One hired to serve as an attendant to a golfer, especially by carrying the golf clubs, is called a caddie.
Over the years I've come across the good, bad, short, tall, fat, thin, old, young, pretty and a few who have seen better days.
A caddie is aware of the challenges and obstacles of the golf course being played, along with the best strategy in playing it.
This includes knowing overall yardage, pin placements and club selection. If you are very lucky, a good caddie can give you insightful advice and moral support.
The records are not certain, but historians believe that Mary, Queen of Scots, came up with the term "caddie" in the late 16th century.
Mary grew up in France where military cadets carried golf clubs for royalty.
It is possible that Mary brought the custom to Scotland, where the term evolved into the word "caddie".
Raking bunkers, cleaning clubs and golf balls, replacing "divots", tending and removing the pin/flag and reading greens are all part of the job.
Being alert at all times also helps, as any penalty caused by the caddie will be added to the player's score.
The caddie is the only assistance that a player is allowed to have during a round of golf, so the interactions between the player and his or her caddie are very important.
Often, the player and caddie develop a camaraderie from spending significant amounts of time on the golf course together.
This, in turn, benefits the player, especially the tour player who needs someone they can receive advice and moral support from during the pressure of competitive rounds, and perhaps more importantly -- someone they can trust on and off the course.
Out of Bounds: As a frightened young boy, here's the job description I was given from the greatly feared old bugger of a caddie master when I signed up with him -- show up, keep up and shut up.