both. You do one or the other. It depends on your player. An example of being a distraction would be, maybe if you're walking up to a shot that you know your player has been struggling with, that might be a time when you get in your player's ear and change the subject. You gotta know your player, obviously. ...

"I think the other [example] would be just to instill as much confidence as possible in practice situations and as the round is unfolding, too, because the player has to do a good job of almost tricking himself in those situations. As much as you [the caddie] can do that without him knowing you're doing it, [that] could be helpful."

Collins: How helpless of a feeling is it (caddie starts laughing before I even finish the question) when you know there is nothing you can say or do to prevent "disaster" for your player?
Caddie: "Yeah, that is a helpless feeling. Sometimes you get in situations as a caddie where you're off to the side of the green or off to the side of the shot, you've done everything you can do, and you know that your player is about to mess the shot up, because you've seen enough shots and you've seen your player enough out on the golf course that you know, 'oh no.'

"It happens a lot with short putts. Putting is one where you're not in there talking to your player as much. Like a lot of times on approach shots or drives, you can kind of get that last word in there. It's not really as easy to do when it comes to putting. ... Yeah, it is a helpless feeling because you want to help him out, but you know he's got to figure it out on his own.

"Sometimes when you jump in there and it still goes wrong, it's worse than sitting off to the side and having it go wrong! Versus, you sit off to the side and it goes right. It's kind of a catch-22 there. It is the most helpless feeling when you know your player just doesn't have it in that particular moment."

Collins: Let's talk about the golf course. There's weather, of course, in the forecast. Will that make this particular course easier or harder?
Caddie: "My first instinct is that it's going to get harder. The [golf] ball doesn't go as far up here in this cool air. The rough is just long enough where you can get a club on [the ball], but you can't quite control it. The greens were firm, so they'll get a little bit softer but -- if it's going to be gray, windy, rainy and overcast, I just don't think that can be easier in any circumstance."

^ Back to Top ^