FAMILY TIES: When daddy is a caddy

ANENDRA SINGH
New Zealand representative golfer Mark Purser expects his caddy father, Bryan, to abide by three simple rules.
"Keep up, clean up and shut up," is what the 21-year-old Hamiltonian has "moulded" his 55-year-old father into a perceptive observer who picks his moments.
"He's not dad, he's just a caddy. I tell him what to say when I'm feeling in a certain way, which I reckon is quite important. Sometimes when somebody says something you could easily get wound up," the younger Purser says as the older one sits on a bench next to him, grinning from ear to ear, during the New Zealand Under-23 Amateur Championship, in Hastings, last week.
The pair were among several family caddying combinations at the Hastings Golf Club in Bridge Pa. While not as famous as All Black Grant Fox and his son, Ryan, 18, Bryan, a self-employed pavlova manufacturer, is a renowned sportsman in his own right. In the 1978 Edmonton Commonwealth games in Canada he teamed up with his elder brother, Richard, now 63, to clinch a bronze medal in the men's badminton pairs event.
Their relationship on the course has had its share of divots.
Mark says: "With your dad you've got that deeper connection than just a mate who's pulling your bag. A bit more emotion can be shown.
"Over the last few years I've matured a little bit more. There are times where I might be a bit angry. Oh, dad never gets angry. I tend to be more passionate and fiery, whereas dad tends to be straight up and very, very calm," says Mark, who has learned to keep his demons on a leash. Losing control inevitably east into the scorecard.
While many youngsters prefer to have their parents at an arm's length even as a spectator, Mark's motto is simple: "I don't play to please anyone. I play to please myself. That can sound a bit selfish but at the end of the day the only pressure I have is what I put on myself."
Mark, who finished runner-up to Danny Lee, of Rotorua, on Saturday doesn't discriminate when he steps on to the tee for his country.
"I try to forget the fact that I'm playing for New Zealand. I know what I want to do and that's all that matters to me at that time."
Bryan, who has been carrying the clubs for Mark since he was 11 years old, sees himself in a more supportive role and is acutely aware of his physical limitations.
"I'm not quite up to walking four rounds on the course some days, so poor old dad needs a break," says Bryan, claiming that they feed off each other's contrasting personalities.
"I tend to look at more options whereas Mark gets very committed to an idea and he goes for it. I think you have to be very single-minded in the golfing arena."
Incredibly, the rapport between the Pursers smacks of Bryan playing yes man to Mark.
So have they ever had a standoff on the course? Bryan laughs, looks at Mark, who offers no facial clues under the designer sunglasses.
Bryan carries on: "You never quite get it right. If Mark asks for advice I'd probably give it. Generally his club selection is pretty bang on.
"If he's in doubt sometimes a suggestion is made but at the end of the day he's got to make the shot."
Both Bryan and mum Dorinka got behind Mark in high school when he decided that golf was going to be his future.
Bryan's mental edge gained from his badminton years has rubbed off on the younger Purser.
"I've played against some of the best badminton players in the world in my day in pressure situations. You've got to think clearly but you've still got to relax. I think Mark's strength is playing under pressure and certainly that's where I've been of benefit."
Their ability to switch off golf while clocking thousands of meters on the course is a great relaxing technique. They talk about Mark's love of cars or whatever happens to be topical in the newspapers that morning.
The love of cars means Mark has taken up a part-time job with a Ford dealership in Hamilton as driver who runs errands.
Mark says he might turn professional by the end of this year.
"Parents shouldn't ever force their kids to do things they don't want to do. They should let the kids decide for themselves. Hopefully, the work they (parents) have done will have a good effect on their decision-making when they get older."
Pushy parents only breed more rebellious children, he says.