I was not brought-up playing golf, nor in a family where country club memberships and servants were part of normal living. And while I appreciate the work of a good caddie (I can count all of them I've used in one hand), for the most part I prefer carrying my own bag or, occasionally, pulling a cart (did so at the Long Cove Club in Hilton Head recently and loved it). Good caddies like I had at CPC and the River Course make the first time around more enjoyable and easier to score. However, unless I am in a tournament situation, I prefer carrying my own bag.
Like with mandatory riding, I have strong objections to mandatory caddie programs. Financial considerations are a factor (I have a higher use for $5m to $10m per year), but more important is that I prefer to play the game as it was intended- by my own wits. Relying on another opinion, often as the primary, seems to run counter to the game and diminishes its requirements. Add the coaching, alignment, and counseling that the professionals and national amateurs now get from their caddies/swing gurus, golf is more of a collaborative effort.
Encouraging caddie programs is a good thing if the intent is to give the golfer choices. Anything that gets people off riding gets my enthusiastic support. But playing a two and a half hour round late in the day with one or two friends, carrying your own bag, and enjoying uncrowded conditions is about as good as it gets.
Two favorite caddie stories:
I was assigned a 12 year-old boy at Muirfield Village for a late starting time in a tournament. The boy had no knowledge of the game, and could barely keep up carrying my ultra-light bag. We sent him forward to forecaddie on the left side of 9, and not only did I lose a ball that I thought would stay on the left side of the fairway, for a time my clubs and the caddie were no place to be found. It seems that he was distracted by wildlife near a stream and he left my bag in knee high native flora while he pursued his quarry. The long walk back to the tee and the ensuing double-bogey did nothing for my attitude, nor for those of the players behind me. As for the boy, he was a distraction, but not the cause of my bad golf, so he was paid appropriately.
At CPC, my caddie was carrying doubles, and he set the tone early on. In addition to presenting his credentials by telling me about his "name" clients, he explained the time objectives of the round, and the need to keep our pace. On about the fourth hole, after replacing one of my divots, he turns around to me and says something to the effect "Look Lou, if you and I are going to get along all day long, you are going to have to stop making me chase your divots". He went on to explain that he also had to take care of his other guy, and I needed to replace my own turf (at my home club we fill-in divots with sand, so I didn't know, and I also thought that perhaps the caddie union would file a grievance if I attempted to usurp any of his tasks). Fortunately, this guy really knew the greens, so he was extremely helpful. I personally enjoyed his directness, and didn't take offense to his comments. He was compensated very well.