Big Darren's in the swing at St Andrew's

As the North Coast prepares to welcome the stars of the golfing world to Royal Portrush this summer for The 153rd Open, a Castlerock man is already mixing with the game's big stars as a caddy at the famous St Andrew’s course in Scotland.

Darren Hutton has been caddying at the course, known as ‘the home of golf’ for the past few years and he says his job is a ‘dream come true’.

“I started getting back into golf after COVID, “said Darren. “I did play a bit of football, but when I got back into golf, I decided that I would concentrate on that, and I fell in love with the game all over again.

“I had caddied at Castlerock as a schoolboy, but I never really thought much more about it. Then, Bert McKay from the Club stopped me and asked me if I would be interested in caddying at a professional tournament at Galgorm in Ballymena, and I jumped at the chance, I was nervous, but I really enjoyed it and that’s really where I got a taste for it,” said Darren who is also a talented DJ.

“I spoke to a friend of mine, also from Castlerock, and told him that I had enjoyed the work as a caddy and he put a word in for me at St Andrew’s, and the rest is history – I sent off an email and I was invited over and I have been there since and I am really loving it.

“I leave the house at 7 in the morning, and I may not be back in again till 10 pm. It is tiring, and I walk around 35,000 steps every day. You are constantly learning and researching about the courses, but it beats an office job any day of the week, “he joked.

Darren recently caddied in a televised tournament alongside golfing superstars Rory McIlroy and Brooks Koepka: “I was caddying for a friend of mine, Ben Robinson, a professional golfer. We were on the range and we looked across and there was Rory McIlroy and his father.

“I have met Rory before, he is a great guy and he always has time for a chat.

“Ben wanted to move away from the range, but I convinced him to stay on. He was hitting balls just as well as Rory was. He [Ben] will be one to watch in the future.

“The next day we were walking around the course with Ricky Elliot, from Portrush, who caddies for Koepka, it is mental to think how big these players are, sometimes you just have to pinch yourself,” said Darren.

Darren passes his golfing advice on to the players he caddies for and to the many students who join the staff at St Andrew’s over the busy summer months.

“In the peak summer season, you could work for two rounds daily. Some students come in to help, so I have been mentoring them.

“They come in and shadow me for a couple of rounds so that they know exactly what is expected of them.”

When asked to compare the courses here on the North Coast, to the seven available to golfers at St Andrew’s, Darren added: “I do think that the courses at Castlerock and Portrush are probably more difficult than some of the courses at St Andrew’s, but St Andrew’s is magical.

“Big double greens, humps and bumps, the history of the place just makes it something else, but I will always have a place in my heart for my own Club of Castlerock.”

It just goes to show you can take the boy out of Castlerock but you can’t take the Castlerock out of the boy!

CQ wishes Darren all the best with his career.

This article is part of the CQ Magazine.  Click here to read more.