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Tom Huckaby

Re:Bandon Dunes and Caddies
« Reply #50 on: March 24, 2006, 01:02:27 PM »
Again David is right on.  And David, sorry to keep latching on to your wisdom, but man I can't help it.  ;D

Even Sasha doesn't add THAT much to the experience.  And outside of her, well... my group had far more uninterested bag-toters than shivas-criteria-meeting real caddies.

If you really are doing this for the experience, well... unless you've absolutely NEVER had a caddie before, I'd say save your money.  If you haven't, then cool, these will add to your day - but take a solo, not a double.

TH


John_Cullum

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Bandon Dunes and Caddies
« Reply #51 on: March 24, 2006, 01:26:15 PM »
I just like to have somebody carry my bag for me. I'm happy to pay the going rate if its within reason. I don't look to a caddy for an integral part of the experience. Am I in some weird minority?
"We finally beat Medicare. "

Tim Pitner

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Bandon Dunes and Caddies
« Reply #52 on: March 24, 2006, 01:30:49 PM »
My experience with caddies at Bandon has been a mixed bag.  The first time I played Bandon Dunes, someone else's caddie started giving me advice and it became clear that he knew golf and knew what he talking about it.  He was great (I forget his name) and I tipped him after the round.

Then, when I got a caddie on my own on another trip, my caddie was nothing more than a porter and an indifferent one at that.  I still joke about this caddie's green-reading skills.  No matter the putt (it could have a three feet break), his read was that it was a ball outside the cup either right or left.  I should have told him not to bother but, instead I let him scout out the putt, give me his uninformed opinion, and then I dutifully ignored it.

I agree that the unencumbered walk down the fairway is nice (if a bit strange), but there's something about having eight people in a group that's a little unwieldy.  Sasha looks like a keeper, but I generally would recommend against caddies at Bandon.

Tom Huckaby

Re:Bandon Dunes and Caddies
« Reply #53 on: March 24, 2006, 01:32:49 PM »
JC:

You're not in any weird minority at all.  Just remember for most golfers, taking a caddie is a VERY rare thing, and adds to the experience just because it is so different.  If one takes a caddie often and gets over the uniqueness, then it can be just simple, no big deal, preference and worth the going rate, or not.

I don't think anyone is saying taking a caddie is a must.. or any integral part of the golf experience... just that it CAN BE, if it is a unique thing.

TH

Pete Lavallee

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Bandon Dunes and Caddies
« Reply #54 on: March 24, 2006, 02:10:12 PM »
Just to add my two cents: When my wife and I played at Bandon back in 2001 we got a top line caddy for our initial rounds at Bandon and Pacfic. He carried us double at Pacific the first day and it was a pain toting for two golfers who hit it to very different areas. He was about a 3 handicap and provided good information, greens reading ect. I'm sorry I can't remember his name.

On the second day at Bandon he got a shickshaw trolley to carry the bags; which pointed out the difficulty in physically carrying two bags. However to get the good advice you have to get someone who is carrying double, therein lies the problem.

Like others here I like to have my sticks with me at all times, the best of both worlds would be to carry or use the trolley and rely on the advice of the top line caddy either tipping some else's or just telling him you'll carry your own.

I did play with others who enlisted the single carrying lower grade caddy; they were all high schoolers who had nothing significant to add to the experience other than to lighten the load.
"...one inoculated with the virus must swing a golf-club or perish."  Robert Hunter

ed_getka

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Bandon Dunes and Caddies
« Reply #55 on: March 24, 2006, 04:38:00 PM »
If you want an "experience" at Bandon go play Sheep Ranch. A caddy is not going to add anything in a setting like Bandon. Also, take the pullcarts with the pneumatic tires to keep your legs fresh, because you won't want to stop playing golf at Bandon.
"Perimeter-weighted fairways", The best euphemism for containment mounding I've ever heard.

Tom_Doak

  • Karma: +2/-1
Re:Bandon Dunes and Caddies
« Reply #56 on: March 25, 2006, 05:13:06 PM »
The caddies at Bandon (or anywhere else in my experience) come in a variety of grades, but I am all in favor of supporting the caddie lifestyle wherever it still exists.  Supporting the high school kids in Bandon may not lower your score but it may have much more lasting consequences.

Don Dinkmeyer

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Bandon Dunes and Caddies
« Reply #57 on: March 25, 2006, 07:36:45 PM »
My only experience with caddies has been in Ireland. I can imagine but do not want to experience a course without at least 1 caddy in the group.

They have been a mixed bag from the expert, lifetime professional (Royal County Down) who did not lose a single ball of the foursome, to a young guy at Carne who emphasized the direction of the putt by slapping the group repeatedly at the break (I am not making this up).

If i get to Bandon, I definitely want a caddy to help keep me in the game and keep my legs "fresh".

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