It wasn’t way back that individuals thought golfers weren’t athletes. Ditto the outdated notion that every one caddies are slackers, people who smoke and scofflaws. Get actual. The women and men in smocks immediately are extra important to the professional sport than ever. Half stats nerd, half guru, half pack mule and therapist, a typical looper is each on the heart of the motion and a facet participant. What follows this week (and within the Jan./Feb. pages of GOLF Journal) is a snapshot of the life — and a great deal of intel on your sport.

ICYMI: 9 important classes each caddie learns, in accordance to a professional caddie
ICYMI: 10 issues a professional caddie would inform you about YOUR sport
ICYMI: Joe LaCava opens up on what it takes to hold the bag for the sport’s greats
ICYMI: 3 drills to enhance your sport, in response to professional caddies

3 important journey suggestions

Whoever coined the saying “It’s the going, not the getting there, that’s good” undoubtedly wasn’t a caddie. If you spend as a lot time crisscrossing the globe as these guys do, you’ll unquestionably have developed stratagems and unusual strategies for getting round.

1. Benefit from your aerobes

Out right here on tour, it’s commonplace for a caddie to sleep on an air mattress, however you’ve obtained to know the right way to make them comfy. All the time be sure that they’re inflated to the max. There’s a great probability it’ll be deflated by the point you get up, however you’ve obtained to maintain it inflated so long as you possibly can. Oh, and bringing a pillow you want is one other good guess. —Nate Blasko, Hannah Inexperienced’s caddie

2. Eager for legroom? Go Southwest

I fly Southwest quite a bit. I do know some folks won’t like that. However I’m fairly tall — six-five — so if I’m not flying top notch it’s Southwest, , as a result of all their seats are the identical. You don’t want an improve to get three extra inches. —Wealthy Mayo, Ernie Els’ caddie

3. Don’t verify a bag!

As a touring caddie, I haven’t checked a bag in 23 years. I obtained this duffel from L.L. Bean that’s every thing — a mushy shell with out wheels, so it suits in each single aircraft American Airways has. I can pack two weeks of shorts and golf shirts, a pair pairs of denims and that’s all I want. After two weeks on the highway, I’ll discover a place to do laundry. However largely, I’m by no means underneath the management of the airways. I’m off that aircraft and outta there. I determine over the course of 23 years I’ve saved about two years of time not ready in baggage declare. Saving time — that’s all I care about. —Jeff Willett, Kevin Kisner’s caddie