Earlier this month, Team Titleist member Scott Melton stood on the first tee at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas with perhaps a slight expression of disbelief.

It was his first time at the course. First time in Vegas. First time standing inside the ropes at a PGA Tour event wearing a caddie bib with "WATNEY" on the back.

A couple weeks earlier, Scott, who lives in Memphis, Tenn., had received an e-mail from Team Titleist notifying him of an opportunity to fly to Las Vegas to caddie for Titleist Brand Ambassador Nick Watney during the Wednesday Pro-Am at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospital for Children Open.

"I thought it was a joke at first," said Scott, one of Team Titleist's most active members. (You might better recognize him by his username, "memphisunited.")

"I thought maybe someone had hacked into the Titleist e-mail servers," he said.

Fortunately, that wasn't the case.

Scott and his wife soon found themselves on a plane headed to Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport, and then inside a car on its way to TPC Summerlin.

Once at the course, Scott was given a tour of the Titleist FittingWorks Van, where he was able to spend some time picking the brains of our Tour Reps.

And then it was time for work.

Scott was introduced to Nick, as well as Nick's everyday caddie, Chad Reynolds (who wasn't exactly disappointed to be getting an 18-hole break under the Las Vegas sun).

At 8:20 a.m., they were off.

"It was a once in a lifetime experience to get an up close look at how those guys interact and think on a golf course," Scott said.

For more on Scott's loop, check out his Team Titleist Q&A at the bottom of the page.

You can view pictures from the day (thanks to Scott's wife) in the following slideshow and hear what Nick had to say about his caddie for the day in the video below. 

TEAM TITLEIST: What was it like being inside the ropes at a PGA Tour event?

SCOTT MELTON: It was a once in a lifetime experience to do that. Nick and Chad are just normal guys that are really, really good at what they do. And they were having a lot of fun out there too. You could tell that they enjoy what they do. It was fun to see how they approach the game on the course and to hear some of their conversations.  In some respects, it was just like playing with your golf buddies on a Sunday morning. But prior to hitting the shots, they were really focused and talked about the situation/shot.

TT: How will the experience help your game going forward?

SM: Well, I’m not sure I will ever be hitting a 300-plus yard tee shots, but it was great to see how Nick approaches the game. Obviously it was a pro-am, but he didn’t really get too high or low about any shot. Nick and Chad seem to be laid back and easy going – and that’s something that could benefit most guys trying to play this game. Plus, the difference with those guys is the short game. The touch around the green is what separates golfers at any level. Nick has a great short game.

TT: Did Nick give you any advice or tips?

SM: Yeah, don’t quit my day job. Just kidding.

TT: Do you have a newfound respect for Tour caddies?

SM: I definitely have a new respect for caddies. Nick and Chad had been on the road for something like six or seven straight weeks. That kind of schedule could be both physically and mentally draining. I was surprised to see them finish so well in Vegas (Nick finished runner-up). Speaking as “caddie for a day,” that was one big staff bag – and it was missing an umbrella, rain gear and a few other things. I can walk 18 holes with my lightweight Titleist carry bag without a problem, but it took me a few holes to get used to carrying that monster of a staff bag. The thought actually crossed my mind walking to the second tee that I may not be able to go all 18 holes. But then I got used to it and I was OK the rest of the way.

Of course, carrying the bag is only a small part of a caddie’s job. For a real caddie, there’s a lot more to it than just “show up, keep up and shut up.”

TT: Did Chad enjoy his break?

SM: It was funny because Chad kept asking me if I was OK or if I needed him to take the bag. I’m not sure if he was concerned about me passing out or just felt weird without the bag on his back. It was fairly hot out there in Vegas, but Memphis is hot and humid, so the heat didn’t bother me too much. Plus, I would never hear the end of it from my golf buddies, the Golf Nuts, if I couldn’t go the entire round.  

TT: You did great. Thanks for representing Team Titleist so well!

I want to thank Team Titleist for the opportunity to be Nick’s caddie for the day. It was truly a great experience and I had a lot of fun doing it. Words can’t express my gratitude. As an avid golfer and a Titleist guy, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me. I liked Nick Watney before this experience, but I’m definitely a big fan now.

I was trying to get Nick to come to Memphis for the FedEx St. Jude Classic. If he does, I’ll be happy to take the bag again for a day. Also, the famous Memphis BBQ is on me if he makes it to the tournament.