ORLANDO, FL– It is often said that the cardinal rule for a caddie is to “show up, keep up, and shut up.” But, what if you’re caddying for your 16-year old daughter, who just happens to be one of the hottest players on the LPGA Tour? One might think the “shut up” component could be difficult when the role of caddie is overlaid on the role of parent.
You could almost imagine the following exchange on the course: “OK you’ve got 123 to the front, 137 to the pin, you don’t want to miss left and we’ve got a bit of wind behind us. Go with a soft 9. By the way, we’re going to have a talk after the round about that late-night texting with your friends. You’re dragging a bit today. Don’t give me that look!”
So far, the caddie-father relationship seems be to be working pretty well for Scott and Lexi Thompson, who spoke with us at Outdoor Demo Day during last week’s PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando. Lexi first spent about 30 minutes propelling orange golf balls (the color matched the new Cobra club design) high into the air above the immense circular practice facility lined by tents representing virtually every club, shaft, grip, and ball manufacturer. As swing after swing produced virtually identical, towering shots with a slight draw, over a hundred mesmerized spectators crowded in for a view of the young phenomenon who turned pro at the age of 15 shortly after leading the United States team to a victory in the 2010 Curtis Cup matches, and last September became the youngest winner (by almost two years) on the LPGA tour at age 16. Pausing between shots, Lexi noted nonchalantly that her average driving distance on the Tour is 275 yards.
Also watching vigilantly was Scott, who has caddied for Lexi since she started playing competitive golf as a pre-teen. (Thompson is also the youngest person– at age 12 — to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Open.) Meanwhile, Lexi’s mother, Judy, was engaged in a weighty conversation with a Cobra-PUMA representative about the clothing Lexi would be packing for her imminent trip to Australia, where she will compete in the women’s Australian Open. “I don’t think the green works for her,” she remarked. “Oh, and those skirts really iron well.” It was definitely a Thompson family affair at Demo Day.
The working relationship between Lexi and Scott on the course has withstood the inevitable father-daughter tensions, and it’s hard to argue with success. “We don’t always agree – we have our moments – but it always works,” said Lexi. While both Scott and Lexi acknowledge that there will be a different caddie on the bag sometime down the road, Lexi said she has no plans to relieve her dad of his duties anytime soon. “He knows my game the best,” she noted.
Scott said that Lexi “is easy to caddie for. She can hit all the shots. We get along really well.” He credited her brothers Nick (who played on the PGA Tour and is currently on the Nationwide Tour) and Curtis (who plays at LSU) for their strong influence on Lexi’s development. “We’re very lucky how well things are going,” he said. Given the golf-obsessed, competitive, hard-working, and close-knit Thompson clan, there is probably little luck at play in Lexi’s accomplishments.
Asked to identify the best part of caddying for Lexi, Scott remarked: “Walking with her up the 18th fairway, with all of the people in the gallery.” The worst? “I live all the bad shots with her.” It’s obvious that her dad’s support and counsel on the course means a lot to Lexi. After her victory in the Navistar Classic, she remarked that “having my dad on the bag sharing the experience was everything I could ask for.”
Lexi’s agent, Bobby Kreusler of Blue Giraffe Sports, confirmed that the Thompson player-caddie relationship is going smoothly. “They have two different relationships (father-daughter and player-caddie),” he noted. “She really relies on him in a different way now – for his caddie expertise. “ Kreusler noted that the upcoming 3-week trip to Australia and Thailand will be a challenge, as it will be Lexi’s longest time away from home. Although she tentatively plans to play 24 events this year, now that she is a full member of the LPGA Tour, Kreusler cautioned: “That will depend on how she feels. Her schoolwork and family are her priorities. If she gets tired we’ll cut back.” Lexi has been home-schooled the past four years, and is nearing the completion of her studies.
When asked whether the Curtis Cup seemed like ancient history given the developments of the past year and a half, Lexi said she still has fond memories of the United States victory at Essex County Club on the North Shore of Massachusetts, the club of the Curtis sisters for whom the cup is named . “It was such a meaningful experience – it’s the biggest event in amateur golf. I made some great friends there.”
Lexi said the biggest challenge of professional golf, initially, was not playing enough events. (The LPGA finally agreed to waive the 18-year minimum age requirement after her victory at the Navistar Classic.) “I was used to playing back-to-back events as an amateur. When you’re playing well you want to keep playing.” In that light, she’s looking forward to playing a full schedule this year.
Lexi said that she gets along well with her peers on the Tour. “It’s going well. They treat me with respect. They’re always there to help me. That’s important.”
Lexi didn’t hesitate when asked about the high point of her professional career: “My first win at the Navistar.” She followed that up with a victory at the OMEGA Dubai Ladies Masters Championship. She also recalled struggling on the professional circuit initially. “It was a good learning experience,” she commented.
Lexi was less thrilled when asked whether she has secured a date to the prom. (A Sports Illustrated feature last November reported Judy’s concern that boys were intimidated by Lexi.) “You had to ask me that!” she exclaimed. “That was my mom!” Judy laughed when apprised of the question. Lexi probably has other things on her mind at the moment, but judging from the hordes of youthful male golfers at Demo Day who crowded around her for group photos, her chances of scoring a prom date seem at least as good as her chances of racking up another victory this year.
As Lexi Thompson prepares to embark on her first full season on the LPGA Tour, the golf world will be watching eagerly to see whether she can continue the pace set last fall and establish herself as the next American megastar. One thing we do know: Scott Thompson will be on the bag, showing up and keeping up — but probably not always shutting up.
Jack Ross is the editor of Ross’s rulings, and writes on various topics for New England Golf Monthly. He is a co-author of “Mastering Golf’s Toughest Shots,” to be published this spring in association with the Professional Caddies Association. (Photo courtesy of Getty Images.)
About Jack Ross
I write golf news, commentary and features, and am the editor of Ross' Rulings. I completed an intensive PGA/USGA rules workshop and have officiated at state amateur competitions. I also contribute to Kingdom Magazine and Arnold Palmer's Guide to the Majors, and am a co-author of "Mastering Golf's Toughest Shots: The World's Best Caddies Share Their Secrets of Success" (Sellers Publishing 2012). I serve as communications director for the Professional Caddies Association.
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