Billy Foster is one of the most well-known caddies on the golf circuit and he’s full of stories from now and the past, including tales of the great Seve Ballesteros.
Foster, who currently caddies for US Open winner Matt Fitzpatrick, has been around the block more than most and has had a very successful career on the bag.
Thankfully for us golf fans, Foster and his fellow caddies have been sharing some of their stories in recent weeks.
Foster recently named Tom Kim and Brian Harman as the two slowest players on the PGA Tour and now, he’s given a unique insight into life working alongside Seve Ballesteros.
Billy Foster shares the shot he convinced Seve Ballesteros to hit he’d never suggest now
Speaking on the latest episode of Ask the Caddies on The 19th Uncut podcast, Foster revealed the shot he’d talked Seve Ballesteros into that he’d never try now.
“I had a good one at St. Mellion, with Seve,” Foster said.
“Caddying for Seve, he had a shot to the green 205 yards. It was like into breeze, right in between a four and a five iron back then. So he worked in metres, so 180 odd metres whatever it was.
“The pin was front left and there was water short left, and it was right in between a four and a five iron. So I know if I tell him 182 metres, he’ll hit the five iron. So I said ‘you’ve got 188 metres mate’, I just stuck six more on, to convince him to hit the four iron and past the hole.
“Anyway, he flushed it, went out of bounds over the green…no he hit it exactly six yards past the hole but if I’d given him the right yardage he might have holed it. But I can’t believe I did that, there’s not a chance I’d do that now.”
A different game in 2024
Foster doesn’t go into too much why he’d not try it in the modern era but there is chatter among him and the two other caddies on the show about how certain modern players want more of a say.
That perhaps factors into Foster’s thinking here and he may well argue that the older players relied a bit more on a caddie’s insight due to the differences in technology available now.
Of course, certain players will really value what someone like Foster brings to the table and Matt Fitzpatrick keeps him on the bag for good reason.
But the game has certainly changed now and it would be interesting to see someone like Ballesteros play with all the upgrades and perks of a modern player.
Indeed, you wouldn’t bet against the Spaniard winning plenty of majors if he did.
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