Two Polls: Can Caddies Ever Write Memoirs And How Many Majors Was Steve Williams Worth To Tiger Woods?

On Monday's Morning Drive, we kicked around the new Steve Williams book which has resulted in the caddie taking a huge credibility hit (if social media is to be believed). I'm more fascinated by what the book could do to his re-emerging role as Adam Scott caddie, which is utterly fascinating to watch in person if you're a golf fan, as he clearly raises the level of Scott's game (to the point I was sure after 54-holes that Scott would win The Open last year).

Doug Ferguson talked to Scott this week and he doesn't see the book as a distraction. We shall see.

That said, the comments here and elsewhere suggest strong objection to the Williams book. The combination of a slave reference, the surprise timing and the New Zealand e-book release approach suggests that the former luggage handler was working around a non-disclosure agreement of some kind. Williams now tells AAP he regrets the use of "slave" and isn't pleased with the publisher for pushing that as the first glimpse of the book.

It all does feel a bit unseemly, yet at the same time, as Jaime Diaz notes in his reading of the book, there are some fantastic golf nuggets.

Williams has vital stories related to the history of the game that should be shared for future generations who will marvel at the accomplishments of his most famous client. Like Hank Haney's book, the more sordid moments are forgotten because the golf stories are so incredible.

I've also heard bits and pieces suggesting that caddies are like lawyers, bound to protect client confidentiality by an unspoken code? Therefore, this leads to two very separate questions.

The first: Is there a good time for a caddie to write a memoir?

The second question, prompted by a very interesting discussion on this week's By-The-Minute Golf Podcast featuring Lawrence Donegan, John Huggan and guest Robert Lusetich: how many majors was Steve Williams worth to Tiger? Yes, it's a number that can't be known, but I think a gut reaction poll result is still intriguing to get a better sense of how we all view the importance of this particular caddie who is widely considered one of the best at his profession. (For the record, I'm voting two.)