The role of the caddie is often underestimated in professional golf.
Fans of the sport are very familiar with the players, but it's the men and women on the bag that often play a decisive role in the big moments. At a time when a golfer may not be thinking rationally as the pressure comes on, they are the ones that often interject to find the best approach to a given shot.
We saw a prime example on the PGA Tour last night, although on this occasion the player opted not to heed the advice given to him.
Jordan Spieth ignores caddie advice to disastrous results
In the third round of the BMW Championship, Jordan Spieth was faced with a difficult bunker shot on the fifth hole.
The player felt that the best move was to attack the pin, although his caddie Michael Greller favoured a more cautious approach. The two men discussed the situation, but despite the protests of his partner, Spieth opted to take on the more difficult shot. The results were disastrous.
“It’s a cool Tuesday or Wednesday shot” is Caddiese for “don’t you dare even think about trying this.”
Greller did all he could. But a golfer with his mind made up on a hero shot will not listen to such boring topics as logic and reason.
pic.twitter.com/TOvahqYH3Z— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) August 21, 2022
Greller: I just feel like it's a cool Tuesday, Wendesday shot.
Spieth: I actually feel like it could do it. I think that the downside is almost the same. This one is on me.
Greller: Okay, I trust you.
Greller suggested it was the type of shot you would try in a practice round, not on the weekend of a big tournament.
Spieth would find the water on this occasion, going on to card a double bogey on the hole. He sat on -4 at the end of the round, eight shots behind the leader Patrick Cantlay.
This a perfect example of the role a caddie plays that often goes unnoticed, although they were overruled during this incident. A player can often overestimate their ability to pull off a difficult shot, something that came back to bite Jordan Spieth on this occasion.
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