Interesting Matt Kuchar Story

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jbindm

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Dec 2, 2010
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I guess Kuchar could have avoided the whole damn mess by not trying to get a deal done on the cheap right off the bat.

When he made this comment - “For a guy who makes $200 a day, a $5,000 week is a really big week,” - he made himself look like an out-of-touch rich *******. Time for damage control. The best thing he can do now is not talk about it and very quietly settle with the caddy to make the story go away.
 

BillyClone

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Mar 20, 2006
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How dumb can you be from a PR standpoint?

Kuchar knew he was getting a sweet deal for a caddie. I can understand that: 1) Not his regular caddie and 2) This was in Mexico so lower costs.

Then - oops! Kuchar wins the tournament. He throws the guy an extra grand and thinks he's doing the caddie a favor. Until someone explains to the caddie how a regular tour looper would have pocketed over $100,000. Guy comes back and asks for half - $50,000.

Kuch! Pay the man and you're still getting a nice deal for a caddie! Hell, I'm sure you could spin it to make yourself look like a great guy.

Instead, no. I'll offer $15k more. And look like a cheap ass.

Nice move, Matt! I'm sure you won't hear anymore about that the next time you tee it up on tour!
 

FerShizzle

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I can't fathom why caddies get 10% anyway.
Typical caddies do a lot more than carry clubs and give a yardage. They are team members and vital. A one week pickup was likely not doing any of the prep and on course management that his typical caddie does.

Also, what does this say for the typical week him and his caddie have, if without the caddie Kuchar wins.
 

ZJohnson

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Mar 27, 2006
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Kuchar is a notorious cheapskate from what I understand. The $1,000 bonus is like tipping the valet $1, you know you're supposed to but you don't want to so you tip an amount that is basically insulting.

I can assure you he is not. I used to build his golf clubs before I left the industry and he would tip better than 95% of the other guys I worked with.
 

Acylum

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Nov 18, 2006
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This sounds more like something Tiger would try to pull off.
 

BoxsterCy

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Is there really people debating that he's not a cheap *******?

Yes. He reminds of a gal sitting at my table for a big gamewatch several years ago. She spent the entire game ******** about the service and the TV volume etc. I had set up the gamewatch and there was well over a hundred people there eating and drinking. The bar manger was pretty happy about the crowd so he comped the bill for the entire table I was at which was super nice of him. Gal than asked if the comp included the tip. :eek: Now that's ******* cheap! I dropped a twenty for the waiter on the table for my tip and just walked out, pissed at her.
 
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jbindm

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I've met Matt multiple times and he is honestly one of the nicest, most genuine people on the planet. This is a non-story. It's the Mexican man trying to make something out of nothing. The guy AGREED to 3k and turned down 15k more.

It's a story because of how Kuchar handled it.
 
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cyclonedave25

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Not really sure what the big deal is, Kuchar paid the guy more than they initially agreed upon. If anything, blame the caddie for not doing research and asking for more up front.
And lets be honest, everybody in this thread has done something similar to save a few bucks, just not to this scale and not in the public eye. Whether buying or selling, private or public, personal or business, everybody is always looking for ways to save $$.
 

ZJohnson

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It’s def a story.

It's a story because of how Kuchar handled it.

It's only a story because people like you guys are trying to make it one. It's laughable that people who have no idea how something like this works are trying to make a good guy look bad. This sort of thing happens way more than you think. Using a "rental" caddie is common practice and generally they are happy just looping for a pro. This guy is a grade-a douche looking for his 15 min of fame.
 

Cyclone.TV

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It's only a story because people like you guys are trying to make it one. It's laughable that people who have no idea how something like this works are trying to make a good guy look bad. This sort of thing happens way more than you think. Using a "rental" caddie is common practice and generally they are happy just looping for a pro. This guy is a grade-a douche looking for his 15 min of fame.

There are plenty of people in the golf business - who know a lot about how it works - that are commenting on it and not in a good way. It’s laughable that you think it’s a non-story.
 
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CyTwins

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It's only a story because people like you guys are trying to make it one. It's laughable that people who have no idea how something like this works are trying to make a good guy look bad. This sort of thing happens way more than you think. Using a "rental" caddie is common practice and generally they are happy just looping for a pro. This guy is a grade-a douche looking for his 15 min of fame.

I know a PGA Tour caddie and he thinks it's a story. Kuchar is creating a PR nightmare with this
 

HardcoreClone

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Jul 28, 2006
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It's only a story because people like you guys are trying to make it one. It's laughable that people who have no idea how something like this works are trying to make a good guy look bad. This sort of thing happens way more than you think. Using a "rental" caddie is common practice and generally they are happy just looping for a pro. This guy is a grade-a douche looking for his 15 min of fame.

Didn't this all come up because of a former PGA player calling out Kuchar, not the caddy?

Sure they had a prior agreement. Sure, the rental probably didn't do as much work pre-tourney or have the in-round rapport as Kuchar's normal caddy. Sure, a 1-week stint may not be enough to earn the standard 10% that a full-time caddy could earn.

But for Kuchar to say how great his payment was compared to what the guy was used to making in a week at the resort? That is bush league. Kuchar knew he could get someone for cheap down there. No, the caddy shouldn't just be "happy" he was working for a Pro. He still did many of the same things Kuchar's regular guy would have done. If Kuch was as generous as you say he is, he wouldn't have offered $5k.
 

Urbandale2013

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Jan 28, 2018
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I guess Kuchar could have avoided the whole damn mess by not trying to get a deal done on the cheap right off the bat.

When he made this comment - “For a guy who makes $200 a day, a $5,000 week is a really big week,” - he made himself look like an out-of-touch rich *******. Time for damage control. The best thing he can do now is not talk about it and very quietly settle with the caddy to make the story go away.

That isn’t being a rich ******* that is reality. $5,000 is a couple months salary for a regular person. They had an agreement for a set amount. Would it be good to give more because he won sure but he is under absolutely no obligation in my opinion.
 

DeereClone

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Nov 16, 2009
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I can see 10% being customary to your normal caddy that you have rapport and a relationship with, but this guy was essentially there to carry the clubs for him and not give much advice so I can agree with paying less.

Plus, it is what they are agreed on and it looks like he offered more.
 

weR138

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Feb 20, 2008
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Typical caddies do a lot more than carry clubs and give a yardage. They are team members and vital. A one week pickup was likely not doing any of the prep and on course management that his typical caddie does.

Also, what does this say for the typical week him and his caddie have, if without the caddie Kuchar wins.

People missing the REAL story...which is this.