The first round of the Hanwha Classic at Jade Palace Golf Course in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, in August. Lee Ye-won (KB Financial Group), the favorite, received two strokes for his caddie. The caddie put an umbrella over his head when he made a putt. Lee finished three strokes behind winner Kim Soo-ji (Dongbu E&C) and tied for runner-up with Ataya Thittikun (Thailand).
As it turned out, Lee could have won the title without the penalty. A more sensitive player would have fired his caddie. However, Lee is still with the caddie today, and he handled the situation with aplomb, emerging victorious at the Hite Jinro Championship last week for his third win of the season.
A professional caddie is not just a porter who carries golf bags. They are the only person in the ropes who can help the player with club selection, course strategy, and psychological support. They are partners who share the highs and lows and strive for better results.
There are now more than 80 professional caddies on the KLPGA Tour. As the tour’s prize money has grown and the number of tournaments has increased, professional caddies have taken on the role of golf daddies and house caddies (golf course caddies) in the past. One of the most talked about topics in caddies’ chat rooms this year was Ye Won Lee’s penalty.
So who are the most popular players in the caddie world? Bang Shin-sil (KB Financial Group). He has a good long and short game, so if he is chosen as a caddie, he can make a lot of money and have an exciting time. Right now, my dad is wearing Bang’s bag, and many caddies are watching closely to see if he will be in the caddie market one day. Hwang Yoo-min (Lotte), who took the lead in the second round of the Dongbu E&C Korea Land Trust Championship, is also popular. She has a good personality and hits the ball well.
As you can see from the examples of Bang Shin-sil and Hwang Yoo-min, professional caddies choose players based on their potential for growth. The next is compensation, and the last is the character of the player and his parents. About 80% of caddies change jobs at the end of the season. About half the players are good and half are not.
Caddie Seo Jung-woo, who we met at Iksan Country Club in Iksan, Jeollabuk-do, where the Dongbu E&C Korea Land Trust Championship is being held on the 13th, is a first-generation professional caddie. A former weightlifter, Seo has been caddying on the KLPGA Tour for 21 years now. “I’m very satisfied with my job, but my biggest regret is that I don’t have time to play with my kids during the season due to my busy schedule,” said Seo, who caddies for rookie Kim Min-byul.
The 30 talented professional caddies earn a fixed salary with performance-based incentives. On average, they earn 5 percent of the prize money for making the cut, 5-7 percent of the prize money for finishing 20-30th, and 7-10 percent of the prize money for finishing in the top 10, including winning. He has to spend 400,000 to 500,000 won per tournament, so he spends an average of 15 million won per season, and to save money, he and his caddies share accommodation.
Nowadays, the KLPGA Tour is very popular and all matches are broadcast live, so promotional marketing using caddies is also active. Companies such as KB Financial Group, Boys Caddy, and Outback Steakhouse pay caddies around 6 to 10 million won a year in exchange for wearing hats with their logos. These near-bonus incomes are available to caddies of top-ranked golfers, so they have to do a good job of assisting the players and performing well.토토사이트
Professional caddies also have to work hard on their physical fitness in the off-season. They train with weights and swim to improve their fitness. With more than 30 tournaments a year, many of them in mountainous terrain, and four-day events, you need to have the stamina to handle it. Most of the caddies play golf, and many of them go on golf tours abroad during the off-season. Caddies must also play golf to be able to advise the players with confidence. Most caddies also believe that they need to play golf to empathize with the players.
One of the most frustrating things for caddies is video galleries. The “tinkling” sound of a cell phone just before the swing breaks the flow. With so many galleries videotaping, most caddies advise their players to “go for it” beforehand.
The hardest part is when you don’t score. Especially when it comes to wedges and bogeys, the players’ frustration levels are high, and it’s even harder because only a caddie can create a turning point. Caddies are paid to do this, and they are the only ones who can legally help a player inside the ropes.