Daddy the Caddie

by Sean Saunders

I was on the move to the hospital with my wife at 10:00 on a Thursday evening. My wife delivered a beautiful baby girl at 4:18 the next Friday morning. I understand now what it means when you become a dad and the feeling of joy you have when you see your baby for the very first time. There is no greater gift than the gift of life. Winning golf tournaments is exciting, but it doesn’t compare to the experience of child birth and meeting Brooklyn.

As in preparing for a golf tournament and studying the course before I play it, my wife and I also had a birth plan. The birth plan helped us understand what we needed to do to make the pregnancy and labor process more manageable. When I prepared for college tournaments, I studied the golf course by strategizing what club to use for different golf shots and where I should aim to hit the golf ball on the best part of the green or fairway. When I had a plan to help me manage the golf course, I had more confidence which helped me play better and record lower scores. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. I have been more successful in life and my golf career since I’ve taken the time to plan ahead.

I was a caddy for my wife throughout the pregnancy and labor process. A good caddie is a person that helps a golfer perform at their highest level because they do all of the little things that take place behind the scenes. A caddie carries the clubs and bag, keeps score, walks off yardage, gives advice, cleans equipment, and the most important task of giving encouragement and support when the golfer needs it. After my wife delivered Brooklyn, she thanked me for being there to give her support throughout the entire process. It was important for my wife to know she wasn’t alone. Helping my wife focus on her breathing during labor pains, holding her hand, and giving her encouragement were my major responsibilities as daddy the caddie. We won the best prize of all in the tournament of life!