(Editor's Note: Russ Holden is a PGA Professional and the caddie for World Golf Hall of Fame member and 2004 European Ryder Cup captain Bernhard Langer. He also is CEO of the charitable organization, Caddy For a Cure. Holden's tour diary appears regularly on About.com Golf.)
(This diary entry was filed following completion of the 2005 PGA Championship.)
The PGA is over and Phil won his second major.
Boy was it hot there! The heat index of 112 degrees just wore us out. It was especially hard on the fans, we were wondering how they did it.
We keep our energy up during a round by drinking Amino Vital regularly, as well as Back Nine Lytes. Both really help and both are really great.
Here's a question I get asked all the time: how does someone become a PGA Tour caddie? There is really not a surefire method to breaking into the caddying profession. I think if you queried 100 caddies you would get 100 different answers as to how they got into the business.
I started caddying on Tour purely through friendship. I was the golf professional at Bernhard's club in Florida for almost nine years; then we were involved in a golf course acquisition for a few more years, and we've been friends for nearly 20 years.
If I was new in the business and trying to get onto the PGA Tour, I would probably first try the Nationwide Tour the European Tour.
The Nationwide would give you a much better chance of getting someone who may not be so fixed on one caddie. Not to mention the possibility of hooking up with with tomorrow's superstar. In Europe, you would at least get to see a lot of the world. And things over there are just easier for caddies in many regards, as they get treated well in some areas like access.
The PGA Tour is a very difficult arena to break into without some sort of "in," especially with the high number of "friendship" agreements on Tour right now. Many players have friends on their bags and some even use relatives. The Hooters Tour would also be a good place to get your feet wet.
We just missed the NEC and our next week out is next week at the BMW in Germany. I love the course and the people who run it are fantastic. Bernhard's family will be there and we always have a super time.
