[John Pflum]

Another one...........

http://www.pbase.com/jpflumjr/image/54539657

[Tom Jefferson]

John Pflum, Jr;

You dog, you!
Saw Sasha yesterday at Pac........both she and the links, beautiful as always!

John...you will be pleased to know how snotty the weather has been out here!....But the golf great, as always!


Tom

[Bill_McBride]

Ryan, are you saying the senior caddies are $100 each per player?  Plus tip?  And have to double bag?

[rjsimper]

Bill - the website lists the price as $100 for double bag, and I was told that the A caddies are the only ones that double bag - I dont know if that is 100 per person or 100 per caddie (double occupancy required)

http://www.bandondunesgolf.com/caddie_fees.cfm

[Jason Mandel]

Ryan,

I read that as caddie gets paid 50 plus tip for single and 100 (total from 2 players) plus tip.

bandon used to have reccomended tipping based on junior-senior caddy but it looks like they took that off.

so if you get a single caddie its probably going to cost you around 60 bucks incuding tip, where as a senior caddy could run closer to 75-80.  I am just guessing though.

I don't think even those shisters from Pebble get 100 plus tip for a single, but I wouldn't put it past them

Jason

[Scratch_Nathan]

I couldn't recommend Tim Tucker highly enough.  

[Kent Salisbury]

A lot has been mentioned of the fact that when they have a caddie that carried double, the level of service at Bandon Dunes is less than satisfactory. I agree with the overall sentiment, but was fortunate enough to have a single for 4 days.

But I wonder if the problem is due to the fact that the caddies there do not for-caddie. Is the experience less if your caddie doesn't go to the green and tee with you? Could one caddie handle the reading of green and the next tee?
This would allow the for-caddy to carry 1 or 2 bags out ahead and place the bags after the tee shot on the next hole.

Also, I found that the caddies did not often work as a team. They would not switch bags to limit the amount of time that a player has to wait.

I was fortunate enough to be able to caddy at Pine Valley last year (took a break from the corporate world- going to miss it) and we always forcaddied and took bags ahead. Usually, except during events and tournament, only 1 caddie worked the greens. Granted this may be more of indication of how experienced the caddies are compared to Bandon, but I don't think that is the case.

So is it that the average golfer at bandon would find this practice unacceptable, but the average golfer to PV is more willing to because it is PV. i truly believe the way PV does it makes it a better golf experieince. Or is it because the golf course at PV requires it and bandon does not?  

[Marty Bonnar]

Speaking as one who has been both Bagger and Baggee, I have to say that double-bagging is Pants (UK Pants, not US Pants).
One Golfer, One Caddie.
Simple.

FBD.

[Jordan Wall]

I just realized that if you took a caddy every round then it would be the same price for another round plus lunch...

[Bill_McBride]

"Pants?"  Please elaborate.

[peter_p]

Rubbish, bad. UK pants = US underpants

http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang/p.htm

[Dan Herrmann]

At Bandon, a double bag costs $50 per bag plus a tip per person.

Andy caddied for Laura and me, and we had absolutely no problems, even though our games are quite a bit different.  And he was an incredible green reader, which helps if you don't play fescue greens often (and who does?)

I think comparing a good caddy to a yardage book is a bit nuts.  Andy would tell me to hit it at a particular shrub in the distance and he clubbed me extremely well.  

You don't get that from a yardage book.

I will tell you this if you're going with the book.  Putt from off the green - fescue is great for this, and swing easy and take a lot more club into the wind.  The afternoon wind in the summer is pretty darn strong (I suggest sunglasses to protect your eyes, especially if you wear contacts)

[Tom Huckaby]

I think comparing a good caddy to a yardage book is a bit nuts.  Andy would tell me to hit it at a particular shrub in the distance and he clubbed me extremely well.  

You don't get that from a yardage book.

Dan - of course a GOOD caddie is going to give you info you can't get from a yardage book - and that goes far beyond numbers - he CAN be a coach, psychologist, green-reader, etc.

What I was saying in my posts though is that if you are playing the round with the thought in the back of your mind the whole time of "dammit, this is costing me $70-80, is it really worth it" then that's not the right time to take a caddie, no matter what advantages he/she can give.  And that is enough money such that that thought will occur for a lot of people.  I know it did for me... I enjoyed the one round I took a caddie, but I think I played better the rounds without, and felt better about them....

So if this is an issue, well... the yardage book will give you damn near all distances you will ever need, that's all.  You will also be able to tell the direction of the holes and the proper angles better than via the naked eye, using the hole diagrams.  You will be able to get around quite nicely using it, and won't suffer for lack of information.  Of course it won't be the MAXIMUM advantage that a good caddie can give, but it will suffice, especially if money is an issue.

TH

[Ted Kramer]

I've never wanted or expected a caddy to do anything other than carry my bag, be cool to bullshit with, and keep my clubs clean.

I'd rather carry my own bag than deal with a caddy carrying 2. I want to have my bag and all of my clubs with me for every shot, when I am ready to play.

I'm not good enough to hit it where someone tells me to anyway.

-Ted

[Tom Huckaby]

shivas is wise and has this nailed.

The question for one and all is:  how many caddies (if any) have you had that meet all of these criteria?

I've had a few... but not many.  It is fantastic when it all works like this.

TH

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Shivas is on point but omg those caddies are few and hard to find anywhere.

[Tom Huckaby]

Honestly, over three years of looping, I didn't either.

But that's you and me, and we're old, having done that a LONG time ago.

How many times have you received this type of service as a player?

I can count it on one hand.  Of course I've only taken a caddie maybe 20 or so times, but still, Tiger's right - this is rare, at least these days.

TH

[Tom Huckaby]

What I find in the good ones these days is that the good ones are all honor caddies and therefore all double because they can get paid twice as much, but with that, you inevitably lose #1 and sometimes #4 because half the time, he's reading the other guy's putt.

That's EXACTLY what happens at Bandon.  The good ones all double, and yep, you lose 1 and 4 criteria.  Thus it's not really worth it to pay for such... I don't think so anyway.

TH

[ed_getka]

Shivas,
   Great list of caddy criteria. Unfortunately as you point out it is rare to get that. I am much happier asking a question or two of someone elses caddy and giving them $20 after the round. That way I have my bag with me at all times.

[Brad Tufts]

I am one of Ryan's compatriots in the upcoming Bandon trip (T-minus 17 days and about 19 hours to takeoff!) and I think we are going to try to take the lower pay-grade loopers for one AM rd. each at BD and PD.

I'm really independent on the golf course, and I do like caddies now and again mostly because it feels like how golf should be played.  My ideal round, however, would probably be walking with my own bag on my shoulder.  I count on a caddy to clean my ball and clubs, and give his opinon on green contours if I'm confused.  It sounds like I'm a keep up and shut up caddy-user, but I'd just rather have a course management mistake be mine instead of his/hers.  It's always a bit awkward to have caddies at a new course b/c you are trying to soak it all in, take a few mental or physical snapshots, and there is this person next to you that is shaking his head as to the big deal we guests are making of his home venue.

I also have reservations as to pay-grade.  If the caddy is a young guy(like many at my home course) who has just rolled out of bed (or off a buddy's hardwood floor), just clean my ball and keep up.  I will think you are a great caddy if you just stay awake, you don't even have to be sober if you don't want to.  However, if you are getting more than 50 dollars from me, then the onus is on you to enhance the experience some way.  This can be through your solid caddy skills, or tell me why the course is unique...its history, some fun member to caddy for...anything.  If that happens you get no complaints from me.

So, I am excited for my Bandon caddy rounds, and even more excited to see if I can put what I learned to use on my own.

[David Kelly]

Brad,

I see you only mention BD and PD.  I assume that you guys are also playing the Trails course.  That would be the course on which I would take a caddy as to me the walk is much more difficult there than the other two courses.

[Tom Huckaby]

Brad,

I see you only mention BD and PD.  I assume that you guys are also playing the Trails course.  That would be the course on which I would take a caddy as to me the walk is much more difficult there than the other two courses.

GREAT call there.  You'll praise the lord you have a caddie ojn the walk from 13 green to 14 tee alone at Trails.  Heck yeah - great advice - if you are taking a caddie only one round, make it the one at Trails.

TH

[Brad Tufts]

Well, I don't really mind carrying my bag at any point, even if the walk is tough.  The caddies are for the experience, not the bag-toting.  I think my almost 25 years of age requires me to carry my bag at all times, even for 8 rounds in 4 days.  

Does anyone else feel weird when having a caddy just to swing your arms while walking?  After carrying your bag all the time, you have no straps or bag to rest your arms while walking....if it's the first caddy round in a while, it almost feels like you are floating down the fairway...

[Tom Huckaby]

Brad - hmmmm... hell, I'm 42 and fat and I walked 7 rounds in three days, using a caddy for only one.  I just have to say that even at 25, there is worth to fatigue-fighting.  8 rounds in 4 days is a lot, and you will get tired.  It's just a thought.  If a choice is to be made, you'll be very happy you have the caddie at Trails.

As for the weird feeling, hell yes - that's part of the fun!

TH

[David Kelly]

The caddies are for the experience, not the bag-toting.

At Bandon the experience will be the golf.  My advice then would be to save the $ and buy a nice bottle of wine or a shirt or something with it.

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