Desperately seeking caddies: big Wellington golf tournament is on the hunt
If you’re 14 or over, know your golf and fancy a pleasant stroll with a potential PGA Tour star in Wellington in October, then read on.
There’s no catch. Organisers of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, to be hosted by Royal Wellington from October 26-29, need up to 40 more volunteer caddies to fill their roster for the 120-strong field under 41 different flags.
New Zealand PGA board member Andrew Whiley – a proud Wellingtonian and caddie master for the country’s three big tournaments this year – said the only requirement was a knowledge of the game and a couple of years playing experience.
“What we really look at is people who are really going to love being part of a world class event. A lot of people don’t realise how big this is in the world of golf,” he said.
With the powerhouse backing of the Masters Tournament who pour in several million dollars, this is big. It’s run like a major, with live TV coverage beaming around the world, and this is New Zealand’s first time as host.
Top amateurs from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and China vie for the golden ticket to the winner: direct entry to both The Masters at Augusta National and The Open at Carnoustie next year.
Being an amateur tournament there’s no payment for caddies, but then again trundlers are permitted so there’s no lugging a heavy bag around 72 holes for four days. Only 10-15 of the top players are expected to bring their own caddies, and the rest get allocated one of Whiley’s recruits.
Already more than 70 prospective caddies had registered interest; a range of ages and experience from around the country. Whiley hoped more women would get involved, too.
“It’s not a case of having to worry about doing yardages and telling them what club to select. It’s the old caddie mantra: keep up and keep quiet. Just be there and enjoy it, and when the player talks to you, you talk back.
Preference would be given to caddies who were available for all six days, including two practice rounds, Whiley said, as would those who could speak a second language and potentially be allocated players from Japan, China or Korea.
There’s a halfway cut so a caddie’s work may be over by Friday night, but there could be a chance to spot a budding star, too. “It could be a lifelong memory because some of those talented players we’re going to be watching on the PGA Tour, if not next year, then in a few years time,” Whiley said.
