Caddy Rules

[Anthony Gray]

 As a former caddy I am always intreeged by the range of rules for caddies from course to course. As a golfer I have always found time with the caddies away from the course to be informative. I have enjoyed discussing course management with caddies at Bandon over post round meals. I helped get a bag carrier from TOC a golf scholarship here in the states. And my caddy at Teeth of the Dog introduced me to my forth wife. He sucks. But I know some clubhouses treat them like leppers.   THey need to shout "unclean" three times before they enter for a special occasion. How do you feel about your caddy?
  Anthony

[Joe_Tucholski]

A lack of a rule is one that I don't understand.  Which courses do not allow caddies to play the course they work on?  Even Augusta has a caddy day right.

My best friend from HS caddied at Pebble during the summers to pay for college.  He made enough money to pay his tuition but always hated it when one of his players asked him how many times he played the course as his response was zero.  Interestingly enough he was able to play Spyglass and my friends who caddied at Spanish Bay were able to take friends when they played Spanish in the afternoons.  Right or wrong if I had a caddy who told me they never played the course I would lose some confidence.

[Jaeger Kovich]

I have had an amazing experience caddying for the last 4 years (full and part time) out of Quaker Ridge in NY. I started looping at Quaker the summer before my senior year in college while splitting time on the maintenance staff, trying to supplement my golf course architecture education as I had just finished an internship for Mungeam Cornish Golf Design. I couldn't have possibly asked for a better experience.

I have teed it up there nearly 100 times, played numerous rounds with members, had dinner in the clubhouse after invitations to their weekly skins game, and been invited to play a few of the best courses in the world that would have some members of this discussion board doing unspeakable acts for the same chance! Even over the last 2 years where I looped on the weekends while working golf course construction full time, I loved spending my weekends looping, not just for the money, but because I truly enjoy it and get treated so well by 99.9% of the members... I am by no means the only one from Quaker who has stories like this, although my passion for their golf course, and golf architecture in general certainly never hurt, I could go on and on about some of the amazing things that members of that place have done for some of their loopers.

Even now that I have just started my dream job in the golf industry, don't be surprised if I go back to Scarsdale to make a loop from time to time. I wouldn't have achieved what I have if it wasn't for caddying and some of the generous people who I have helped around the course.

That said.. sure there are some stupid rules that we have, non-that I like less than the implementation of the 60% polyester torture chamber that you know as the "white jumpsuit", but I could tell you stories from clubs where caddies have it way worse, so I won't complain to much!

[Sam Morrow]

I don't think I'd like it if I had a caddy who had never been allowed to play the course. Growing up in Texas for golf is great, today it was 75 and sunny and we don't have the best courses but we have lots of quality golf courses but the only drawback I really can think of is that there aren't many chances to take a caddy around here. It is not something you see very often around here, I understand that during the summer folks want to ride and play as quickly as possible but I think in the long run we've lost out.

[Tommy Williamsen]

A friend of mine sailed around the world and took his caddie (from Old Memorial) with him to crew. 
At Four Streams caddies can play on one day a week but are not allowed in the clubhouse.  They show up 1/2 hour before the tee time and disappear after the clubs are cleaned. Never thought about it before.

[Tim Gavrich]

The whole business of mandating caddy suits can cause headaches, but over the course of the past summer I spent caddying at Hartford GC, I went from thinking they were classist and bad to not minding them so much.  Sure they're hot, but if you're carrying two golf bags on your shoulders in any weather over about 60 degrees, you're going to sweat a ton.  One thing the suits always had going for them was supreme pocket space, I must concede.

[archie_struthers]

 

I loved being a caddy at Woodcrest , Congressional , and Pine Valley.  Because of this many doors opened for me.  I have played some of the greatest golf course in the world thanks to my employment , particularly  at Pine Valley.

I'm not really hep on caddies being afforded the same rights as members at the club. They work there , they are integral the success of the club , yet they are employees. If members want to hang with them or play golf with them it should be away from  the club they work at. It's just good common sense. I do think soft times and maybe once a week caddies should have access to the course to play golf, just not with the members. Playing the course they work at is a good perk and adds to their knowledge.

The golf club should appreciate good loopers, they are a fabric of the game . Most really great clubs see this and manage the caddy programs accordingly .

[Jim Tang]

Rich Harvest does not allow caddies to play.

Of the 4 clubs I've caddied at off and on at over the years, the last one I was at got it right.

The staff and membership respected you.

Lunch was free.

Bibs, not jumpsuits.

You could play Monday mornings, or, sometimes other weekdays after your loop was completed, if the course was empty.

Loops were set up the night before.  Just show up 30 minutes before your group was on site.  No showing up at dawn and hoping to get out.

The caddy staff was small becasue the membership was small = plenty of loops per caddy.

You got paid literally 5 minutes after your loop was completed.

On average rounds took 4 hrs. to complete.  Sub 4 hour rounds were commonplace.

If your group was late getting on site, go hit balls on the far side of the range.  We'll come get you when they show up.

The course was a wonderful walk.



 

[Keith OHalloran]

One of the clubs near me does not allow the caddy to toss the ball back to the player after wiping it down on the putting green.
I onced asked why, and the member said it was because the members there weren't athletes!
Weird rule if you ask  me.

[Cliff Hamm]

If it were not for Augusta would any clubs require caddies to wear white jumpsuits?  Do any clubs in the British Isles require white jump suits?  Why do American clubs think this adds to their prestige?

[Bill_McBride]

If it were not for Augusta would any clubs require caddies to wear white jumpsuits?  Do any clubs in the British Isles require white jump suits?  Why do American clubs think this adds to their prestige?

I could be wrong, it's been years, but I don't think my caddy at Muirfield wore anything other than his ordinary clothes.

I love the old photos of UK caddies wearing overcoats!   Tried to find a photo of Gene Sarazen and his overcoat-wearing caddy at Princes in 1932 but no luck.

[Jaeger Kovich]

If it were not for Augusta would any clubs require caddies to wear white jumpsuits?  Do any clubs in the British Isles require white jump suits?  Why do American clubs think this adds to their prestige?

Queenwood in Surrey, England does, but that doesn't do much to disprove your point!

[Mark Johnson]

Rich Harvest does not allow caddies to play.

Of the 4 clubs I've caddied at off and on at over the years, the last one I was at got it right.

The staff and membership respected you.

Lunch was free.

Bibs, not jumpsuits.

You could play Monday mornings, or, sometimes other weekdays after your loop was completed, if the course was empty.

Loops were set up the night before.  Just show up 30 minutes before your group was on site.  No showing up at dawn and hoping to get out.

The caddy staff was small becasue the membership was small = plenty of loops per caddy.

You got paid literally 5 minutes after your loop was completed.

On average rounds took 4 hrs. to complete.  Sub 4 hour rounds were commonplace.

If your group was late getting on site, go hit balls on the far side of the range.  We'll come get you when they show up.

The course was a wonderful walk.



 

I assume this was at black sheep

[Jaeger Kovich]

The whole business of mandating caddy suits can cause headaches, but over the course of the past summer I spent caddying at Hartford GC, I went from thinking they were classist and bad to not minding them so much.  Sure they're hot, but if you're carrying two golf bags on your shoulders in any weather over about 60 degrees, you're going to sweat a ton.  One thing the suits always had going for them was supreme pocket space, I must concede.

I'd take a bib over the jumpsuit any day of the week. Although if my jumpsuit was made out of some under armor h-tech type material instead I would have zero complaints. Polyester is just downright miserable in the humid summers near NYC... WF next door has moved in the opposite direction, no bibs, just white polo and khakis... bet they wish they had a bib to put headcovers.

[Jerry Kluger]

I think too many clubs are far too inconsiderate of caddies in many respects.  Caddies often come to clubs early in the morning to sign in but don't get out for quite a long time if at all.  The result is that they may spend the entire day at the club to earn the fee for one bag or they may get nothing if there is insufficient play.  I realize that some clubs call caddies so they only come out when they are needed but that is not the case at many clubs. 

Second, many caddies are aspiring young golfers and they should be given access to the course with a reasonable window to avoid interfering with member play.  I was told by my caddy at Bandon that they are allowed to go out a half hour after the last guest group. 

[Colin Macqueen]

Bill,
Is this what you wanted?



Snapped from the book The Squire by John M. Olman

[Anthony Gray]

If it were not for Augusta would any clubs require caddies to wear white jumpsuits?  Do any clubs in the British Isles require white jump suits?  Why do American clubs think this adds to their prestige?

  If you caddy for Eric Smith it is mandatory.

[Jim Tang]

Mark -

Correct.

[Tim Leahy]

I caddied at Brentwood CC in LA area on weekends when I was in college. Wore my own clothes, collered shirt, no jeans or short shorts. Caddies got to play the course on Mondays.
Interesting rule that caddies were required to keep a scorecard and have the member attest and turn it in for posting.
Caddied for Ernie Banks there once and actor Gene Barry.
Caddy shack had it's own snack bar. Most of the old timers would caddy a round in the morning and head to Hollywood Park for the horse races after.
Heard some great stories in the caddy shack from old timers who caddied for pros like Snead and Hogan on the old California tour in the 40's and 50's.

[Bill_McBride]

Bill,
Is this what you wanted?



Snapped from the book The Squire by John M. Olman

That's it, thanks!   It's a great story.  This old caddy carried for Sarazen ten years earlier and they got along well.   When Sarazen returned for the 1932 Open, he was told the old man was now too old to caddy.   Broken hearted, the old man showed up anyway.  Sarazen was so unhappy with the younger man he was given that he fired the kid and won the Open with the old fellow. 

[Tim Martin]

If it were not for Augusta would any clubs require caddies to wear white jumpsuits?  Do any clubs in the British Isles require white jump suits?  Why do American clubs think this adds to their prestige?

  If you caddy for Eric Smith it is mandatory.

Anthony-I know you like to wear the whites but what about a tweed suit and tam. You would be bedazzling and there is no question that your reads would get better.

[Anthony Gray]

If it were not for Augusta would any clubs require caddies to wear white jumpsuits?  Do any clubs in the British Isles require white jump suits?  Why do American clubs think this adds to their prestige?

  If you caddy for Eric Smith it is mandatory.

  I tried that a couple times Tim but my jacket kept catching on fire. At times I get so captivated by my gentelman golfer while caddying that I forget I am smoking a cigar.

  Anthony

Anthony-I know you like to wear the whites but what about a tweed suit and tam. You would be bedazzling and there is no question that your reads would get better.

[Tim Martin]

If it were not for Augusta would any clubs require caddies to wear white jumpsuits?  Do any clubs in the British Isles require white jump suits?  Why do American clubs think this adds to their prestige?

  If you caddy for Eric Smith it is mandatory.

  I tried that a couple times Tim but my jacket kept catching on fire. At times I get so captivated by my gentelman golfer while caddying that I forget I am smoking a cigar.

  Anthony

Anthony-I know you like to wear the whites but what about a tweed suit and tam. You would be bedazzling and there is no question that your reads would get better.

Fair enough but the smell of burning tweed is considered an aphrodisiac in some corners of the world.

[Anthony Gray]

That's how I got into my present marriage. It was either tweed or pot. Can't remember exactly.

  Anthony

[Tim Martin]

That's how I got into my present marriage. It was either tweed or pot. Can't remember exactly.

  Anthony