Caddies - Why do you like 'em? Why don't you?

[Adam_F_Collins]

There are a number of people here who really seem to miss the caddy, and would like to see more of them. Why?
On the other hand, some people don't seem to like the idea of a caddy being along for your round. Why?

I've never played a round of golf with a caddy. What am I missing? My dream destination is Bandon. Should I take a caddy?

[CJ Carder]

I've played with a number of caddies and have had varying experiences.  The experiences where I've really enjoyed it, I've had a very knowledgeable caddy who adapted rather quickly to my game and knew a lot about the course, thereby enhancing the experience through stories, etc.  Still, to this day, the best caddy I've had was at Kingsbarns - the "kid" (probably 22-23) really got into the round with me and was living the enjoyment right there next to me.  He really encouraged me on shots and it truly felt like we were a team. 

The times where I have not enjoyed it, the caddy either didn't know much about the course (I had a caddy at Pinehurst #2 one time who continually got holes wrong when explaining "how the course played in the 99 US Open), was awful at reading putts, and tried to interject his opinion into the shots I wanted to play, thus making me uncomfortable and uncertain.  I also haven't enjoyed it when I've been playing bad, but that's more my fault cause I put extra pressure on myself wondering what the caddy is thinking about my crappy play. 

Then there's the caddy at Troon who just handed me an 8-iron for my approach to 18 and told me to hit it.  When I bounced it off the clubhouse, he looked at me bewildered and said "What the f*** are you doing?!?!  I wanted you to chip the bloody club in there."  He looked at me bewildered again when I gave him an exceedingly small tip.  My response "You shoulda told me to f****ing chip it then."

[Richard Choi]

One of my favorite aspect of the game of golf is the nature of me vs the course. The course provides the constant, physical, and challenging stage and the player provides the variability and drama that he/she must manage. Personally, I think that is best when it s done by himself or herself. I don't like coaching during the play for a non-team sport.

I would rather get out on the course by myself, carrying my own bag, and figure things out on my own.

[Joe Hancock]

AFC,

When you go to Bandon, take a caddy. But, don't expect it to improve your score, but for sure your experience. It can improve your score, but it can be distracting if you're not used to using a caddy. My experience with this is:

- The interpersonal aspect is a distraction to playing good golf...I find I want the caddy to be as happy as I think he ought to want me to be....not that I've yet had a caddy working to make my experience a happy one
- If you get a bad read or some other incorrect information early in the round, you are screwed for confidence the rest of the way
- It's hard for me to pay out $100 for anything let alone to a person to accompany me around the course and carry my clubs, which I'm fully capable of doing myself
- Regardless of what others are trying to tell you, a caddy is a significant financial investment every time you contract for one...regardless of how good and noble the cause is. Personally, I have to wisely choose when to be a philanthropist.

Have fun at Bandon!

Joe

[RJ_Daley]

I've only had a caddy about 20 times.  And of those times, I can honestly say I only had one that I was really impressed with.  I've played Whistling Straits twice, and the one time with a very good caddy, was the first.  The second was with a so-so college summer job kid that I didn't find knowledgeable of the course, or insightful of my abilities or much of a personality.  But, the first time (I don't know how I got the guy given I was in the first ever outting there (I'm just a hack) and the caddie I had was a Jr College coach, and since has been considered one of WS very best - carrying bags in several of their higher profile events.  He really watched me warm up at the range, and was just there the whole time with useful info, encouragement, and understanding of what I needed to do on each hole.  

I think I've always given a decent tip, no matter how lousy or mediocre the caddies were, since almost all of them were college kids working for the summer.  But, I can't say as I paid out without some sense of questioning why pay all this at a venue that already charges plenty, and for something I really didn't feel was useful or additive to my experience.  I am definitely only the average fellow in ability to either play or pay.  Since caddie-only facilities are generally those sort of once in a lifetime places to play for me, and the quality of the caddie is usually very mediocre at best, I do resent paying up even more as a convention of tradition or pretense for something I can do myself with a decent yardage book or even just sprinkler heads marked well with yardagesl.  As for putts and how they break, most of the mediocre caddies I've had didn't have any better clue than I did.  So, that comes down to more fun with just you and the course and your perception and  imagination, which just seems like more fun and more appreciation or understanding of the design-build aspects of the architecture in the first place.

I must say however, that I did have just about the cutest caddie once at Ballyneal 

[Sean Leary]

If I could afford it, I would take one every single time.

[Dan Herrmann]

The worst caddies are the guys that smell like booze.  Unfortunately, it's not that unusual in the USA.

[Sean_A]

AFC

You gotta do what feels right to you.  Personally, I like the idea of a caddie if you are gonna be playing on yer own.  Other than this scenario, which is very rare, I avoid caddies, but not like the plague!  My main reason is they turn an expensive game into a stupidly expensive game - they are way over-paid.  The second reason is I have only had one good caddie in recent years who I would reco to others - that is a very bad track record.  Third, I don't really want to spend my time small talking with a caddie.  All this said, I have always liked the idea of bag carrier.  I cuts out the nonsense about the so-called "professional advice".  

Ciao

[Will MacEwen]

AFC - you certainly don't need one at Bandon imo.  The yardages are always easy to figure, and if you look at the photo essays here, and maybe get a yardage book, you will be okay. 

That being said, if you want to try on the caddie experience, I would imagine that Bandon is a good place to start.  I'm sure the crew here can recommend a handy one or two.

[D_Malley]

it all comes down to having a good caddy.
first and foremost
he must not speak unless spoken to
if a caddy follows that rule all of the complaints above are mute

[Anthony Gray]

  The caddy adds a great deel to the experience.

  Anthony

[Andy Troeger]

I've taken quite a few caddies, almost always at courses that were new to me. I can only think of a couple poor experiences, but also not that many really good experiences where the caddie really added to the experience. I enjoy carrying my own bag and would always prefer that over a caddie if given the choice, but at many places it seems that walking is only permitted with a caddie. At some courses that are tough walks then I'm fairly grateful to be able to walk without lugging the bag around.  Often the cost can be rather prohibitive as some have mentioned.

[Anthony Butler]

They are phenomenal at Winged Foot. Fabulous green readers. The Country Club not so great.

Had a couple of locals at the Green Monkey in Barbados. You had to be aware of where the trade winds were blowing or you could get stoned standing downwind from them.

[astavrides]

.

[Jason McOlgan]

I have had a caddie on a few rounds at a couple of different courses.  I don't like having one especially, but do recomend trying one on for size so you can form your own opinion.  And Bandon is a great place to try it out.

[Tommy Williamsen]

My course encourages taking a caddy.  In fact before two o'clock it is imperative.  If you take a cart you take a fore caddy.  If I come after two I generally will carry the bag myself.  When I do take a caddy I try and get a one I know and who knows my game.  I figure he can be worth one or two strokes a round.  I have fun with my caddy and encourage them to call me by my first name.  I don's subscribe to the "don't talk until you are spoken to" adage.
When I go to a course I don't know I will almost always take a caddy if they are available.
They do get expensive which is why I ten to get to my club after two a lot.

[Matt Harrison]

Very good question, both about why we like/dislike caddies and about Bandon.  I caddied for a couple years at the Dunes Club, and since then have been lucky enough to play some great courses, including Bandon, with a caddie.  I love the experience of playing with a caddie, much more so when it is a good caddie.  A good caddie:

-knows the golf course and the game of golf well
-does not have  to prove that to you in the first 2 holes
-lets his player set the agenda for whether he gives yardages, reads on the green, etc.
-lets his player decide when they will talk to one another
-is aware of the game being played in your group, but does not make that too obvious

Lots of other characteristics of good caddies, but those are some that come to mind right away, based on experiences with bad caddies.  Overall, the caddies at Bandon are very good, and if money is not a big deal, definitely take one.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

For a traditionalist I am one of the few who could care less if I ever have another caddie. 10 to 1 bad experiences to good

[Rich Goodale]

The only legitimate reason for caddies is to give young kids a chance to make some pocket money and hopefully learn the game.  Any caddy over 20 years old should be advised to get a life, and anyone who encourages them to do otherwise (i.e. caddie) should ask themselves why they need the advice and ominpresence of a stranger to play our beautiful game.

[Richard Choi]

Anyone else find the idea of caddy a bit odd?

I mean, they are not exactly part of the team nor are they just hired help. In the pro level, they contribute greatly as a psychologist/coach/strategist/green reader. But they get absolutely no recognition when the player wins.

I cannot think of another sport where it is like this. In team sports, you have either teammates or coach (who is considered part of the team). In other solo pro sports like tennis, you are not even allowed to have coaching during the match.

The closest example I can think of is Rally Racing, and even then the "co-pilot" gets their due in recognition.

In a sport where many people (including many here) believe that artificial guides like yardage markers and GPS are abomination, they still leave room for caddies, even though caddies provide much more service than any device ever could.

Don't you think PGA Tour would be better if there were no caddies allowed? It would actually make it more of an athletic competition and put more emphasis on one versus the field.

[Matt_Cohn]

Anyone else find the idea of caddy a bit odd?

For recreational purposes, yes. It just seems unnecessary, like hiring somebody to tie my shoes.

I enjoy it in tournaments. I like the help reading greens and making good decisions, and I like being able to talk at someone a mile a minute when I get worked up, or tell a joke, or something like that.

But for a casual round of golf, yeah, I agree. I wouldn't really pay someone $100 to do a bunch of stuff I'm happy doing already.

[astavrides]

If the vast majority are against caddies (as indicated by prior posts), why do so many clubs have the policy that you have to have one before 2 or 3 pm?  There must be at least a few people in each club who think it is gauche to be seen carrying one's own bag?  Is it a status symbol thing?

[Sean_A]

If the vast majority are against caddies (as indicated by prior posts), why do so many clubs have the policy that you have to have one before 2 or 3 pm?  There must be at least a few people in each club who think it is gauche to be seen carrying one's own bag?  Is it a status symbol thing?

astavrides

I don't get the impression that people are against caddies so much as they are in favour of choice. 

Ciao

[Rich Goodale]

If the vast majority are against caddies (as indicated by prior posts), why do so many clubs have the policy that you have to have one before 2 or 3 pm?  There must be at least a few people in each club who think it is gauche to be seen carrying one's own bag?  Is it a status symbol thing?

IMHO astrav, it is very much a "status symbol thing."  Think "Caddy" and "Chauffeur"....

[Brian Phillips]

I had never had a caddy until I played Pine Valley.  I was "teamed" up with Rocky.  That was a superb experience, I shot 16 over par on the first 9 with a 3 putt on nearly every green and then 2 over par on the back 9.  Every caddy since that day has been downhill....

I remember playing TOC with Ronan Branigan against my business partner Graeme and a client we had invited. The client had a caddy.  On the first I managed to cream a drive into the wind on the first.  The caddy butted in and gave me the wrong yardage so I overshot the flag by at least 2 irons....start of a great day...Ronan tells me to calm down and was sure the caddy had not done it on purpose. 

Anyway, we are playing the par 5 fifth and Ronan reaches the valley just in front of the green with his second. The rest of us are now on the green with our 3rd shots.  Now Ronan is a handy player (hcp 1) and has a swing made in heaven.  He is a member at County Louth (Baltray) so he knows his golf better than the caddy.  Ronan gets his wedge out and just in the middle of his swing, the caddy shouts out "I don't think you want to be using a wedge here son!"  I thought Ronan was going to run the length of the green to chin this guy!  Luckily he managed to stop the swing and hit a reasonable pitch to about 5 feet but missed the putt for birdie.  Ronan was fuming...

The match ended in a draw with Ronan and my client not talking to each other as Ronan made Graeme putt out on the 16th from 2 feet(which he did); my client did not feel that this was gentlemanly...they were 1 up at the stage and felt that Ronan was being unfair.  Ronan told him what to do with his opinion and proceeded to win the 18th to halve the match...fun had by all...