July11 hugocaddie

Hugo Benson is undoubtedly the caddies’ boss when it comes to strong-arm tactics.

Carrying the pro’s weighty Tour bags around can be tough going, but not for the 41-year-old journeyman bagman who in fact can lift with one way above his head…with the fingers of one hand! No wonder the muscly, powerfully-built Hugo is known as ‘Tarzan’ among his caddie mates.

And never mind holding aloft the maximum 14 clubs in the bag, Hugo boasts: “I can probably lift up to 30 – equivalent of the weight of three average nine-year-old kids – with the one hand.

“It’s become my party trick on the pro circuit and everybody wants to see me do it. Even Henrik Stenson asked me the other week and he was amazed when I pulled it off. Mind you, a lot of other people have tried to do it but haven’t managed to succeed.

“It all started a while back when somebody, I can’t remember who, dared me to do it. I got the bag up to around shoulder height at first and it just developed from there.”

So what’s the secret to his unusual golfing party trick? “I’m naturally a strong person. That’s it really: it’s all down to strength and balance.”

Hugo has been caddieing for over 20 years but at the moment is looking for a full-time role on the main European Tour. “I’ve been working on the Challenge Tour of late but this is the place to be,” added Hugo who was hoping to get a last-minute call-up for the Scottish Open whcih starts tomorrow at Loch Lomond.