Steve Williams: Golfers need to lighten up

Steve Williams.

Caddie extraordinaire Steve Williams believes the modern golfer needs to lighten up.

"It's a serious business but they need to stop taking themselves so seriously," said the big Kiwi, who became the game's highest profile caddie while working for Tiger Woods.

Williams has confirmed the details of a controversial conversation he had with Korean-American golfer Kevin Na, during a 2014 tournament in Germany. Na revealed in a Sports Illustrated profile last week he got upset with Williams, who told Na he was like a bad movie.

However, Williams stressed to the Herald how slow Na was playing.

Williams, who was working for Aussie Adam Scott, said the group including Na - who is notorious as golf's slowest player - was put on the clock twice, upsetting the rhythm of his playing partners.

Williams, a caddie since the 1970s, also told me that players of old were less sensitive and enjoyed verbal exchanges between themselves and banter with the galleries. He reckoned golf of today could learn a lesson from the past.

The 52-year-old Williams also confirmed he would carry Scott's bag again this year, after his surprise comeback mid-2015. The 2016 plan is to work for Scott in eight to 10 tournaments, including the four majors.

Scott was initially opposed to Williams returning on a part-time basis, but changed his mind telling the Sydney Morning Herald: "My hope is that Steve will caddie as many weeks as possible...but certainly it's not going to be a full-time gig. He's the first to say that, and that's fine."