Caddies for first-timers in Scotland

[Jim Jackson]

I'm off on my first golf trip to Scotland in a few weeks for a 7 day junket through St A, Cruden Bay, Aberdeen, Brora, Dornoch, and Castle Stuart.  Everything is set but caddies, and I'm wondering whether some of you experts would recommend a caddie at any or all of these courses for a first timer.  I understand the quirk of Cruden Bay may lend itself to a guide the first time around, and I'd planned on one at the Castle Course as I understand it's a kick in the nuts.  Any thoughts, experiences, suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

[Kin Britton]

I would recommend caddies at all but Castle Stuart. I don't recommend against one at Castle Stuart rather have not played it so I just don't know.  It does add substantial cost to the trip.  If you are with a group and want to cut expense, I suggest rotating the caddies.  We have shared a caddy on trips where one takes the caddy and one a trolley and then switch for the next round.  We tell the caddy up front the one with the trolley will tip extra for line of play advice etc.  It has worked well fo rus the last two trips.

[Melvyn Morrow]

Jim

Facing a new course is a joy, but letting a caddie tell you things on your first round, just takes it all away, well some of the fun. If you have time go with no Caddie first round then take the caddie, you will understand more and have enjoyed the rounds.

That first time on a virgin course is wonderful as you have to think your shots etc, boy for me it is what the game is all about.

Whatever enjoy your trip

Melvyn

[Dan Kelly]

Jim

Facing a new course is a joy, but letting a caddie tell you things on your first round, just takes it all away, well some of the fun. If you have time go with no Caddie first round then take the caddie, you will understand more and have enjoyed the rounds.

That first time on a virgin course is wonderful as you have to think your shots etc, boy for me it is what the game is all about.

I agree, generally -- and not just about a first round on a new course (or an Old Course). If I ever have a caddie, I don't want him to tell me what to do and how to do it.

Exception: The Old Course. I've played one round there, and literally would have had no clue where to aim on NUMEROUS tees if I hadn't been playing with a pair of old caddies.

[Bill_McBride]

Jim, at the Old Course at St Andrews I have had Bruce Sorley for my caddy several times.  Contact the caddy master in advance and ask for him if you want.   I got the names of several top caddies my second trip, emailed the caddy master, Bruce showed up.  He really gets you comfortable without overwhelming you.   He gets a bit more but well worth it.   I recommended him to Forrest Richardson and I think he was pleased. 

[Mark Saltzman]

Facing a new course is a joy, but letting a caddie tell you things on your first round, just takes it all away, well some of the fun.

Couldn't agree more with this.  If you want to score well (or at least better), take a caddie.  For me, when I take a caddie, I just listen to what he says and aim where he says to aim.  I walk away remembering little of the course as I didn't really have to think about anything.

Playing Cruden Bay sans caddie and on my own was one of the most enjoyable experiences I have ever had on a golf course.

[Mark Pearce]

Facing a new course is a joy, but letting a caddie tell you things on your first round, just takes it all away, well some of the fun.

Couldn't agree more with this.  If you want to score well (or at least better), take a caddie.  For me, when I take a caddie, I just listen to what he says and aim where he says to aim.  I walk away remembering little of the course as I didn't really have to think about anything.

Playing Cruden Bay sans caddie and on my own was one of the most enjoyable experiences I have ever had on a golf course.

I also agree with Melvyn.  With the possible exception of TOC where a first timer could get lost.  I did first time.

[Kris Shreiner]

Jim,

Bruce Sorley is a gem. Knows his stuff, offers what's asked for and will quickly get you settled in at the Old Course. Crown him, he's worthy every pound, as you will learn.

I'd save my money and skip the Castle Course. Take Bruce and go play the Jubilee! It's the best test there according to the caddies, yet not penal and it has some very good holes. The New is a bit dull to me, though some like it.
Either choice will save you plenty of dough and you'll miss nothing.  Another option, Kingsbarns, though rather extortionate like the Castle, is a good course with some quality caddies.

Royal Dornoch has a pretty good staff and the course has a lot going on. I highly advise taking a caddie there. The shared caddie approach is a great call, just make sure the other guys take care of him. My wife is from there and I'll IM you a couple of leads shortly.

Brora generally doesn't have much of a caddie staff. Favor left off the tee is the general rule there. It's hard to lose a ball there as well, so perhaps a strokesaver(yardage guide) might be enough if needed. It's jolly golf there, you'll have great fun.

Haven't played Cruden and never heard much about caddies there either. It's a quirky track, so a solo effort might delight and offer some laughs.

Royal Aberdeen, with some stout holes, has a decent staff, the shared call here probably works.

As to Castle Stuart, while they are suppossed to have cadddies, I've heard zero good or bad about ANYONE taking one. The landing areas are expansive in the main, and there is little blindness, so solo or sharing a caddie makes sense.

Let me just say that the golf in Scotland can be very rugged, often with significant weather variables duing a round. If the weather is somewhat harsh, taking a quality caddie can really make a difficult day FAR more enjoyable. When you are: spending major coin, for a lifetime trip, playing courses you know zip about, with your game not regularly used to what links golf serves up...is getting your ass kicked, just to say you went at it alone...sound like an intelligent thing to do.

Remember, the best golfers in the world, WITH CADDIES,  can often look like utter fools out there on the links, when the weather is up. It's your call, but having done it both ways, both as a player and caddying for a living, a TEAM approach with a solid caddie, tacking around a demanding course, especially in stiff weather, is as good as it gets! Most that complain about caddies don't know how to work with one. Be friendly and warm, tell them how you like to play, ask that they work WITH you, AND enjoy the round.

Cheers,
Kris

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

I agree with Melvyn on this one.

I've nothing agaiinst caddies, but I prefer to discover a course by myself. If I take the wrong line off the tee, it's no tragedy. It's all part of playing the game. I would also prefer to mis-read a long putt than have someone tell me the line. Being told the line feels like cheating to me. I've got to where I am in golf (not very far actually) by playing the game by myself.

[Sean_A]

I agree with many here.  I prefer to discover the course rather than be led around by a caddie.  Although, I can understand the benefits of using a caddie whilst on tour because it can be a bit of a grind.  Perhaps consider using young lads as bag carriers.

BTW - Cruden Bay isn't that hard to figure from the tee.  There are only a few holes which may perplex and if you use the "hit it where I can see it rule" there is only one hole which is odd.  The stupid par 3 on the back nine, but you can walk up the coast a bit for a look at what is required.  Even there, it may be best to lay a tee shot out right for a chip and putt rather than going blindly over the hill.   

Ciao

[Jason Topp]

 I suggest you take caddies at least some of the time and definitely on the Old Course.  Each one is a unique experience and adds significant flavor to the trip. Even if you do not really need a caddie to decide how to play a hole, spending time with a caddie in these locales is a pleasure not to be missed.

At the Old Course, unless you do a lot of study beforehand, it is difficult to decipher what you should do off the tee and the caddie suggestions can surprise you.  I did not take a caddie at Dornoch or Brora and felt like I knew where I was going.

I found the caddies in the Troon/Prestwick/Turnberry area to be the most hard edged and interesting.  They often were openly gambling on the play of their players.

[Anthony Gray]

  Jim,

  Always take a caddy in Scotland. It is part of the experience. Do not worry about the extra cost it will be worth it in companionship alone. And most of all tell us about Cruden Bay when you return. Cruden Bay only allows members to caddy.

  Anthony

[Rob_Waldron]

If you are looking to save a few dollars and do not want to play the course blind, I recommend that you hire two caddies for your foursome. I found that most caddies only carry one bag. At several courses we took turns by having two of us carry are own bags for nine holes while the caddies carried for the other two players. At the turn we switched bags. Of course we paid the caddies a rate slightly higher than if they had carried just one bag for one player because they provided assistance to all four players throughout the round... We saved two caddie fees whcih went a long way in the local pub.

[Brent Hutto]

I'd rather have my first time around a course, particularly a great course, without the distraction of a caddie. But then again I'm starting to prefer most rounds in general without the distraction of caddies. Especially with multiple golfers and multiple caddies which turns into something more like a mobile conversation than a round of golf, often.

I've no idea that it would be available at the Scottish courses you mention but on a recent vacation to England I opted to arrange for one of the guy from the professional's staff play with me in lieu of a caddie. Carried my own bag but had the benefit of playing alongside a decent player who'd been around the course a few hundred times and knew what he was doing. That was an excellent way to experience the course. I will say it was a round I'd otherwise have been playing solo, which made it more helpful than if I'd been in a group.

[Kevin Pallier]

Personally, I like to discover a course without being led and have never seen the need to use a caddy throughout GB&I. I suppose it depends on what you are used too ?

[Jim Jackson]

Thanks all.  We seem pretty evenly split on this and maybe it just comes down to personal preference.  Some of my best golf experiences have been seeing a great course with a caddie, but then again I've wasted cash on others expecting the same.  I think I'll split it evenly and report back on my experiences.   

[Anthony Gray]

Thanks all.  We seem pretty evenly split on this and maybe it just comes down to personal preference.  Some of my best golf experiences have been seeing a great course with a caddie, but then again I've wasted cash on others expecting the same.  I think I'll split it evenly and report back on my experiences.   

  At Cruden Bay the caddies know were the viking ship is burried.

  Anthony

[Lester George]

Definitely need one at TOC

Lester

[Jud_T]

I can't imagine playing a course over there for the first time without one personally.  If hitting what you think is a great shot only to find out that it's a lost ball, in a stand of gorse or a brutal pot bunker is your idea of a sense of discovery,  then by all means go without one.

[Melvyn Morrow]

Jim

Taking a caddie or someone who knows the course and cannot keep quiet may well ruin your round. If it’s the first time you have played the course then I would do without and experience the challenge first hand. After all you will only ever get one opportunity to get that experience. The second time I would consider a caddie but only to carry my clubs.

As for TOC it’s not a bad idea taking a caddie first time, but again with its ballot system you will be playing with others, watching and learning but hopeful not with too much advise on your first outing. Once you have lost your TOC virginity then use a caddie, well worth the money if you do not know St Andrews.


With the time and expense of getting to Scotland I just want you to savour you first time on each course, its worth more than a Hole in One, equalling the course record or winning the Claret Jug, well perhaps not tha , but the experience may live with you forever, can you afford not to face the full challenge head on relying on yourself and your own skills, as I said once played, the moment has passed. There will be other occasions to enjoy the aid of a caddie but not when you are about to lose your golfing virginity.

This is what the game for me is all about, you do not need help, thats why you play golf.

Enough said, whatever you do just enjoy and take loads of photos to post upon your return.

My best wishes for a great time

Melvyn 

[Tom_Doak]

Jim:

It really depends on what experience you want to have.  If you want to play well and shoot your best scores, you'd be crazy not to take a caddie on all of those courses.  There are lots of subtleties you're not going to figure out for yourself.  But if you're just out for the experience, then I wouldn't take a caddie every time.

If you do want to split it up, I would say you should definitely take a caddie in St. Andrews and at Royal Aberdeen and probably Cruden Bay.  I think you can enjoy Dornoch just fine without one, if you do a bit of advance scouting on the 17th hole.  And I don't know if you would find one readily available at Brora, anyway.

[Dan Kelly]

I would also prefer to mis-read a long putt than have someone tell me the line. Being told the line feels like cheating to me.

I'm delighted to know that I'm not the only one who thinks this way.

And as for caddies LINING UP their players? Shudder. Aligning yourself is an essential skill of the game.

[Andy Stamm]

Something I think about, although you may not care, is that at these courses caddie's are almost entirely a 'tourist' experience. At St. Andrews that's not going to make you stand out of course, but at some of the others, it definitely will.

For the record, I love playing with a caddy, but I restrict it to opportunities like a club where members regularly take caddies or competitions. I realize I may be unique in this regard, but I thought it could be of interest.

[Niall C]

I agree with the group, no caddie except for TOC where you could end up playing the New course without realising unless someone was there to guide you. In my one and only experience of a caddy at a new course, and that at TOC, it worked out well as his advice was short and sweet and was mainly restricted to what direction to go off the tee.

On the flip side you do get some caddies who like to add to the experience. I played in a group at Dornoch a while back where one of the group had a caddy just because he wasn't upto carrying for what would have been his 3rd round in two days. On a long putt the caddy had him putting up the back slope of a bunker making the ball travel in a wide arc when the direct approach would have had no more than 18 inches of borrow. And thats not an intended knock on Dornoch, I'm sure you get that kind of thing elsewhere.

Niall

[Mark Smolens]

In my morning round at Prestwick, after being introduced to single malt for the first time the previous day at Western Gailes, my caddy Roger teed my ball up and picked it out of the hole for me -- having fallen over when I bent over to do it myself on the first tee. For the pm round I had the caddy master (I think his name was Stanley) on the bag. Roger was, at best, a bag carrier, which was of course essential on this particular day. Stanley actually had me going around the course in a proper fashion, giving us history lessons and advice.

In my opinion playing twice at the same course is a great way to get a real feel for the golf course. . . unless the double figure consumption of single malts (with Bud Ice chasers!) has rendered you mindless.