CADDIE'S ROLE: We had an impromptu meeting last Friday evening in a cafe just south of the Copperhead course at the Innisbrook golf resort in the Tampa Bay region of Florida, writes COLIN BYRNE

A thunderstorm loomed over the state for much of the afternoon and it had been the topic of conversation all day. What time we were going to be hauled off the course?

In the modern era of caddying, much like everyone else, we all have instant access to information and in our business the weather is a relevant talking point and not just a convenient introduction to conversation.

Darkness had descended on the golf course by mid-afternoon. It was dull enough to warrant the suspension of play in cricket, but given the forecast the golfers were only too happy to squint their way along the fairways.

Some of us caddies met quite by chance, gathered around a table and started to think out loud about the half rounds we had just completed in extremely difficult windy conditions.

The wind was such that as the ball was on its journey towards the green you would see a look of angst and hope on the bagman's face until the ball came safely to rest in the vicinity of the green.

It had been a balmy and blustery day with a south wind blasting the course.

The objective for those of us who had teed off on the back nine first was at least to get through the par-five first hole before play was suspended.

The wind was due to change to the north on Saturday which meant that you wouldn't reach the green in two shots. Psychologically it was a one-shot advantage. The game at most levels is between the ears; this is particularly true at the top professional level.

We blew the froth off our coffees and engaged in the sort of post-game analysis that, in all my years of caddying, I have rarely experienced.

"How difficult was it out there? I mean, you couldn't tell if the ball was going to come up 20 yards long or 20 yards short of its target," one of my colleagues said.

In this era of lasers, altimeters and compasses it didn't say much for our levels of accuracy if we were guessing within 40 yards.

Another said:"I drove up to the course this morning and could barely keep the car on the road. What chance have the golfers of keeping the ball on the fairway?"

An elderly couple came in and engaged in conversation as only Americans would; uninvited and without encouragement. The couple had been working as volunteers at the tournament and were golf enthusiasts. We explained what we did and who we worked for.

We had come off the course standing at level par. The gentleman was certain that my man would make the cut: "After all he is a two-times US Open champion, of course he will make the cut."

How far from reality can avid amateur golfers be at times, we wondered as the two battled out to their car through a lighter moment of the deluge.

It really doesn't matter what you have done in the past as a golfer. You need to continuously prove yourself by bringing in the scores. The young modern professional may well be respectful but rarely nostalgic.

We missed the cut.

"My guy's got the wrong set-up in his bag for this wind," another of the coffee fourball continued.

"He's got a rescue club in the bag and he can't hit it into the strong wind. He needs a three iron instead but it's impossible to tell him. It cost us two shots a day."

The caddie who had trouble keeping his car on the road continued: "My guy hasn't made a cut all year and as he came out of the locker room this morning I could sense he was a different person, I could tell that he was going to play well."

His player went on to make the cut and finished the tournament in the top 10.