Phil Mickelson and his caddie's $5+ million note

Jim "Bones" Mackay has carried Phil Mickelson's bag for forever, but I bet you don't know how they came together at the beginning.

By Kyle Porter

Mar 10, 2015 at 5:52 am ET • 1 min read

Don't ever doubt the importance of a hand-written note.

My parents used to beat that adage into me as a child, but it wasn't until I was an adult that I understood its true meaning.

I've seen the benefit of writing a note to another person too many times to not believe it.

Here's example No. 459 (approximately).

You know Phil Mickelson and Jim "Bones" Mackay have been together as a player-caddie team since 1992. What you might not guess is the genesis of the relationship.

Karen Crouse of the New York Times reports that Mickelson's coach at Arizona State was looking for recommendations for getting Mickelson a caddie when he turned pro in 1992.

He looked to Mackay, who was working as a caddie for someone else at the time.

"Mackay mentioned a few candidates, and described their strengths, but he had to cut short the conversation because his player showed up. Mackay wrote Loy a note apologizing for having to hurry off, and included his phone number in case Loy had any more questions."

The hand-written note.

What happened after that?

"Mickelson saw the note and appreciated Mackay’s gesture. He told Loy he had identified whom he wanted to carry his bag. When Mickelson made his first professional PGA Tour start, at the 1992 United States Open, Mackay was at his side."

Mickelson has made over $75 million on the PGA Tour. Even if we estimate on the lowest end of things (7 percent of earnings with no base salary ... and it's almost definitely higher than that), then that was a $5.25 million note from Mackay to Mickelson's coach.

Always send hand-written notes.