Caddie Golf

[JNC Lyon]

I recently discussed the issue of caddy golf at length with one of my friends, and the discussion compelled me to pose some questions about caddy golf.

How often do you take caddies?

Do you enjoy playing golf with caddies?

Would you support a caddy program at your club?

How do you think caddy golf is important to the game of golf as a whole?

[JESII]

JNC,

I think the single most important thing is the potential to introduce a young person to the game.

[Steve Kline]

I rarely take caddies. Usually I will only take them if it is mandatory or required to walk.

I enjoy playing golf with caddies that really know the course and can, therefore, improve my score.

I would not monetarily support a caddy program at my home club. It is an additional expense I can't afford (one reason why I don't take carts). Also I don't need help on my home course and I like the additional exercise of carrying my own bag.

[Sev K-H Keil]

Playing with a caddie is like walking --- golf, the way it is meant to be played...

I take a caddie whenever possible. At my home club, I have a regular caddie (a career caddie  / old timer who lives for the game!). He knows my game, he knows my quirks, his assistance improves my score and it adds tremendously to the overall experience. Also, I haven't bought new balls in years as he tends to find more than I lose...

On the flip side --- nothing worse than playing a great course with a bad caddie.

[Adam Clayman]

JNC, I take one frequently. It's can be an interesting dynamic between total strangers which has the opportunity to turn out great, as well as disappointing. It's mostly about attitudes and expectations.

I'm with Sully on it's importance of furthering participation and influence. Although, there does some seem to be a serious lack of those who currently play the game who either don't know the important aspects to pass down, or are unwilling to.

I also feel for Steve's position and appreciate the ability to afford one. It is most certainly a luxury, especially on a great course where walking helps feel every aspect and inch of the course.

Having different grades of caddies is a good way to feel the luxury without the cost of having a pro looper on your side, while giving some kids the opportunity to learn about people, work, and saving money.

[JESII]

You know Adam, we frequently disagree on the importance of trying to shoot the lowest score possible...I imagine our disagreement is mostly exagerated by the nature of an internet discussion board than the reality of our approaches...but your point there highlights exactly my feelings. Playing golf with a caddie who is interested and engaged, but not married to the job, is probably ideal.

[Dan Herrmann]

To be honest, the deciding factor these days comes down to money.   It's a tough economy...

[Matt_Cohn]

I like caddies in tournaments, but that's different.

For everyday play, caddies seem mostly expensive and unnecessary. I'm not saying it's not nice (sometimes...) but caddies don't do anything I can't do myself, and in most cases, would prefer to do myself.

Plus, to be honest, it just feels kind of...weak? Why do I need to pay somebody else to do the work stuff (carrying clubs, replacing divots, cleaning stuff) for me? It's almost too luxurious, I guess, or pampered, and I don't really like the feeling of it.

[Jason Topp]

I play with caddies most weekends.  I do it mainly to support kids who are going through college or high school.  I really enjoy it as long as my caddie is interested in doing a good job.  I only find one valuable when playing in inclement weather.

The problem with caddie programs is that unless you have a membership that is truly dedicated to the cause, you need to mandate caddies in order to have enough loops so that there is enough work for caddies.  That makes it really difficult to attract younger new members who are concerned about the high cost of joining in the first place.

[Tom Walsh]

Obviously- there are at least two types of caddies- pro loopers, and country club jocks. Despite caddying for nearly 10 years as a kid right through college, I've never had a caddy carry my bag. Probably because I'm a publinxer and usually play only 9 holes at a time. I almost always walk. More's the pity. I'd like to have one once before I die, if only to relive the feeling of my youth. I admired most of the members I carried for as a kid. At least I think I did. There's been several threads about the demise of the caddy--a related topic to this one. The game is for walking if you can. I don't know what I'd have done as a kid if I didn't caddy, I hated cutting lawns. There's got to be a place for the traditional caddy/player relationship at the club, no?

[Jim Hoak]

I walk and take a caddie whenever I can.  In my opinion, that is the way golf was meant to be played--and there is no greater satisfaction.
I don't care how good--or experienced--or knowledgable--the caddie is.  It is still a joy.
The only caddies I try to avoid are those who feel a need to give swing advice--or who think that they are part of the show and need to perform as a part of the entertainment.  As great an experience as The Old Course is, the caddies have begun to fall into the latter category--thinking that they, not the course, are the real attraction.  They often talk and perform too much.

[Ronald Montesano]

I've paid for caddies at Whistling Straits and Kinloch.  Great experiences both times, two totally different caddie types.  Kevin Lynch of GCA caddied for me at NYSGA mid-am qualifier and made my frustrating play bearable.  I love caddies...wanna be a billionaire so freakin' bad.

[Mike H]

I agree with Steve.  I was a member at a club in Cleveland that it was mandatory to take cart or caddy and I HATED this policy.  I enjoyed walking but most of the time i took a caddy he didn't was not going to help me with my game since it was my home course.  Often times the caddies would not handle my clubs as I liked and I felt that I had teach my caddy what to do.  Now this is different if you want to pay for a top caddy but for someone who just enjoys walking and playing my own game a caddy does not help me enjoy the game. 

[Jud_T]

I have mixed feelings.  On the one hand I love walking with a caddie.  Particularly since my back will not allow carrying.  There's nothing better than having a really good caddy at a club that you're not that familiar with.  Can easily save you several strokes.  However, I agree that at one's home course, after a couple hundred rounds there aren't many caddies who can add anything much beyond forecaddying...A great opportunity for kids and deserves to be supported...

[Adam Clayman]

One of my best was at Butler. I became so flustered by the demands I just told my caddy to tell me what to do. He was so good I was able to shoot my handicap and won our match. One of the more disappointing was at Merion when the caddies failed to bring extra clubs and ball to the 17th tee.

[Terry Lavin]

I almost always walk and almost always get a caddie.  It's part of the overall experience for me.  Most of the time, the input is merely social, as the caddies hereabouts are usually high school and college kids with very little golf knowledge, but occasionally I'll get a really smart and savvy caddie and that's a blast, because it can definitely help your focus and performance.

[Tim Nugent]

If you want a caddy program to succeed, make carts more expensive than a caddy but don't make it manditory.  When I was a kid caddying at Onwensia, they had carts - but you needed a Drs. note to take one - then you still had to take a forecaddy.  That job sucked - all you did was run 5-6 miles.  Got in shape for football though.

[Bill_McBride]

One of my best was at Butler. I became so flustered by the demands I just told my caddy to tell me what to do. He was so good I was able to shoot my handicap and won our match. One of the more disappointing was at Merion when the caddies failed to bring extra clubs and ball to the 17th tee.

In the same vein, I was very disappointed at Cypress Point on the 16th tee when I hit two tee balls that [almost] carried the chasm and then turned to ask for a 4 iron and another ball.  He was all the way around the cove.  He'd seen me hit tee balls all day and should have had at least a hint of a clue.

I don't play courses in our area where caddies are in play. The summers are just too brutal.  When I'm somewhere there are caddies, I love to take one. 

[Dan Herrmann]

Don't get me wrong - I love having a looper.  A good one makes the experience even better.

It's just that I work for a living (in other words, I'm not rich) and shelling out the necessary funds just isn't in our budget on an every round basis. 

[Sean Leary]

For those who play at courses that require caddies, is there less play during tough economic times? I love playing with a caddy, but the added cost of playing the 50 or so rounds I play at my home course each year makes it not feasible as I am already paying a lot in dues.

[Wayne_Kozun]

I would take a caddy often but my club doesn't have a caddy program.  We have tried to restart it but it hasn't gained any traction.  I have occasionally asked the pro shop to get caddies for a tournament like a Member/Guest and everyone else in the club kind of looks at you like you have two heads.

Caddies are very rare here in Canada.  Hamilton G&CC has a strong caddy program with kids and Magna Golf Club has caddies that are generally taken in conjunction with carts, but this is a 5* club where the members have lots of cash.  I don't even remember seeing caddies at high end resort or public courses in Canada, although Cabot Links aims to have a strong caddy program.

[Brent Hutto]

How often do you take caddies?

Probably a couple rounds a year in the past but lately even less. Very seldom in the future.

Do you enjoy playing golf with caddies?

In retrospect, almost always less than if I had played by myself. I can think of three rounds where the caddie improved the experience, the rest were either a wash or a net distraction.

Would you support a caddy program at your club?

No but belonging to a middle-class club in the southeastern USA it will never remotely be an issue.

How do you think caddy golf is important to the game of golf as a whole?

Virtually no importance. It's perceived as a luxury by the minuscule proportion of golfers to whom it is available and a Tour pro thing by the vast majority otherwise.

[Chris Flamion]

I don't take a caddy very often but find the experience to be semi frustrating.  Out of the caddies I have had this season 1 has been tremendous and absolutely saved me strokes and made a bad round enjoyable, 3 have been mediocre, and 1 has been so bad that I didn't even know what to say.  For the amount of money that they costs I find them not worth it.

Required Caddy programs at clubs are extremely limiting to me.  The club down the street from my house requires carts or caddies at all times.  We could easily afford all other parts of the club, but i refuse to pay for something I won't always need or want.  That said if I had the money I would support a caddie program, just not if I was forced to 100% of the time.

[Fred Yanni]

Priority one is always to walk and carry.   Unfortunatley I do not have that option at many of the clubs I get to play in the NY metro area as a guest.  I do love walking with a caddy, especially a good one, but it is very very expensive here.  I usually have to pay $80 to $100 a bag and that is way more money than I can throw around on a regular basis.  

BTW JNC - it was great having lunch with you earlier this summer and best of luck a Colgate this semester)

I will say the caddies down here have been a mixed bag.  At Friars Head the caddies have been awesome and have made a fun foursome into a fun six-some.  (best story of the summer so far was a group mate hitting both caddies on the same shot - no injuries - except 5 busted guts and one horrified golfer).

2 horrible experiences recently though - I won't mention the clubs - 1)  one caddy gave me bad yardages on 2 consecutive holes (club had no markers & I don't carry a laser) - on the third hole I politely told him a shot looks shorter - he assured me it played MUCH longer than it looked, I said it just doesn't look it...  he said trust me and I proceeded to hit it 20 yards over the green and made double.  needless to say we didn't speak much the rest of the round.

2)  Played in a charity event with 3 clients - I always ask what caddy tips are expected to make them very  "happy" before we go out as to make sure they are being treated fairly.  After the round I tipped caddies what the caddy master said to do - caddy was pissed at me, I told him to bring it up with his caddy master - instead he went behind my back to one cleint and asked for more money.  My client didn't know as I said I would take care of the caddies.  He was guilted into giving the caddy more money.  I was very unhappy with this move - caddy played my client and based on my conversation with the pro shop expressing my displeasure I found out the caddy got 2x what he should of got.  This guy should have been fired on the spot.

[JR Potts]

I try to take a caddy every time I play now.  Granted, I don't like the added cost but from a money standpoint, I look at it like a charitable donation to actually help the kids around the community.  

From an enjoyment perspective, it is great getting to know these kids, learn about their interests, their career aspirations and their college/high school experiences.  I most enjoy learning about their parents, what they do, etc.  I've met a lot of great kids this way and usually find them to add a whole new layer of enjoyment to the game - and if they know my game and help in that regard, all the better.