Stuart Beck's 'gamble' pays off as caddying career blossoms with Adrian Meronk

Stuart Beck admits it was a “gamble” when he gave up a prosperous career in the finance world to become a full-time caddie.

But, in a short space of time, the Eskbank man has been at the heart of the action in the US Open and the Olympics and is now excited about being part of a historic occasion in next month’s 150th Open.

Beck, a well-kent face at Broomieknowe but now playing most of his own golf at Gullane, started his caddying career on the Ladies European Tour before moving on to the men’s Challenge Tour.

He now works for Adrian Meronk on the DP World Tour, where the Pole has recorded six top-six finishes this season to sit ninth in the Race to Dubai.

Eskbank man Stuart Beck picks out a line for his boss, Pole Adrian Meronk, during the recent Dutch Open at Bernardus Golf. Picture: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images.

“Sometimes you’ve got to pinch yourself when you think of the achievements we’ve enjoyed together so far,” said Beck. “The US Open last year, the Olympics and now qualifying for the 150th Open.”

Meronk, who secured his spot in the milestone event at St Andrews through the recent Dutch Open, will be the first Pole to tee up in the game’s oldest major.

“Although there’s another guy coming through, Adrian is a bit of a celebrity in Poland,” added Beck of his boss, “and he’s done well to promote the game there, even though it’s not their No 1 sport.”

Golf has always been Beck’s No 1 sport, though he now finds himself earning a living in a game through a circuitous route.

Adrian Meronk will become the first Pole to play in The Open when he tees up in next month's 150th edition at St Andrews. Picture: The R&A

“Since I left school, I worked in finance for a broker in Edinburgh and was there for the best part of 19 years,” he said. “Then towards the end of that spell we had a couple of takeovers and a part of the business got sold to another company.

“To cut a long story short, I decided to take voluntary leave before starting with another finance company. But it just wasn’t the same. I missed the old place, really, and old pals.

“In 2018, they had the Ladies’ Scottish Open at Gullane, where I play, and they were looking for some caddies for that. Having already done a bit of caddying there, I quite fancied it so took a week off and was on Anne van Dam’s bag that week as she finished joint-15th.

“That gave me a bug for it, really, so I made a few enquiries, speaking to a few caddies and other people in the business and I started at the bottom on the Ladies European Tour and had a year or two there.

“It definitely was a gamble at the start, but I then had a spell on the Challenge Tour, having some good results there, and have worked my way up the ladder from there.

“I was with Italian Lorenzo Scalise for just over a season then worked with Aaron Cockerill, a Canadian, for just over a year on the main tour.

“Once we finished up, Adrian was looking for a new caddie and I was looking for a job, so it all came together. I’d known him since 2017/2018 through working on the Challenge Tour and that’s how we had a connection.

“I think I’m quite a calm person so in pressurised situations I just try and keep him level-headed and try and keep him calm. We get on very well, both on and off the course.”