A day in the life of a caddie

NAPLES, Fla. – It’s a unique relationship; the one between a professional golfer and his or her caddie.

I, Morgan Frances, got the chance to carry Jay Don Blake’s clubs for the Pro-Am round of the ACE Group Classic in Naples.

“The caddies have got to learn the players,” Champions Tour player, Jay Don Blake said, “When to talk to them, when not to. You have to feel the personality of both the caddie and player. They call it, kind of, a marriage out here.”

In Blake’s case, it really is a marriage because his wife is his caddie.

“She will see the yardage (and) go put a hand on a club, casually,” Blake said, “and I’ll go get the yardage, I’ll have to have move her hand to get the club,” he continued, “then she goes, ‘Yes!’ when she guesses right.”

During the Pro-Am, it’s all fun and games. Marci Blake, Jay Don’s wife, blasts music during the round. I helped Jay Don Blake read some putts. He missed one I read, but said it wasn’t my fault. Other professional players, he said, would blame their caddies, however.

“They will pull somebody from the spectator gallery,” Blake said, “and say, ‘come caddie,’ and I’ve seen it happen. It doesn’t happen a lot, but they do do that.”

One WINK News viewer wanted to know if Blake had a go-to shot.

“If I do layup (on a par 5),” Blake said, “I try to get you know 80/90 yard shot coming into the green on my third shot. It gives me kind of a full swing shot.”

Blake says he never really fights with his full-time caddie. They’ve been together for 26 years, and – get this – their first date was a trip to the Masters.