Best Caddy Program

[PCCraig]

Hey everyone,

 The topic of the caddies at Bandon Dunes got me thinking.

 At what clubs have you encountered the best caddies. Why were they so good and did you pay them any more than usual?

 I live in Chicago, where the caddy programs are very strong, but the best around here has to be Bob 'O Link in Highland Park.

 Thanks!

[Paul Carey]

Old Memorial in Tampa.  Single caddies only and everyone is well trained.   I have never even had a mediocre caddy experience--just different levels of very good.  Marty the Caddy Master is a tough guy but the performance of his crew reflects well on him and the club

[Tommy Williamsen]

Sage Valley has a wonderful caddy program.  Single caddies and if you get tired of golf you can always get in a row boat and go fishing.

[Jim Franklin]

The best caddie I ever had was at Old Memorial. Her name was KD and, no lie, she was an awesome caddie. She said she almost quit because none of the guys would use her because they thought a woman could not be a good caddie. After word spread that she was good then she started getting regular loops. I can attest that she is excellent.

[Smokey_Pot_Bunker]

Gentleman,

As an employee of Old Memorial in Tampa who started out as a caddy, the program is very solid and Marty Zion does indeed run a tight program.

Jim,  Her name is KT and she is still going strong at the club as a good player in her own right she can coach anyone around the course very well.  In the two years of my working at the club the number of requests that KT fields on a weekly basis from the membership at the club forced me to make a comment to her last week about checking into clones of herself for three of her usual requests all played on the same day and she was bummed that she couldn't caddy for them all.  She's is always willing to go 36 or more and defends herself the way she needs to as the only female caddy in the yard.

As a side comment I would nominate the female caddies at Oakmont for the best caddies for both the best tanned bodies and a nice distraction when you're being beaten to death by that incredible golf course.

Carmen

[Brian Jones]

Best caddies that I have experienced:
In the US- Winged Foot
In the world- St. Andrews
Worst- Pebble Beach
Most fun- Cruden Bay.  A couple of very friendly older gents in normal clothes using "trollies"  We thought they were joking at first when they said they were our caddies.  We all had a great day.

[wsmorrison]

Dominique (now Mrs. Cameron Warner I understand) was a terrific caddie for me at Sand Hills.  36 holes in one day and it was a pleasure from start to back tee birdie finish.

Merion has some terrific caddies.

Then there's the one and only Rocco J. Carbone, Jr., wind and yardage consultant extraordinaire at Pine Valley.

[Lawrence Largent]

For me Plainfield had the best caddies and they take great pride in their caddy program.

Lawrence

[Dan Boerger]

Brian - Funny you mention the Pebble Beach thing. I have a good friend, with whom I've played some of the very top courses on the East Coast. He isn't the least bit cheap nor does he ask the caddy to do anything they shouldn't. He claims that while he's had less experienced caddies, he never had one with a worse attitude than his Pebble Beach caddy.

Think about this ... by the time you put your tee in the ground on the first hole, you're probably one grand into this (greens fees, necessary lodging, meals). And sure, the demand is pretty much inelastic, but don't you think the good people running Pebble would place the service ethic of all employees -- particularly the caddie with whom you'll have your most intimate service experience -- a top priority? Maybe they do, this this was an anomoly as well.

[JDoyle]

Secession Golf Club in SC has some of the best around.

[tlavin]

I'm a member at Beverly and Olympia Fields which each have very good caddie programs, especially when you consider that 98% of the caddies are high school and college kids.  That takes a lot of training and patience.  I think in many respects it is easier to deal with adult caddies and many of the great courses I've played have superior programs because the caddies are more experienced.  A short list of great caddie programs: Bandon, Pebble, LACC, Olympic Club, Sand Hills (probably not as good as the previous, but pretty good) and Whistling Straits.

The common denominators are knowledge of the course, knowledge of the greens, obvious habits of industry, not sloth, and a pleasant demeanor.  You'll find that in a lot of top-flight clubs in America.

[Scott Stearns]

windsong Farm in Minn has a great program, if unusual.  they use 10-12 year olds.  They're told not to offer advice on clubs, yardages or putts, and the golfers are told this too.  all they do is carry your bag.

I had a great time with this.  my game was all mine.  i couldnt rely on the caddie, and i didnt get distracted by him either--no bad reads, nobody trying to jabber themselves into a better tip.

The boys were boys, getting distracted sometimes and tiring a little, but some encouragement brought them right back.  I cant tell you how much fun i had going around with a young person who was just glad to be there, and how much fun it was to see his eyes light up when i paid him a fee that was HALF what the "pro loopers" get here in in the new york metro area.

it made the game a little simpler, and reminded me of why i play golf in the fist place.


I also second the Pebble Beach nomination for worst caddie program.  I walk/take a looper 25 of 30 rounds per year, carry a "drainpipe" type bag made by mackenzie.  its the lightest bag i've found apart from those "moon" bags.

My pebble looper insisted on pulling all my clubs out of my bag and using "his" bag anyway.  maybe not a big deal to some, but I don't like paying $100 plus for a loop, and then getting my luggage switched without so much as a request, much less a choice.  started my day off badly.

[peter_mcknight]

Just because of pride, I'll have to nominate Saucon Valley, where I caddied between 1985-1992.

We had a number of excellent caddies at SVCC that could give you yardage from pretty much anywhere on each of the 3 courses at the club, as well as knowing how to read the greens.

SVCC went through a training program for its caddies.  Even though we had plenty of carts, members were prodded into using caddies whenever possible.

If you want a fun caddy experience, try SVCC's summer solstice deal--60 holes in one day!

[Jim Franklin]

Carmen -

Thanks for the correction, KT was awesome right from the start. Twice she picked clubs for me on the first few holes and I switched and came up short once and long the next. I never asked again and played great. I think I was close to even for the day. I am glad she is doing well.

[JR Potts]

I'm a member at Beverly and Olympia Fields which each have very good caddie programs, especially when you consider that 98% of the caddies are high school and college kids.  That takes a lot of training and patience.  I think in many respects it is easier to deal with adult caddies and many of the great courses I've played have superior programs because the caddies are more experienced.  A short list of great caddie programs: Bandon, Pebble, LACC, Olympic Club, Sand Hills (probably not as good as the previous, but pretty good) and Whistling Straits.

The common denominators are knowledge of the course, knowledge of the greens, obvious habits of industry, not sloth, and a pleasant demeanor.  You'll find that in a lot of top-flight clubs in America.

Tlav - You must admit that Butler National has quite a caddy program as well.  Or were you unhappy with their yardages yesterday?  In my opinion though, the most knowledgable caddies I have come across are those at Whistling Straits.

[tlavin]

Everything about Butler is first class, except the surrounding real estate.  The sight of office buildings towering over trees is not all that relaxing.  Then again, it's pretty hard to relax out there because every single shot to every single green is demanding and nerve-wracking.

[JR Potts]

Why, you don't like hearing "hit it at the huge office building on the right" when standing over your blind second shot on 15?

[Patrick_Mucci]

Brian & Dan,

The caddies I've had at Pebble, and I've had many, were all terrific.

They were good caddies, good players and good company.

In general, some clubs cultivate a superior caddy program, at other clubs, it's just an accomodation, vis a vis a bag carrier, versus a caddy.

GCGC has a superior caddy program.

But, the best readers of greens I ever had were two young college students.  One was at Inverness the other at NGLA, they were incredible, and nice young fellows to boot.