Save three shots by Sunday

European Tour caddie Steve Brotherhood promises that... so we went to see whether he could.

Iam 20 yards off the green on a beautiful, quiet morning. My second shot has come up just short, but I’m here in two. I grab my sand wedge – the club I always use to chip and pitch, with various degrees of success.

“What are you doing?” shouts my caddie, abruptly disturbing my shot. “Put that back and grab your 8-iron. Get that ball on and running as soon as you can.” I heed the advice, swap clubs, take aim... and as the ball hits the flag to nestle a couple of feet away for an easy par, my caddie gives me a knowing nod.

This scenario didn’t take place on a posh course like Wentworth, where caddies are compulsory. Nor do I have a regular bagman to carry my clubs every weekend. This was a lesson in how to play golf with a European Tour caddie who wants to share his wisdom with normal golfers like me and you.

Steve Brotherhood, known as Bro, started European Tour life with Steve Webster a dozen years ago and is preparing for his sixth season with former Ryder Cup star David Howell, who he helped to victory in the 2014 Dunhill Links at St Andrews. Now, along with another bunch of European Tour caddies dotted across the country, he’s launched the “Tour Caddy Experience” – a playing lesson where the focus is on shot selection and strategy, rather than swing positions.

He says: “I want to provide stress-free golf. If we can get you enjoying your golf now and not going around hitting re-loads or taking drops, I’m happy. Our ‘Think Like a Pro’ motto sums it all up. If you think better, you will play better. If you stay out of the water/trees/bunkers by hitting the right club to the ideal place, your scores will drop. I guarantee it. So many club golfers drop shots by hitting three off the tee, or taking two to get out of the sand, or duffing easy chips and screwing up on the greens... We’re here to minimise those mistakes, so that when you go out on your own, you’ll think twice about hitting that driver when there’s water all down the right! You’ve got to remember, we’re caddies. We’re not golf pros, so we won’t be analysing any swings. The thing we’re good at is getting you around a course with the fewest mistakes.“

After completing the application form requesting our strengths and weaknesses, fellow mid-handicapper Paul Ward and myself put the experience to the test at Bro’s home club, Newark in Nottinghamshire.