Two Minds are Better than One

‘There are many ways of getting strong, sometimes talking is the best way.’ Andre Agassi[1]

It is no accident that some of the best advice about how to lead and motivate people comes from the world of sport. The 2022 US PGA Championship was no exception.

The tournament was to come to an extraordinary conclusion with many players seemingly doing their best to lose it over the four days rather than win it, with it finally being decided over a three-hole playoff; though was it?

Whilst the Champion, Justin Thomas, grasped upon the misfortune of the leader’s play over the last two holes the seeds of his win were actually laid before the last round had even begun.

Like other competitors that included the current top 10 players in the World, Thomas had found the going tough but he was not the only one with the current Masters, US Open, and Open Champions not even making the halfway cut. At the end of the third round Thomas carded a 74, a four-over par round that left him some seven shots adrift of the leader at which he expressed his furiousness to his caddy.

Golf is an unusual individual sport, for unlike other sports the professional golfer is not alone as they go about competing, for they have beside them a caddy for the whole 18 holes.

Caddies have been a part of the game since it began with their employment often being far more than just carrying or pulling the bag of clubs around the 18 holes.

Thomas had long recognised the important role a caddy can play in supporting him and had secured the services of Jim ‘Bones’ McKay in September 2021. McKay had immense experience being a good golfer himself having been the ‘bag-man’ for Phil Mickelson for 25 years and who during that time was to win 5 majors. Before this relationship was to ultimately breakdown Mickelson was to say that: ‘’Bones’ is the only guy on the golf course that wants me to play well, so why am I going to stand there and berate him and treat him poorly? He’s the only guy trying to work his tail off for me.’ Here with have it in one; the crucial role a caddy can play.

Thomas was furious with himself and the way he had “played a terrible [third] round” and expressed this to McKay who was to reply: “It is not as bad as it seemed…you’ve got to stop beating yourself up. You’re in contention every single week we’re playing. I’ve had [as a caddy] a lot of chances to win tournaments, and it’s a hard course. You don’t have to be perfect.”

Whilst holding the large Wannamaker Trophy Thomas was to affirm the positive role McKay played in his victory saying that: ‘”I’m fully confident in saying that I wouldn’t be standing here if he [McKay] didn’t give me that [confidence]. I just needed to let some steam out. I didn’t need to bring my frustration and anger home with me. I didn’t need to leave the golf course in a negative frame of mind’ and finishing by saying that “it is easy to start letting some doubt creep in”.

Despite a miscued shot on the 6th that cost Thomas a shot both ‘believed in the possible’ fully supporting Thomas’ belief given in as astute response to a question posed to him earlier in the week: “What lead is safe?”. Thomas’ reply was succinct: “No lead”.

Thomas like many Champion golfers today employs a caddy whom they trust; listens to them; is positive; and a communicator who openly shares their knowledge, experience, observations, and thoughts. These are attributes way beyond what was expected of the traditional caddy but professional golfers today have become wise as to how you can best use a caddy often, as in Thomas’ case, looking to and acknowledging them as their on-course coach.

The modern caddy is a professional in their own right being sought after and correspondingly paid handsomely for their services - McKay is a millionaire in his own right as are many other caddies.

Are you employing the services of an experienced coach? If not, why not?

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[1] Agassi, A (2010) ‘Open: An Autobiography’ Vintage Books, London. (Agassi was the to win 6 of his 8 Grand Slam titles under Brad Gilbert as his coach; was the first player to win the Golden Slam that includes the Olympic Gold; and the first to win all four singles majors on three different surfaces).