Golf: Time for a caddy for Paddison

Gareth Paddison has his eye on the lucrative European Tour. Picture / Mark Mitchell

Gareth Paddison is looking forward to the day he has a fulltime caddy.

It's not that Paddison can't be bothered lugging about his golf clubs.

Instead it will be evidence that the former top amateur has achieved one of his golfing goals - the right to play on the main European Tour.

The 24-year-old lefthander is playing the second-tier European Challenge Tour, which does not carry the prizemoney that easily affords a caddy.

Other than when a friend offers to take up the duty, most players carry their own bags.

"It's just an expense. You can save €500 [$950] at least," Paddison says.

"You are not playing for a lot of money, so there's no point in giving yourself that extra cost."

But cost will become less of an issue if Paddison can claim a spot on the far more lucrative European Tour, where a caddy is mandatory.

Making the European Tour is a goal Paddison has set himself for this year.

The subject of a caddy has been on his mind. In the past he has had a friend caddy for him when playing in Australia and New Zealand, but felt it was time to take a more professional approach.

"I would prefer a caddy with more experience," Paddison says.

"Someone to question my thinking and also bring different options for different shots."

One thing he has gained after more than three years on the road is admiration for those who simply retain their cards for the right to play on the top tours.

"I have got a whole new respect for guys that are just keeping their cards on the main tours," he said.

"The guys that are just scraping through, they might be 115th on the money list, but they are exceptionally good golfers in their own right.

"They might not be the best, but they are far better than top amateurs looking to turn pro.

"Year after year they are keeping their cards and they are just getting harder from that experience."

Paddison says life as a professional golfer is no walk in the park.

"I wouldn't say it's an easy life. It's probably a little bit harder than I imagined.

"I've had some very good results and I've had some not so good results. I've had to deal with missing cuts when I thought I was playing well."

Golf can be a lonely sport, he says - especially when he is based in England for half of the year. He does not have a coach in England and all the analysis is his own.

"It's a do-it-yourself profession and there has to be a lot of self-motivation."

Generating motivation is not easy when English summers are living up to their reputation.

"It can be difficult at times when the winds are blowing and the skies are grey.

"You have to look at your goals and try to remind yourself that if you do get out there and practise, then you might be a step closer to getting your European Tour card.

"It's an individual sport and you need a lot more motivation than you would for a team sport. You are by yourself when you are practising and you are by yourself when you are on the playing field.

"Any mistakes are your own mistakes. At the end of the day you can only answer to yourself.

"Even if you take the advice of a caddy and it proves wrong, it's still your mistake."

But Paddison is not complaining.

"In saying all that, I wouldn't want to be doing anything else."

Paddison and former national coach Mal Tongue have been involved in intensive coaching almost every day for the past few weeks, as Paddison prepares for his first tournament of the year, the A$100,000 ($109,878) Victoria Open in Melbourne from January 28-30.

It's not the biggest tournament around, but remains significant for Paddison because he won it last year - the second victory of his professional career.

After the Victoria Open for Paddison will be the A$2 million Heineken Classic in Melbourne from February 3-6. Paddison finished seventh in last year's Heineken and earned his biggest cheque of the year, €36,418 ($69,000).

Paddison will come back across the Tasman for the $1.5 million New Zealand Open at Gulf Harbour from February 10-13.

Then it's back to Australia for the A$1 million Jacob's Creek Open at Adelaide, followed by the NZ PGA Championship in Christchurch from February 24-27.

Gareth Paddison

* 1999 NZ strokeplay champion.
* 2001 turned pro.
* 2002 Scenic Circle Hotels Gold Classic win.
* 2004 Victoria Open win.

- NZPA