Steve Williams interview

A few notes.

Will Scott be a little angered to hear his caddie say he underachieved up until steve came on board? (in fairness to steve scott did underachieve)

Can anyone remember why steve and Tiger fell out? (i can't)

Will it be sad to see Steve leave the game at the end of 2014?

Will have a shufty when I get home but my 2p's worth on your questions:

No - he hadn't won a major before, he now has. I doubt he is overly bothered, looking at it coldly steve will just be a part of the jigsaw that makes up a major winner. Steve is one of the best bagmen and it's better to have him in your corner than an oppo's.

Nope - Pure speculation, maybe Tiger's image was so down that trying to re-build with a renowned loud mouth would have been counter productive? Possibly not as Tiger's historical attitude seems to have been one of not giving a stuff about what people thought, but I can't remember either.

Not for me. I couldn't really care less. I'm sure caddies do a good job for their employer but precisely 0% of my focus when watching golf is on the person lugging round the bats.

Good career, well done - now goodbye.

mclaren wrote:Can anyone remember why steve and Tiger fell out? (i can't)

Tiger thought Steve was being disloyal when he asked to caddy for Scott. Think it was the 2011 US Open, Tiger wasn't playing due to injury.

"in fairness to steve scott did underachieve"

You think??? If you mean that Scott happened not to have a major until Steve coincidentally was on the bag, then I guess you're right. Personally, I think that's nonsense. Pretty much expected of the ego that is Steve Williams though.

Still, I guess Stevie has to take the credit for Scotty blowing up the other year and handing the Claret Jug to Els? No? Thought not. Etc etc etc.

Williams is obviously an OK caddy but, frankly, he's made his name on Woods' bag and Woods, for all S_R might say, is patently an outstanding player regardless of the bagman.

As Roller says above: decent career Stevie, made a mint through chance association with player of the era, don't let the door hit you on the way out.

How good a bagman someone is depends on how stupid the player is.

It was only last summer that Williams was going on about how "time heals"; perhaps he's short of cash and needs a few bob.

nbs spot on about his share of the blame for Adam's loss to Ernie Els.

The old adage about caddies being required to "show up, keep up and shut up" was never more true than in Williams' case.

Can a caddie make that vital difference? If yes, can you cite the best example?

Would Woods have converted any of the Major opportunities he's had in the past couple of years with Williams rather than La Cava on the bag?

kwinigolfer wrote:...The old adage about caddies being required to "show up, keep up and shut up" was never more true than in Williams' case.

Yep. Pity he can't manage the latter criterion!

Clearly a caddie reading putts can make a difference. Just look at how many players are lined up by a caddie on the LPGA, and the claims of Stevie that adam failed to read his winning masters putt.

McIlroy seems to struggle with some reads, for example when he was in contention in abu dhabi earlier this year.

The way that Williams cleans a club, keeps the tee stock up and puts back the flag is second to none

JAS wrote:Can a caddie make that vital difference? If yes, can you cite the best example?

It's possible. Do you remember Woods' second last shot in regulation of the 2008 US Open? Williams is reported to have convinced Woods to change his initial shot selection from a stock sand wedge to a hard lob wedge to counteract slopes on the green. I'm sure you can imagine the pressure as Woods had to get up and down to make the play-off. I doubt many caddies would have the cajones to talk a player, especially Woods, out of their own decision under those circumstances.

McLaren wrote:Clearly a caddie reading putts can make a difference.  Just look at how many players are lined up by a caddie on the LPGA, and the claims of Stevie that adam failed to read his winning masters putt.

McIlroy seems to struggle with some reads, for example when he was in contention in abu dhabi earlier this year.

incontinentia wrote:It's possible. Do you remember Woods' second last shot in regulation of the 2008 US Open? Williams is reported to have convinced Woods to change his initial shot selection from a stock sand wedge to a hard lob wedge to counteract slopes on the green. I'm sure you can imagine the pressure as Woods had to get up and down to make the play-off. I doubt many caddies would have the cajones to talk a player, especially Woods, out of their own decision under those circumstances.

Yada, yada, yada. Willams says this, Williams says the other. Did either Scott or Woods confirm either of those egotistical observations of Williams??? I don't recall they did, did they? Who is such a self-centred berk that they think it's a good idea to brag on like Williams does, even if the above incidences are actually true???? What a prat.

The only thing worse than an impending retirement from Williams is the fact he'll no doubt appear as some sort of 'expert' pundit on one of the golf channels and he'll subject the audience to unmitigated mérde, liberally interspersed with remarks about how he did this, that or the other and how the golfing world is a lesser place without his wasp-chewing facial expression  .

Some might say Woods is missing that (or was missing that in the Majors last year) Incon.

With club selection, a caddie instinctively knows when to reign in silly ambition (had I been JVdV's caddy in '99 I'd have broken his 2 iron rather than give it to him for his 2nd into 18).

Not all about club selection though, the good caddie will know his charges mindset and when to promote caution, when to be bold, when to shut up, when to cajole, encourage etc.
I'm not sure that with Williams on the bag Woods would have been so negative and timid on the Sunday at Muirfield.

Navy, the example I gave came from a document by Hank Haney, not Williams himself.

Personally I hope big Steve releases a tell-all book of his time with Woods, can you imagine the tales he must have?

Reckon Rorys caddy should have told him to lay up out the bunker on 16 the other week.

I only doubt the positive, or in some cases (Lee, Padraig) negative, effect a caddie might have when that caddie morphs in to a blowhard, anxious to have people believe the publicity he/she generates for themselves.

Faldo is very gracious on his CBS/GC gigs about Prodger's and Fanny's contributions to his success - sometimes it seems Seve and his caddies are the only golf people he speaks about!

incontinentia wrote:Navy, the example I gave came from a document by Hank Haney, not Williams himself.

Personally I hope big Steve releases a tell-all book of his time with Woods, can you imagine the tales he must have?

Hank was on-course at the time with Woods and Williams was he? Williams is a bag of hot air. Without decent corroboration, I wouldn't believe him if he said the sun was going to rise tomorrow...

I don't know about the other instances mentioned but I do remember seeing something or other on the Golf Channel where Tiger was talking about his USPGA win where he beat Bob Tway. There was an approach shot during the final holes, or may have even been the last one, that Tiger said he was over the ball ready to hit when Williams called him off of it because the wind changed slightly. Tiger changed what he was going to do and hit a great shot in, made birdie, wins championship, etc. etc. Tiger said something along the lines of "not many caddies would have the balls to call a player out of their shot when the player is over it"

Doesn't mean that I like either one of Tiger or Williams but it's what I saw.

I have little doubt that players can benefit by a good caddie. That second opinion, or green read or right word at the right time most definitely CAN make a difference. But there's a lot of guys who can do that job and do it very well. So while I would certainly credit Stevie with helping Woods or Scott out at times... I would also guess LaCava and Tony Navarro have/had their contributions respectively... yet maybe didn't feel the need to toot their own horn about.

But there's another side too... caddies can screw you up... Consider this headline from SBNation: Adam Scott Doesn’t Quite Absolve Steve Williams Of Blame For British Open Collapse The article doesn't say specifically what might have happened or what specific errors might have been made, but gives a rather cryptic description of a "cooling off" period that was necessary between Adam and Steve... why would that be necessary one might ask?

http://www.sbnation.com/golf/2012/8/1/3213228/adam-scott-2012-british-open-steve-williams-bridgestone-invitational

The other thing I've often wondered is how accomplished a player a caddie was (if at all) before they went on the bag. I know Molinari's caddie was our club champion just before Howeller came to prominence. In fact he still shows as playing off 1 in our handicap list. What about the likes of Williams. LaCava, Fanny, Billy Foster, Bones etc...did they play to any decent level beforehand?

I can't imagine a world class player paying a caddie a 6 figure salary (plus) if they were not asset to him.

Especially when they can get the equivalent of a two legged mule for a $500/wk to lug the bag around.

GPB wrote:I can't imagine a world class player paying a caddie a 6 figure salary (plus) if they were not asset to him.

Especially when they can get the equivalent of a two legged mule for a $500/wk to lug the bag around.

True. Williams, however, seems to like giving the impression that, but for his input, his player would maybe never make a cut. He's obviously decent, but I suggest he's no more decent than many another bagman on Tour. The difference appears to be 1) he was lucky enough to carry Woods' bag during his pomp and 2) he likes to massage his own ego by telling everyone just how good he is and over-inflating his role.

JAS,
Snap!
I suggested some good ones in my Notes this week: Carolan, Johnson, Green, Jordan that came to mind - all Tour Pros of one Tour or another. Waldman also had a go (unsuccessfully) at the web.com - not sure where he is now, but Camilo hasn't been the same without him.

And then there's Eric Larson (sp?) who spent the best part of ten years in the pokey - and caddied for Calc wins either side of his detention!

Also heard at Carnoustie last year that when the Wimmins British Open was there, one or two of the top pros hired local caddies for practice rounds, before reverting back to their own for the championship.

I suppose that's something else caddies build up on regular tour spots is detailed knowledge of the course. On rota courses though it's more pressure on them as they don't get to see it annually.

Can you imagine a local caddie working for a pro in a Major,

"shahoor, I don't go that far on my holidays."

"slow that down to a blur"

"that'll come down with snow on it."

"you gave that the beans"

...it worked for Ben Curtis Soop

The story I heard was that the Caledonia Club Champ (off +3 at the time) had Creamer's bag for a couple of practice rounds and he maintained that if she'd stuck with him for the championship she'd have won it.

Actually.. Williams comes across quite well in that interview, and qualifies what he means about Scott underachieving by mentioning he means only in the majors (it's a fact he was win-less before and isn't now).

In addition, when talking about the reading of the putt on the play off hole, I believe he did pick the line. This is based on the clip they show where it looks like it played out the way he describes - you see him shake his head and emphatically tell Scott it's more outside the hole than he thinks (I'm not a lip reader, but he does seem to be saying "no, no it's at least two cups outside - more like two and half"). Scott was the one who hit the putt though.

As for will he be missed? Not by me - I watch the golfers, not the caddies.

IMO it's possible the Williams may have had more of a positive influence on Adam Scott's career than he had to Tiger Woods.  IMO Tiger would have done pretty much what he did with or with out Williams.... but Adam?   I dunno, but probably not.

Let's face it... Adam WAS an underachiever. It's not talked about much but basically the word is he was as much interested in his surfing and international playboy jet setting with the rich and famous as he was in golf. Maybe even more so.  My guess is if you don't think catering to the likes of a Kate Hudson or a Ana Ivanovic doesn't take an investment in time, attention and energy... think again.

And even Adam has alluded to the conversation he and Stevie had (prior to Stevie taking the job permanently) regarding Scott's dedication and work ethic.  From Adam's own works, it sounds kinda like a kick in the butt Adam needed and he's credited Stevie with a lot of his new found motivation and discipline (along with Greg Norman for showing the faith in him to make him a President's Cup pick, when much of the wisdom at the time of the pick suggested it was a wasted pick).  

Bottom line...  First take a HUGE load of talent that Adam supplied...  a vote of confidence and push from his idol Norman... some discipline and a work partner in a very competent Williams... and a more settled personal life with Marie (his equally or even more beautiful but low key and NOT famous architect girlfriend)... and IMO you have MUCH more of a recipe for success than the path he was on before...

I can buy the theory you're advancing re Williams influence helping Scott Robo but then in the same response you don't think he made a bit of difference to Woods who has won how many Majors since he and Williams parted company? Yes to a degree I agree that in his pomp Woods would have won multiple Majors even with an eejit like me on the bag.
Last year however, to win 5 tournaments and be in contention in the majors and convert none. Clearly capable but fell short on Sundays. As an example, do you think Williams would have kept quiet or not realised the faux-pas about to be made with the infamous "drop" on 15?? That effectively burned his chance at Augusta.

JAS...  I don't think there was anything Williams did specifically for Woods to win as much as he did through 2009 that any other caddie couldn't have done.  Steve may have helped him with a shot here or there... but I think any of the quality caddies would have helped out a shot here and there as well.  

And IMO, not Steve, or any caddie would have changed a thing in TW's lack of success in majors over the last couple of years.  IMO Tiger's problems in those were NOT overall gameplan, nor individual shot selections nor green reads... IMO TW's problem was where his HEAD was at...  way too big of an issue for a caddie to deal with.

Tiger has/had the game, plenty of it, especially over the last two years to win majors.  You don't win 8 times in the quality of events he won without the game.  But IMO he wanted those majors so bad that when he got into contention going into the weekends, he put so much pressure on himself he locked up and couldn't perform. Choked if you will.   And from everything I ever observed first hand or read or heard... there was nothing in Stevie's regular role or in their relationship that would have changed or prevented a thing in that regard.... that is unless Stevie's also a shrink and nobody's ever know about it.

Now maybe if there would have been a singular shot down the stretch in one of those majors that made the difference between winning and losing, maybe Stevie could have been a help... but that's not the way TW's been losing majors... he's just been overall awful on weekends when it mattered...  (NOTE:  But I DO buy that the continued nagging injuries have had a role in that as well... at least in some of his weekend major failures.)

Robo- what do make of Tiger's back injury and do you think it will spell the end of his ability to compete at the highest level?

incontinentia wrote:Robo- what do make of Tiger's back injury and do you think it will spell the end of his ability to compete at the highest level?

With no information forthcoming as to the root cause of the issue... there's really no way of telling. And it could be a LOT of things... not always discs as people suggest. A some of those things could be career ending... but probably the vast majority of the possibilities are at least "manageable" via surgery or other proper treatment/therapy...

But as a 20+ year back sufferer myself (before successful surgery in the late 90s)... I can tell you back spasms are a HECK of a lot worse than those who've never had them might think. And I don't believe he has the kind of talent gap he once enjoyed to be able to compete out there if he's playing at less than maybe 90-95% in that regard. And if he can't practice sufficiently because of it... his game has got to start deteriorating at some point I would think... So if he can't get this fixed one way or the other... at least to the point he can play spasm free "most of the time"... then yeah... BIG problems.

Hurt my back fatting a 7 iron the other week. Was able to hit full shots ok after but putting was absolute agony. Bloody things still not right.