Mark’s Kaddy Korner

Dec. 22, 2009

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Frank Williams, the caddie for British Open champion Stewart Cink, went from celebrating a major victory to stewing about it — at least until he realized he was the victim of a prank within the caddie ranks.

For whatever reason, Williams has never liked going to the British Open, and he was going to try to sit this one out. Before getting Cink’s permission, he checked on the availability of longtime looper Dave Musgrove, who told Williams he didn’t have work for the week but would be at Turnberry to watch and could fill in if necessary.

The long drive from Wisconsin was a bit heated; my A/C wasn’t conditioning my air. Luckily it wasn’t the usual hot and humid August. I’d driven through Springfield, MO many times over the years but never spent more than a night so I didn’t really know what to expect.

I’m not sure about anyone else but I sure got tired of all the mock NFL drafts last week. It’s a phenomenon I don’t understand and I wish someone could explain it to me. What’s all the excitement about college kids who haven’t proven a damn thing? They haven’t earned their helmet stickers yet and an entourage of cameras follows them dawn to dusk reporting every move. Guaranteed contracts, they have been the slow death of team sports.

The night life always took its toll on a few caddies. Next to Las Vegas there were more whiffed tee times at Lakewood CC, English Turn, and now the TPC of Louisiana than any other tour stop. Luckily I had friends to stay with so I didn’t get mixed up in the debauchery, well maybe a little. It was one of the few stops guys wanted to miss the cut, the Flor-A-Bama was a couple hours away, it was always calling a wayward caddy. The little bar on the Florida-Alabama border below Pensacola has trapped many a caddy during their I-10 (caddy highway) travels.