The year 2010 marked a special chapter in my golfing life. While I usually spend my time behind the bar at a Prague hotel or working on my own handicap at Rohanský ostrov, I’ve had the unique privilege of stepping inside the ropes as a caddie for the Casa Serena 2010.
The following article was originally published in the printed version of Golf Digest Czech Republic (2010). It captures the “2:1” lead Czech caddies held against the world that year, and my personal journey carrying the bag for the legendary Gary Wolstenholme.
It was a week of quiet concentration, “limited edition” bags, and a front-row seat to a masterclass in short-game precision. Here is the story of how a chance pairing led to a tournament victory.
Introvertics Team
Czech Republic versus the world 2:1. This is how the unofficial caddies championship at the Casa Serena Open looks like. The winning team also had a distinct Czech touch this year, because Gary Wolstenholme’s clubs were carried by thirty-year-old Martin Žitek. The bartender from the Prague hotel.
If we wished someone, it was the winning duet. You know the story of the player. What about the caddie? Žitek is enthusiastic about the 43-year-old dicap, who has been a good player at any event in the Czech Republic for years and weighed in on the European women’s Tali.
The Open again went to Ross Drumm I and Ti mu Srewarccivi, who went alone in the first Hight. Žitek got to the later winner from Roztěž by pure chance, but he immediately liked him. ,,He is quite thoughtful, not very communicative, more of an introvert like me,” says player Marina Praha, who has three years of experience as a caddie.
,,Professionals know what to play and don’t need advice from us. We just pass the clubs and occasionally exchange a few words,” she explains. Caddies received a manual according to which they were not allowed to ask the players about personal matters. “I only asked Gary what part of England he was from”- said Žitek.
Wolstenholme did not even bother to ask about local peculiarities during his debut at Roztěž. “He found out everything himself on the birdie card” – said the caddie. The winner played very accurately from the tee. “He hit the driver, three and five wood beautifully” The winning duet at Roztěžl: Martin Žitek next to Gary Wolstenholme.
Photo by Zdeněk Sluka
The first shot ended in a bunker, the second in the rough, the third on the green and unfortunately three putters” described the caddie’s martyrdom, which Wolstenholme compensated for with a beautiful eagle on the par-four 15th after a 300-meter drive. Žitek nodded his head in appreciation, who also appreciated the consistent passes to the green.
The winner only ended up in a bunker twice during the entire tournament. He carried ten to twelve balls in his bag, but … “He didn’t lose a single one, he just changed it for another one sometimes,” added the caddie.
In the second round, on the 12th hole, Žitek almost gave the leading player a penalty. “I saw the ball and Gary quietly told me that it was right next to it. It was maybe two centimeters away and I would have touched it,” he explained the critical moment. The only double bogey of the tournament came in the second round on the eighth hole.
“First Žitek considered whether it wouldn’t be better to carry the Englishman’s bag … But Gary told me that the bag was a limited edition made of fine materials, so it was much lighter than it looks. I only had it on my cart during practice rounds,” explains the golfer from Rohanský ostrov.
Nevertheless, Wolsrenholme was surprised that the caddie would carry it on his back throughout the tournament. But in an economical horizontal position,” points out Žitek. The two-member team met an hour and a half before the start. They started on the putting green, then moved to the driving range, where they tried out all the clubs, and finished on the chipping green.
“I was impressed by his short game. He used the same wedge, but it was always a different kind of shot. It was beyond my understanding,” admits the caddie, who also caddied for Canadian Bruce Heuchen (30th place in 2008) and Italian Giuseppe Cali (31st place in 2009) at the Casa Serena Open.
“Bruce was a caddie for twenty years, so I learned a lot from him. It was a normal, relaxed relationship with Cali. However, I enjoyed golf the most with Gary, because we have the same nature. We got along,” says a satisfied Martin Žitek, a hotel bartender and occasional caddie.
Here you can download article from Golf Digest CZ
Originally published in Golf Digest Czech Republic, 2010
Photo – Zdeněk Sluka
