AUGUSTA, Ga. -- While I know the Player Confidential was fun Friday, it's not what this space is for. So we're getting back to normal. After brutal conditions Thursday and Friday, the conditions on "moving day" were perfect. That's good and bad, because when it's perfect conditions, guys expect they should be able to go low. That's what can make caddying around here a proposition that's not fun. Don't believe me? Then you're going to love this Caddie Confidential!
Collins: How different was the course Saturday compared to Thursday and Friday?
Caddie: Conditions wise, just because of the lack of wind, it played easier. But it definitely is firming up and getting a little faster on the greens. The pins today were all on high spots, and that's what makes this place tough. So when you miss a shot and the pin's on a high spot, [the ball] moves away. Tomorrow, all the pins will be in low spots. You miss it a little, [the ball] will go towards [the hole]. Today, it was the [hole] locations that made it very difficult.
Collins: Do you think Augusta National is doing that on purpose? Saving the low-spot pins for Sunday to bring the roars back?
Caddie: I think they know exactly what they want out of this tournament, and they've done a great job over the last few years. They don't go out of their way to keep scores under control here, but the wind did that naturally the first two days. Difficult pins today. Then tomorrow, guys who are in the hunt know that even par isn't gonna get it done. There's gonna be some birdies and some eagles, it's a fun back-nine knowing that you kinda have to attack. It's a fun major to play in that sense.
Collins: What was the hardest hole to caddie on Saturday?
Caddie: (Thinking.) Pause. (Laughs.) I think 4. The par 3. Where the pin was on [the 4th hole], there really was only one good miss, and that's short. It's kinda tough to talk your man into a club that's not even gonna get to the green! Even though, honestly, if you're gonna play that hole for a [par], I think you'd make more 3s leaving it short of that green where the pin was today.
Collins: Really?
Caddie: You get it left bunker or right bunker, you cannot get the ball within 10 feet of the hole. You just can't do it. Coming up with a game plan for me at that pin on 4 today was the toughest.
Collins: In a normal tournament, what would a player say if you told him, "We were going to lay up on a par 3"?
Caddie: (Smiling.) Yeah, um. It would make no sense at all. But you wouldn't phrase it like that. You kinda say, "I like this one. If you rip it, it's enough. And if not, we know we can get up and down for sure." So, you're kinda lying to them a little bit, but that's OK! Because when they see where it's missed, they're not going to be upset.
Collins: Was there anything about today's weather conditions that made caddying hard?
Caddie: You know, it's funny, as hard as [the wind] blew Thursday and Friday, it never changed. You knew what direction it was coming from every second. Even though it blew 5 to 7 mph today, it switched a lot. A lot of times, you weren't 100 percent sure what it was doing, and you had to wait until you were sure to let your player commit to the shot. If you think it's one way and you're wrong, that's 10 mph that you're off. You think it's down and it's in? You're gonna be way off. Even though 5 mph is not that much, if you've got the wind wrong ... and today it was jumping around.
Collins: What hole did you club your player and were the most nervous when he hit the shot with your club?
Caddie: Fifteen. As we walked off the tee, the wind was into us pretty good, and when we got to the ball there was nothing at all. No wind whatsoever. If you look at sheer numbers, the [smaller club] was perfect but he's got it in his head that [the wind] is into him so he wants to hit a cut [with a bigger club]. So we go over all the numbers again and he's got [the bigger club] out. I'm giving him the number to the back edge of the green saying, "You know it's this [number], you really gotta cut this thing." And then just as he got into [his pre-shot routine] I felt just a whisper going down, so I just went in and I said, "It's down right now. I know it's not much but it's down and a good [smaller club] carries past the hole." So he went to that; it was the right club. But yeah, that one, if you talk your guy into that club and he hits a good one and it goes in the water, you wanna just hang yourself. (We both laugh) Because you've talked him into that. But sometimes you gotta stand up and say, "This is right and I'll take the heat if I'm wrong but I'm gonna go out and step on a limb." Sometimes you gotta do that.
Collins: The most panicked I have ever felt on the golf course was the first time I pulled a player off a club!
Caddie: Oh yeah! "Please be right, please be right, please be right!" I'll tell you the other thing about 15 that's scary ... there are literally times on 15, when you're going for it in two and the ball is in the air and you honestly don't know if the ball is going to be on the green, in the water short or in the water long on 16! Which is a 40-yard difference!
Collins: So much for talking to the ball!
Caddie: I don't talk to it on that hole 'cause (shrugs shoulders), I don't know! When it's in the air (shrugs shoulders), I don't even look at it! I pretend it's not even there!
Collins: What's the best thing and the worst thing about caddying the weekend at the Masters?
Caddie: The worst thing is knowing you only get 18 more holes, and for the next 365 days (looks off in the distance) ... Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday take forever and once the tournament starts (snaps fingers), it's like it's over. Right now, if you think about it, we have about 3 hours and 45 minutes on the golf course tomorrow. And when you finish, it's sad because this is such a special place. You only get to get here once a year, if you're lucky. That's the worst thing, knowing you only get 18 holes tomorrow and then you're done. The best thing? We actually talked about it today -- [it's] walking off the 10th tee. Because you're walking off the tee after you've played the front nine -- hopefully you've played well, but even if you haven't. Walking off 10 knowing the next two hours, what's about to happen (trails off). Like it or not, you're thinking about all the history! You're thinking about Jack's shot on 16. You're thinking about Phil birdieing 12. You're thinking about Phil's shot off the pine straw. Walking down 10, to me, really keys that, 'cause you're like, "These next two hours are gonna be serious fun!"
Collins: If there was one hole you could redesign at Augusta National, which one would it be?
Caddie: I'm going through it in my head. (He takes a long time thinking about it.) I think 4 is -- 4 is just so difficult and so demanding. There's not many places, not many holes where you're not trying to hit the green for a professional golfer. That's one of them. There are a couple of pins where I honestly don't think you should try and hit the green. It is what it is and that's fine, but I would soften the 4th green just a touch.
Collins: If there was one thing you could change about this place and this week what would it be?
Caddie: All right. I'm gonna go out on a limb here. I don't wanna sound greedy -- and can you please make sure this comes across as humble as possible, because this is my favorite tournament by far -- I would love for the caddies here to get one pass. I would love to bring my mom. (He starts to tear up and his voice chokes a little.) I'd love to bring my mom to watch me caddie the Masters.
Collins: (Damn it, now I'm tearing up.)
Caddie: And it wouldn't be a ticket you could sell. It could be done six months prior, "What's the name, where's the picture." So it's not transferable, you can't give it or sell it. So if I could change one thing for us, it would be that. Just one ticket for us. I think a lot of people would like to bring their brother or their dad to see them caddie at Augusta. That would be very special for us.
Collins: That came up in the Wednesday Caddie Confidential with the four caddies I spoke to, as well. Because none of [the non-caddies] I spoke to knew that.
Caddie: And you can't ask your player. The players only get so many tickets, so you can't ask your player for one. You don't wanna bug them. So if I could have one thing, that would be it.