Member Stories
CAL COOLIDGE and had use of the U . S . Embassy apartment overlooking Holyrood Park .
My brother and I rented a car early the following morning and set off for St . Andrews , leaving the ladies to explore Queen Street and the sights of that great city .
We approached the starter hut at about 11:15 , hoping for an opportunity to play . “ Come back at 12:40 ,” he instructed , “ and I ’ ll see what I can do .” An hour later we ’ d paid 20 pounds and were headed out to play — but first it was suggested that we find caddies .
Never having hired one , I sheepishly approached a group coming off the 18th walking towards the Royal and Ancient Clubhouse . Three caddies were dropping the bags they had lugged in an early-morning loop . “ How much does a caddie cost ?” One jumped right in . “ It ’ s 10 pounds but we expect a tip ,” he said .
That is how I met Sydney Rutherford , the veteran caddie who kept me focused and highly entertained through most of that memorable day .
ALPHA CADDIE Syd was what we ’ d all imagine for a St . Andrews caddie . He ’ d probably walked his first loop in , I am guessing , the early 1930s . He was gruff , ragged in a way , shaggy with wisps of white hair coming out from under his tweed lid . He sized me up quickly . My bag had an embroidered “ Cal Coolidge — Dallas , Texas ” on it . His first words to me were , “ So who shot J . R ?”
When you are called to the first tee on the Old Course you attempt to be cool , but your heart is pumping so hard you can hear it in your ears . Thankfully my drive made it down the wide fairway in play . Sydney ’ s commentary began early and never stopped .
When my brother chipped from across the watery burn , which passes in front of the first green , Sydney quipped to his fellow caddie “ I told ye , these Americans play fast .”
There was another American matched up in our group who I have little memory of 40 years later but I do recall when he attempted to replace what was apparently his waterhole ball when he reached the first green so he could putt with a brand new Titleist Balata , Syd stopped him . “ You won ’ t be doing that here sir ,” he quipped .
Soon after , this same victim of Sydney ’ s wit was hitting a mid-iron that needed to carry an imposing bunker protecting
the green . His shot came up woefully short . Syd and I were on the opposite side of the fairway out of earshot . “ Kentucky Fried ” muttered Sydney . He could see I didn ’ t quite get his comment . “ He ’ s chicken sir .” Sydney was the Alpha Caddie in our group . I loved it !
I never quite got Syd to admit his exact age , but he was a tad too old for combat duty in WW2 and had been a wee lad during the Great War . He told me his brother had been the caddie in the television commercial featuring Lee Trevino pitching Top-Flite golf balls in the mid-70s .
Golfers of a certain age may recall the tag line that accompanied that commercial with Lee saying , “ you take the high road ; I ’ ll take the low road ” when introducing the brand ’ s new large dimpled balls which promised us a higher ball flight . Lee said looking into the camera “ I don ’ t just endorse Top Flites — I play them !” I recall Syd ’ s brother looked even more like the caddie out of central casting than Sydney if that was possible .
A golfer ’ s dream . Unlimited play on our green and lush 6,400 yard Shenandoah Valley course nestled amid Virginia ’ s equally beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains . Package includes meals and lodging , greens fees and cart for 18 holes daily and extra round for cart fees only !
For more details check out www . LurayCaverns . com or call ( 888 ) 443-6551 .
3 Day / 2 Night Packages from
$ 249
Per person , double occupancy , plus tax
. org M ARCH / A PRIL 2021 | V IRGINIA G OLFER 11