The Carnoustie Caddie

The Carnoustie Caddie On the bag at Carnoustie since '98. My book hit #6 on Amazon Golf. Read the course the way I see it ↓

One thing that was a thrill for me was hearing the pros talk about Carnoustie.They talked about how good the greens were...
03/10/2026

One thing that was a thrill for me was hearing the pros talk about Carnoustie.

They talked about how good the greens were and the condition. If I got £1 for every time I heard the word pure I could retire.

It's amazing to hear that it's not just my local pride.

I have heard it so many times. Two courses in the world are always in such good condition they could hold a major without notice. Oakmont and Carnoustie.

Pride doesn't cover it. I'll talk about it until the day I die.

Carnoustie is the best course in the world.

I know lots of the greenkeepers. A number of them are also caddies.

Boys, you're the best in the world. I hear it every single day.

The standards were set high and you meet them every day. I'm in awe.

So today was a disappointing day. A poor run of holes early and we couldn't recover. We struggled a bit with the long ir...
03/10/2026

So today was a disappointing day. A poor run of holes early and we couldn't recover. We struggled a bit with the long irons and ultimately it cost us dearly.

I have to tip my hat to full time tour caddies. Those guys do a hell of a job.

Tour bags are heavy. Not a complaint, just an observation. My back hurts more than a normal week. But that's the job I signed up for.

It was a great experience and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks to you all.

A special mention to . He was on the other pro's bag today. Both him and his player had a blinder of a round. -6 for the round and the reads were on point.

Good luck tomorrow mate, I'll be keeping a close eye out for you both.

Some great golf on display today.

Popped into Topping & Company in St Andrews and found my book on their shelves.I can't lie, it's a strange feeling for m...
03/10/2026

Popped into Topping & Company in St Andrews and found my book on their shelves.

I can't lie, it's a strange feeling for me. Not something I ever even considered a possibility in my life.

So if you're in town for the Dunhill you can pick up a copy. Help out a local business and this caddie.

I'm out on the course at Kingsbarns today, so I scheduled this one.

If you're not here, you can get a signed copy direct from me, or buy it on Amazon.

Signed copies: https://carnoustiecaddie.com/product/carnoustie-caddie-signed/

Amazon: https://mybook.to/CarnoustieCaddie

-2 today around Carnoustie.The weather was a bit schizophrenic. Wind, rain, beautiful sunshine. Sometimes all three with...
02/10/2026

-2 today around Carnoustie.

The weather was a bit schizophrenic. Wind, rain, beautiful sunshine. Sometimes all three within about 10 minutes.

We struggled a bit on the front 9. The first 4 holes we had chances, but the ball just wouldn't fall. Everything was around the hole. We've all had days on the greens like that.

The Carnoustie bunkers were doing what the Carnoustie bunkers do. Leaked the drive right on 6 and it found the right fairway bunker. As Colin Montgomerie says, the 6th at Carnoustie is the hardest hole on the Open rota.

Bogey 6 and 7.

Then he went on a run. 11 to 14. Four holes. Four birdies.

And on 15 we were an inch short of making it five in a row.

Four birdies and five pars on the back 9 at Carnoustie. That's top quality golf.

We're still well in the mix to make the cut. Another under par round tomorrow and I think we'll make it.

01/10/2026

The intensity of caddying for a pro in a tour event is crazy.

I've experienced it before in the Senior Opens. When you come off, your brain is fried. Pure focus for over 5 hours.

Mistakes are costly, so everything is more deliberate.

Even with experience, you find yourself being extra careful.

Where you stand on the green. Where your shadow is. Where everyone else's ball is. Things that are usually second nature.

There's a lot more people in the group as well. Scorers, marshals, the DP Tour guy. And at St Andrews, lots of double greens with other groups around you.

If you don't have your wits about you, you can get in the way.

The last thing any caddie wants is to be getting called out by a pro for being in the way.

Thankfully it's never happened to me. But I've seen caddies get ripped a new one for being in the line of sight, or walking and moving while a pro is putting.

Some might think that's harsh. But a single putt can be the difference between keeping their tour card, making a cut, or winning a tournament.

Caddying 101.

Don't be someone the player has to worry about.

It's taken a good couple of hours for that brain-fried feeling to subside.

I loved every second of it.

01/10/2026

Day 1 of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship was a good day for us. -3 on the Old Course.

One of the highlights was the birdie on the 15th. It was outrageous.

He piped his drive down the left side of the fairway and it ran through into the rough.

Then he got screwed on the lie. Side hill, ball a good bit below his feet, sitting in a huge divot with a tuft of grass behind it.

151 to the pin. 9 iron.

Unbelievable shot to make the green. The wind, a terrible lie, side hill.

Then he drained a 40 footer for the birdie.

For me that's the difference. Ams get upset by the bad break. He turned it into a birdie.

He had another one on the 5th. 40 feet plus again, for birdie. Lots of break, uphill, downhill, uphill, 5ft of break. Middle of the hole.

That's the sort of putt where if you miss it low it's just going to run forever.

So the Dunhill gets started for real tomorrow.We're off at St Andrews, 09:22 off the 10th. I have to leave the house ver...
30/09/2026

So the Dunhill gets started for real tomorrow.

We're off at St Andrews, 09:22 off the 10th. I have to leave the house very early, so even earlier to bed tonight.

Good luck to all the other Carnoustie caddies on bags this week. It's always good to see them out there.

We had a practice round at the Old Course today.

Such a privilege to watch this level of golf close up. The pros really do play a different game to us mortals.

This week I'm caddying at the Alfred Dunhill Links.Thursday we're on the Old Course. Friday we're at Carnoustie. Saturda...
30/09/2026

This week I'm caddying at the Alfred Dunhill Links.

Thursday we're on the Old Course. Friday we're at Carnoustie. Saturday it's Kingsbarns.

The Friday is the one I'm looking forward to. My own course, a tour pro's bag on my shoulder, and the same reads I've been giving people out there for years.

That's what's in the book.

The Carnoustie Caddie: How the Course Really Plays goes hole by hole. Where to miss. Where you're dead. What the wind does to a number. What the caddie is actually looking at when he's standing behind you saying nothing.

Written by a man who works there.

If you're coming to Carnoustie, read it before you get here. It'll save you shots, and it'll save you the look on your caddie's face.

Signed copies at carnoustiecaddie.com. I post worldwide, and I'll sign it to whoever you want.

📸 Ralph’s Golf Drone Pictures

The draw is out.Thursday we're on the Old Course. 09:22 off the 10th.Friday we're at Carnoustie. 11:01 off the 1st.Satur...
29/09/2026

The draw is out.

Thursday we're on the Old Course. 09:22 off the 10th.

Friday we're at Carnoustie. 11:01 off the 1st.

Saturday is Kingsbarns. 10:06 off the 10th.

And if we're still there on Sunday it's the Old Course, same as everybody else.

So I get my home course on the Friday, which is the day the weather looks worst. I'll take that all day long.

Our amateur for the week is Nick Acquavella. He's from Acquavella Galleries in New York. His grandfather started it in 1921 after coming over from Naples, and the family have been dealing Picasso, Matisse and Monet ever since.

His brother Alex is in the field as well, playing with Callum Shinkwin. Those two have already won the Team Championship here.

So there's a bit of family pride on the line before we've hit a ball.

Another plus is the Saturday at Kingsbarns. I'll be out with my good friend , who's caddying for Pavit Tangkamolprasert.

Richard Bland and Nick Acquavella. Let's go.

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