The oldest golf club in the world at St Andrews in Scotland has teamed up with a local college to develop Caddie Connect, the first training scheme of its kind aimed at raising the image - and the standard - of the humble caddie.

The caddie is the unsung hero of the golfing world. Unless things go badly, of course, when an unexpected spotlight can be shone on the hapless bag-carrier. At this year’s Open, Ian Woosnam discovered too late he had too many clubs in his bag. The resultant penalty cost him hundreds of thousands of pounds in prize money. Caddie Miles Byrne and Woosnam parted company shortly afterwards.

The complexities of the rules of golf and how they relate to caddies, the etiquette of the game, producing a yardage book to assist the player to judge distances to the hole and how to offer a high level of customer service are an integral part of the new training course.

As the home of golf and the place where caddies are used more often - around 18,000 rounds of golf last season, which is twice their nearest rivals in Britain and the United States - this was a natural venue for such a scheme to be developed. The cachet of having the St Andrews standard will also give the accredited qualification added weight. A pilot course run in-house by the St Andrews Links Trust last April was successfully completed by 24 trainees. Validated by the Scottish Qualifications Authority, the first Caddie Connect course is now starting at Elmwood College in nearby Cupar. A practical side to the course involves 30 assessed rounds.

Rick Mackenzie, the trust’s caddie manager, says: “The relationship between golfer and caddie is of the utmost importance. I say to potential caddies at St Andrews that they should put themselves in the golfer’s place. Imagine how much a trip to St Andrews means to them and how their enjoyment will be enhanced by service they received from their caddie.”

Many people will be surprised, he says, that in a sport that gives so much attention to detail in every aspect of the game’s management the caddie was one area that had escaped scrutiny. With no structure, qualifications or proper regulation, the occupation was peopled with what he says were euphemistically described as “characters” - including drunks, drug-dealers and virtual down and outs.

Most got the “bag” of a top player on the professional tour by chance - there are 160 bags on the pro tour. He had been a roadie with pop groups and was at a tournament in Australia when a local professional, Terry Gale, had a row with his caddie, needed a replacement and Mackenzie stepped in. He has been involved ever since.

“Caddie Connect now gives the caddie a qualification and the chance of a career structure while the golfer can enjoy a guarantee of a quality of service. Until recently such an innovation had never been considered,” he said.

Elmwood College sees Caddie Connect as complementing the range of courses already offered for the greenkeeping and golf industry. There has also been interest with 156 enquiries from across the UK in the two weeks after the new course was announced.

Huw Parry, deputy head of the school of greenkeeping, horticulture and sport, said the course was a 40-hour module that could stand alone or be incorporated into a National Certificate of Golf Studies course. There are 16 students on the first course, which is divided into three stages with the role of the caddie, 30 assessed rounds and the final certification consisting of a written test and an assessed performance over 18 holes.

“The college is recognised as a centre for excellence for course management and this is part of a move to focus on the game more,” he said. Caddying has tended to be ignored as far as training is concerned. Golf is a major industry and the potential for this course is huge.” There are plans by the college to develop Caddie Connect into a flexible learning course that can be completed by caddies throughout the world - with the condition that at least one of the 30 assessed rounds is at St Andrews. Already there are plans for the course to be delivered at the Purple Clouds Golf Community in China.

Contact Ann Bain at Elmwood College on 01334 658842