This 'Caddies Dashboard' story was written - 'From the Dashboard' of tour caddy Mark Huber! | ||
It was nice leaving the mountainous walk, high winds, heavy breathing, and the inhospitable PGA in Colorado. Major weeks are usually memorable, the PGA made this one forgettable especially for the caddies. Looking back the caddies were treated like fourth class citizens we were all looking forward to the Caddy Concierge Tent In Des Moines. We’re treated like kings in here and the Midwest hospitality is greatly appreciated. First there was a stop in Omaha, NE for our first Caddy-Am in quite awhile. A little girl, Denise Watson, was diagnosed with lymphoma at 11 months. Now at three years old she was in remission and her only wish was a drive to California in the yellow car so she could put her foot in the ocean. About twenty caddies played golf with the local club members, we had a great time raising about $8,000 for Denise and the area lymphoma chapter. My body wouldn’t allow a golf swing so I drove the cart for “Whiz”, lifelong caddy and tour comedian. I played the straight man prodding “Whiz” for stories and he had our group in stitches. In my 22 years I don’t believe I’ve seen four golfers have so much fun. Who needs a stuffy professional in the group? At the awards dinner that night “Whiz” performed a little stand-up routine along with “Dolph”, Stadler’s caddy. They spoofed a few players, imitated a few caddies, and told some irreverent stories you probably wouldn’t hear at a tour pro-am. It looks like this will be an annual event; all the members want us back next year. The event finished up around ten o’clock and I cruised into Des Moines after midnight. It was worth the overnight drive from Denver and long Monday. Seeing Denise’s smiling face before the caddy-am and hearing her father’s tearful, appreciative speech after dinner conjured a warm feeling for everyone. No tournament on the Champions Tour schedule treats caddies better than the Principals Charity Classic at Glen Oak CC. Ron Keener, the 2009 Champions Tour Volunteer of the Year, makes has created an atmosphere for us which equals the treatment the pros receive inside the clubhouse. We’re treated like kings. Breakfast and lunch are served every day catered by a long restaurant. When we register there is a nice gift package waiting for us and our clothes were dry cleaned free of charge. I don’t think any of my clothes have ever seen the inside of a dry cleaners and the caddies still didn’t see the inside of the clubhouse. Des Moines has always supported the Champions Tour. In 1999 the Senior U.S. Open at Des Moines CC was the highest attended Senior major. We actually had a large gallery following us Monday afternoon charting the course without our players. Since then the Des Moines stop has been one of the top stops on tour. The volunteers and fans make it special here. Everyone goes out of their way for us. Jim and I had a blast with our scorekeeper and standard bearer in Wednesday’s pro-am. Jim carried the board a few holes and after hearing Wednesday was Jim’s anniversary they had a card waiting for him when we finished. The special touch meant a lot to Jiim and is indicative of the treatment we all receive in Des Moines. The golf was so-so this week but the putts wouldn’t fall. We followed an opening round 73 with a 67 on Saturday and then another 73 Sunday. The swing was flawless but sometimes the game’s mental aspect left us. It’s amazing how well we could play this game if we didn’t have to do a lot of thinking. That four or five inches between the ears may be the toughest tap-in on the course, a few negative thoughts can destroy the best of rounds. We hung in there and finished in the middle of the pack. The Champions Tour is off the next two weeks so I’ll be working for Rachel Hetherington on the LPGA. It will be her first tournament In Springfield coming back from a skateboard injury this winter. I think Jim’s kids may work a few tournaments so my schedule is up in the air the next month or so. We’ll see what happens in Springfield, maybe I’ll finish the year working with Rachel. Mark
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