Kenyan caddies worried they could be out of Open jobs

A caddy displays the players board at the Barclays Kenya Open at Muthaiga Golf Club on March 23, 2017. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU |

What you need to know:

  • Even though the Barclays Kenya Open happens once a year, it comes with good tidings for local caddies.
  • This is the second year the caddies are being paid Sh3,000 daily for services offered to both local and touring professionals and amateurs alike.
  • However, the Kenya National Caddies Association co-ordinator, Peter Mbatiah, is worried that local caddies could be out of work in future Kenya Open events if touring professional golfers continue tagging along their own caddies.

Even though the Barclays Kenya Open happens once a year, it comes with good tidings for local caddies.

This is the second year the caddies are being paid Sh3,000 daily for services offered to both local and touring professionals and amateurs alike.

However, the Kenya National Caddies Association co-ordinator, Peter Mbatiah, is worried that local caddies could be out of work in future Kenya Open events if touring professional golfers continue tagging along their own caddies.

Mbatiah has requested the Kenya Open Golf Limited and Kenya Golf Union (KGU) to consider training local caddies to enable them offer better services at the Open.

Mbatiah also urged KOGL to allow management of caddies during Kenya Open to be left to caddies whom he wants involved in meetings that take place in the build-up to the Open.

“We want KOGL to make contracts between caddies and players for the Kenya Open week as the case in tournaments in Europe and America,” said Mbatiah.

“All we want is better communication when allocation of caddies is being made for Kenya Open.”

Mbatiah said that KOGL should also consider increasing the caddy to up to Sh5,000 each day.

Over 25 touring professional golfers have brought along their caddies from Europe and South Africa for the Kenya Open.

Barclays Kenya Open tournament director Patrick Obath said there is little they could do to stop touring golfers from bringing along their caddies.