Every week on virtually every tour, the winning caddie grabs the flag on 18. It has become the caddie’s trophy, as much of a ritual as players removing their hats and shaking hands after the round. But what is the origin of this tradition and who started it? No one seems to know.
“I don’t know how it happened,” says Ted Scott, who earned his third Masters flag working on the bag of Scottie Scheffler in 2022 to go with the previous two he pocketed with Bubba Watson in 2012 and 2014. “But it’s a cool tradition, a huge reward and a special thing. Whoever started it, I’m grateful for it.”
Golfweek did some digging, hoping to get to the bottom of this unsolved mystery, and along the way the stories we heard about caddies and flags were too good not to share.
Billy Foster, the caddie of US Open Champion Matthew Fitzpatrick, kisses the flag on the 18th…Austin Kaiser poses with the flag on the 18th green after Xander Schauffele wins the Travelers…Jim "Bones" Mackay poses with the flag from the 18th hole at Southern Hills after Justin…Caddie Scott Gneisser framed a tournament poster and the flag at 18 from the 2018 U.S.…Closeup of a personal inscription from David Toms to caddie Scott Gneisser on the winning flag…Caddie Steve Hulka decorated a wall at his house with golf memorabilia, including caddie flags from…Tiger Woods grabs a flag from his caddie Steve Williams during practice for the 139th Open…An assortment of winning flags adorn the wall of caddie Scott Gneisser's home. (Courtesy Scott Gneisser)Flag from the 2001 PGA Championship won by David Toms and signed to caddie Scott Gneisser:…Billy Foster holds the flag from the 18th green after Matthew Fitzpatrick won the 2022 U.S.…Caddie Mike Carrick framed the 18th hole flag from the 1992 U.S. Open at PebbleNick DePaul's flag from the LPGA Pelican Women's Championship signed by his boss, SY Kim. All…Nick DePaul's flag from the LPGA Marathon Classic signed by his boss, SY Kim. (Courtesy Nick…Caddie Sam Pinfold holds the winning flag from the 18th green at the 150th British Open…Caddie Ricky Elliott with the caddie trophy for the 2018 U.S. Open. (Adam Schupak/Golfweek)Jimmy Johnson poses with the caddie's trophy from the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow. (Adam…
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