Lesson 3.3: Giving Advice
Players will ask for your advice. Sometimes it’s a club recommendation — “what do you think, 7 or 8-iron?” Sometimes it’s a read on a putt — “do you see it breaking left?” Sometimes it’s a broader perspective — “is the wind picking up or is it me?”
When a player asks for your input, they are trusting you with something real. The way you respond either builds that trust or erodes it. Here’s how to give advice that actually helps:
Be honest and specific. Don’t tell a player what you think they want to hear. If you think it’s a 7-iron, say it’s a 7-iron — not “maybe a 6 or 7 or somewhere in there, depending.” Specific, honest input is more useful than hedged non-answers, even if you’re wrong occasionally.
Lead with the facts. “It’s 148 to the front, 162 to the pin, slight wind in your face” is a factual statement that gives the player everything they need to make their own decision. You’re not telling them what club to hit — you’re giving them the information to decide. Only add a club recommendation if directly asked: “What would you suggest?” or “Which club would you take?”
If you’re genuinely unsure, say so. “I’m not 100% sure, but it looks like a 7-iron to me” is an honest answer that preserves the player’s ability to apply their own judgment. Never guess with false confidence. A caddy who confidently gives wrong yardages is worse than a caddy who says “I’m not certain, let me find a sprinkler head.”
The player has the final call. Always. You suggest; they decide. Even if you’re certain they’re taking the wrong club, you do not override them. State your view clearly if asked, accept their decision without argument, and move on. The moment you start second-guessing or challenging a player’s final choice, you’ve overstepped your role.
Never offer unsolicited swing advice. Unless you are an experienced golf professional and the player specifically asks you to evaluate their swing, do not offer technical swing advice. “Your backswing looked a little long on that one” is not caddy advice — it’s coaching, and it’s unwelcome unless specifically requested.
Facts first → honest recommendation if asked → player decides → no second-guessing.
The measure of good advice is not whether the shot works out. It’s whether you gave honest, accurate information at the right moment with the right confidence level. A player who trusts your information will keep coming back to you even after a bad shot, because they know you told the truth.
After a round where you gave good advice, a player will sometimes thank you specifically: ‘that 7-iron call on 12 saved me.’ Remember the feeling — that’s what you’re building toward. Great caddy advice is invisible when it works and honest when it doesn’t.
Advice role-play: with a parent or friend acting as the player, practice the advice-giving sequence on an actual hole or in a practice setting. The ‘player’ asks for yardage and club advice. You deliver: (1) exact yardage in a specific format (front/center/back), (2) a club recommendation when directly asked, (3) a graceful response when they choose a different club. Practice the graceful acceptance — “sounds good, 8-iron, let’s go” — until it feels completely natural and not at all reluctant. Players notice hesitation.