Teaming up with Dominic Bott has been nothing short of a game-changing decision for Thorbjørn Olesen. Since 2015, the duo has racked up multiple wins together, including that wild eagle birdie finish at the 2022 British Masters that had everyone talking. Their bond has been through it all: clutch Sundays, missed cuts, and even a short time apart. Nearly ten years later, they’re still going strong and proving that the right caddie really can be a total game changer. But while Bott has become closely tied to Olesen’s success, there’s more to him than what you see on the fairways.

Inside the Life of Dominic Bott

Dominic Bott has been around the professional golf scene for over 30 years, but for many fans, he’s best known today as the longtime caddie for Danish pro Thorbjørn Olesen. Their partnership began in 2015, but Bott’s journey in golf started long before that.

Born in Yorkshire, England, in 1973, Bott got his start in 1992 as a part-time caddie on the Challenge Tour with Stephen Bottomley. Just a year later, he landed his first full-time gig on the European Tour, working with Paul Eales. From there, things moved fast. Over the years, Bott worked with some of the most recognized names in European golf, including Howard Clark, Raymond Russell, and Gary Evans.

One of the most talked-about moments of his early career came at the 2002 Open Championship. Bott was caddying for Evans, who was in contention on the final hole. Hoping to play it safe, Bott advised Evans to take an iron off the tee instead of a driver. It didn’t go as planned. Evans made bogey and finished just short of glory. Looking back, Bott has said that’s the one decision in his career he would love to take back.

That 2002 Open Championship moment may have stung, but it didn’t slow Bott down. He teamed up with some of Europe’s biggest names, including Colin Montgomerie, Paul Casey, Graeme Storm, Lee Westwood, and Thomas Bjørn. By the time he joined forces with Olesen in 2015, Bott was already a well-respected veteran with a deep understanding of the game. Bott genuinely loves the game of golf and has built his life around it, but he also thinks the caddie life can be tough.

What does Bott think of the caddie’s life?

He finds the constant travel and long weeks on the road mentally and physically draining. He believes the job demands full focus at all times, with little room for rest or off days. Over the years, he’s stayed in everything from fancy hotels to tents and caravans, which, for him, is just part of the grind that comes with the job. “I’d say it’s one of the toughest jobs going, i.e., travel, staying in hotels. I see a hotel, I see a golf course, and I see an airport. That’s it,” he once shared in an interview.

Sharing the reality of being a bagman, Bott spared no truth. Speaking to Golf Shake, he said, “As a caddie, you’re not allowed to be tired. You’ve got to be on the ball. It has its ups and downs. The ups are that on Sunday afternoon, somebody’s going to be very happy. The downs are that you could miss ten cuts on the trot and you’re away from your family. It is tough. People say it’s a glamorous life staying in nice hotels. I’ve stayed in tents, and I’ve stayed in caravans. I lived it through the old days too. It’s not the glamorous lifestyle everyone thinks. Yeah, we’re making a few quid, but we do have bad times. But I have met some great people.”

Outside the ropes, Dominic Bott has a solid list of interests that keep him grounded. He’s a lifelong Leeds United fan, and one of his favorite off-course memories is meeting club legend Eddie Gray, surprisingly, at Gleneagles during a tournament. Bott also enjoys cricket and has struck up friendships with players like Kevin Pietersen through his travels. Add in a soft spot for darts and time spent with his close-knit circle of fellow caddies, and it’s clear that Bott’s world extends well beyond golf, even if the sport remains his main stage.

And away from the course, Bott’s life is filled with close friends and the family that keeps him grounded.

Bott’s family and friends

While Bott is often spotted on golf’s biggest stages, there’s a whole other world waiting for him back home in Yorkshire. His wife, Gabby, has always been there, managing life back home while he travels from one tournament to the next. Their daughter, now living in London, knows what it’s like to have a dad whose job takes him all over the globe.

Being away from family isn’t easy, and Bott knows that well. As much as he enjoys the game, the goodbyes never get any lighter. Still, they find their rhythm catching up during breaks, planning meetups when schedules allow, and always staying close no matter the miles. It’s that kind of quiet support that’s helped Bott keep going all these years.

He once took his one friend to Dubai to the Classic so that he could live his life. His friend got in Tuesday night, played pro-am on Wednesday morning. Bott told his friend, “You’ve got to remember from now on it’s just me and you and you do what I do. You go home when I go home, you get up when I get up, you eat when I eat, if I want to go for a beer, you come with me. You’re going to live a week as a tour caddie.” His friend got home on Monday, and called him on Tuesday and said, “I’m so tired. How do you do it? Then get on an aeroplane and go to the next venue?”

Have you been following Bott and Olesen’s journey?