The word caddie comes from the French word le cadet, meaning the boy. In Europe in the 18th century, caddies carried water to houses. The first mention of caddies carrying golf clubs* is in 1857. Now, caddies are not boys, and both men and women can be caddies. The caddie supports the golf player in many ways. The caddie is in charge of carrying the golf player's bag and cleaning the golf balls. The caddie also has to find where the golf ball is for the player after the player hits it. The caddie must know the golf course* well so he or she can give advice to the player. Caddies make a difference between winning and losing in a game.