Your man on the bag in the Trilby Tour - choose him wisely..

In it for the money or the long-term? What your choice of caddy says about you

By Nicholas Gamble

The caddy as an extension of you
Golf for the most part is a solitary game. The closest thing a golfer has to a team mate is usually their caddy. It's a complex relationship – with some players changing caddies throughout their careers, in a quest to keep it 'fresh,' looking for that extra something that can enhance their method of playing.

Others stay with the same caddy their whole professional lives – both approaches reap benefits and usually reflect the mindset and personality of the golf pro.

But when the stakes are high with big prize-money to be had, golfers and caddies alike can be ruthless in their struggle to reach the top.

Big money relationships
At the top of the game business is so crucial, sometimes even being family doesn't mean it will last. Current world number one Luke Donald (35) fired his brother from the bag in 2010, saying the four words a caddy dreads most – it was 'time for a change.'

Left - Luke and Christian Donald; Friends, brothers and business partners before they split in 2010

Because it's about winning first and foremost, caddies rarely tend to last when the relationship dies out.

Witness the turbulent relationship between Ernie Els, and long term caddy Ricci Roberts.

The South African star found most of his success with Roberts, but after 12 years together, they parted company. Despite Els saying 'we're life-long friends' he went on to say that 'something doesn't fit anymore' and 'it's all about results.'

Els then went on to briefly trial two more caddies testing out pro hockey player Dan Quinn and Zimbabwean Mike Kerr.

But it's not just golf pros that are quick to chop and change and leave for where the money is.

Ambitious caddies are as much guilty of this in their search for a dream partnership that guarantees results, winning and prize money.

Veteran caddy Joe Lacava shows a marked trail of following where the money is – caddying for Fred Couples, then Dustin Johnson before leaving the promising big-hitter Dustin Johnson for Tiger Woods. He declared the decision was a 'no-brainer.'

Caddy and Player - It's a complex marriage
Relationships between a caddy and player can be complex and fluid but a good long term partnership can help create stability for a player and his game.

The most famous case of a long term relationship is that between PGA star Phil Mickelson, 42, and his caddy of 18 plus years, Floridian, Jim 'Bones' MacKay.

Phil Mickelson and Jim 'Bones' Mackay – A long-term friendship and working partnership

When asked about the staying power of their relationship in the past, the reason cited has been their close relationship when Phil and his wife Amy introduced 'Bones' to the woman who later became his wife.

It's an example of a partnership that goes beyond just business. Likewise look at the pairing of 24 year old rising star Rickie Fowler and Joe Skovron.

Joe had known Rickie since he was a child, and Rickie's recent win in a three way playoff at the Wells Fargo Championship and his Ryder Cup heroics demonstrates that being friends helps under pressure.

Whatever the approach, choosing your caddy wisely can reap a wealth of benefits.

Improving the relationship between the two of you can only mean a stronger partnership and support system on the course.

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Recommended reading: Hear about it from the Caddy's perspective - Neil Smyth talks about the trials and tribulations he went through whilst caddying in the Trilby Tour 2012 -  A Caddy's Tale II

Plus: Don't forget to enter your Caddy in our Caddy of the Year competition and win £250 to spend at William Hunt Savile Row!