Caddies for first-timers in Scotland

[Bill_McBride]

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.

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

Ha ha.   Ever watch the LPGA?   

[Anthony Gray]

  I think you are missing out if you just see a caddy as a person that is going to give you lines,distances and read puts. Scotish caddies are in themselves part of the golfing scotish culture and vital to the complete golfing experience. You are cheating yourself if you don't take one solely for the company. Have a dram with them after the round to conclude the day. Didn't our own Tom Doak caddy at TOC. Imagine chatting with him in the Dunvagen after a round at TOC. I remember my first round at Prestwick. The caddy shared with me much of the history of the club I felt like I was on a field trip.

  Anthony

[Dan Boerger]

Get caddies! Think of the expense -- both in money and time -- to get yourself to that first tee box. The marginal added expense of that caddie will be well worth it, particularly if you have good/great one.

[Tom Kelly]

Jim:
I think you can enjoy Dornoch just fine without one, if you do a bit of advance scouting on the 17th hole.

Some advice on 17 is definitely helpful, I hit one of my best drives of the day with a 3 wood only to find out I had hit it straight into the gorse, not realising the hole dropped so sharply to the right at such a a short distance!! Other than that the course is fairly straight forward and pretty obvious where to go.

Generally I would agree with quite few here and say at TOC it is a good idea but elsewhere not needed quite as much. I played TOC for the first time with a member and he told me where to hit it of nearly every tee otherwise I probably would have struggled. Other than that at TOC I am not sure you need them.

I find it more fun to try to work out whats going on on each tee with your playing partners and have a bit of fun. I played a few courses last year in Scotland for the first time tagging along with other groups of visitors who usually had caddies. At every tee everybody is having a conversation with their caddy about what to do etc etc and I found it took away the opportunity to talk with you partners and relax and get a real feel for the courses. If you are taking caddies, I would probably just say to take one or two between four and 'share' them, 4 caddies for 4 people is going overboard imo unless you really need someone to carry your bag.

[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.

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

Ha ha.   Ever watch the LPGA?   

Yes. And I've caddied for my daughter in Minnesota state women's events. And a *lot* of the players -- particularly the younger ones, alas -- have alignment assistance on every full swing.

I'd make that against the rules, from tee through green, if I could.

[Bill_McBride]

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.

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

Ha ha.   Ever watch the LPGA?   

Yes. And I've caddied for my daughter in Minnesota state women's events. And a *lot* of the players -- particularly the younger ones, alas -- have alignment assistance on every full swing.

I'd make that against the rules, from tee through green, if I could.

No argument.   I'm surprised that the PGA pros don't do it too!

[Mark Chaplin]

Mark I was impressed with your account of Prestwick until you spoilt it with Bud Ice chasers......shameful. Should have sunk a nice pint of hand pulled bitter!!

[Niall C]

  I think you are missing out if you just see a caddy as a person that is going to give you lines,distances and read puts. Scotish caddies are in themselves part of the golfing scotish culture and vital to the complete golfing experience. You are cheating yourself if you don't take one solely for the company. Have a dram with them after the round to conclude the day. Didn't our own Tom Doak caddy at TOC. Imagine chatting with him in the Dunvagen after a round at TOC. I remember my first round at Prestwick. The caddy shared with me much of the history of the club I felt like I was on a field trip.

  Anthony

Anthony

I doubt that even the members at Muirfield or at the R&A use caddies. Far from being part of the Scottish, or even scotish, golfing culture it is mostly just for tourists.

Niall

[Niall C]

Mark I was impressed with your account of Prestwick until you spoilt it with Bud Ice chasers......shameful. Should have sunk a nice pint of hand pulled bitter!!

bitter ?! isn't that something they drink down south ? Surely you mean a good manly drink like Belhaven Best or 80 shilling, or a pint of kumel even, that would sort you out.

Niall

[Gary Slatter]

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

Melvyn, I have never read this before, however I agree with you 100%.  IMHO NOTHING is more enjoyable than the first round on a links course, making your own discoveries as you go (hopefully a local is in your group).  A caddie is fine for the second round, or in lousy weather.

[Mark Chaplin]

Niall - I forgot you cannot get a decent oint north of the border!

[Melvyn Morrow]

Gary

Thanks, but my street cred on GCA.com is taking a battering with so many agreeing with me – tell me has Hell frozen over, have I died and in Heaven, no can’t be, I do not see TOC.

Its bloody disconcerting I can tell you. I know I’ll wake up soon and it will just have been a figment of my imagination. Thank God its not raining otherwise I might awake from a wet dream 

Goodnight from Him and Himself

Best wishes

Melvyn

[Mark Pearce]

Niall - I forgot you cannot get a decent oint north of the border!

Nonsense.  It's harder than south of the border but there are several Scottish breweries producing lovely beer.  Harviestoun, Williams Brothers and the Tryst Brewery, for starters.  Won't find most of these in golf club bars, though....

[Tony_Muldoon]

Cruden Bay only allows members to caddy.

  Anthony

Ask for Wardo, he’s colourful!




I went to TOC with a friend who’s a bit careful with his money to have tried  a Caddy.  So I surprised him and he loved it. He’s been back twice since and it’s still the only place where he’ll pony up.


(Having said that I’ve never had a real caddy.)

[David_Tepper]

Mark C., Mark P. & Niall C. -

Don't forget the Black Isle Brewery, not far from Fortrose & Rosemarkie.
However, their brew may be available in bottles only. I have never seen it on tap.

DT

[Bob_Huntley]

Caddies come and go and I enjoy just about anyone that comes along. However, one day at Gullen No.1 I was paired with a caddie who was a chain smoker. As someone allergic to smoke and and the smell of a tobacco user, I offered him an extra tenner to abstain from smoking for the round. He declined and I was off the hook.

Bob

[Kris Shreiner]

Hate to break it to the "group," but advocating taking caddies posts outnumber those who advocate pass. Some get it, some don't. To each their own.  R&A and Muirfield members certainly do take caddies regularly. Just like this site, some ALWAYS play with one, others occasionally, and plenty not at all. Which is fine.

Caddies in Scotland have survived principally because of overseas, vistor play, of that there is no question. Beyond Prestwick, Troon, R&A, Muirfield and perhaps one or two more, members, especially locals, don't take caddies as they've played the course often, and sometimes carry, or most often use the pull-cart, which is understandable.

Anthony,

Why member caddies only at Cruden?


Cheers,
Kris

[Mark Pearce]

Kris,

I play once or twice a year with members at Muirfield.  This past Sunday, playing in a six-some with four members and two guests was the first time I have played with anyone with a caddy at Muirfield and that was just one of the members.  Some members take caddies but not many and certainly not most.

[Brian Freeman]

Jim- First of all, have a great trip - you've picked a solid rota.

The one I would insist on is Royal Aberdeen.  We were generally rotating caddies (1 in our group each day), unless there was a course where 2 of us really wanted one.  Then there was Carnoustie where we took 3 and looked like an army going down the fairway.  In retrospect I would definitely guard against that - it was a bit much and the round/course I remember the least of.

I was the only one of our foursome with a caddy at Aberdeen and with a huge wind and some of the heavy grass, dunes, and blind shots on that course it added huge value for me, kept me out of a lot of the more penal areas.  It is a very strategic course - the other guys didn't seem to care for the course and I came away loving it.  It also helped tremendously that the caddy was a scratch planning to play college golf in the States who had grown up on the course.  So luck of the draw does count for a lot as well.

Dornoch I think you can get away with if you study the yardage guide well and read up on it a little before-hand.  It's such an amazing place you want the least amount of distraction possible to take it all in.  Just remember your Donald Ross - everything's open in the front and don't go long.  On #2 you better hit your best iron shot of the trip or lay up 20 yds short, and on #16 unless it's into the wind, the 2nd plays much shorter than you think. 

[David_Tepper]

"on #16 unless it's into the wind, the 2nd plays much shorter than you think." 

Brian Freeman -

I have played Dornoch many times and I totally agree with you regarding the 2nd shot into #16. Even though you are hitting well uphill, that shot plays much closer to the actual yardage rather than the one or two clubs extra you think you might need. I have yet to figure out why that is.

DT

[Brent Hutto]

I find that on firm turf with longish clubs (say 5-iron up through fairway woods) there's a certain angle of upslope that helps me compress the ball more than normal and I gain 5-8 yards extra distance. It's been several years but I seem to recall the second shot at the 16th to be a longish one with that sort of upslope to hit from.

[Kris Shreiner]

Mark P.,

Thanks for your experiences. Two memberships' caddie use were being addressed. I know members there at Muirfield as well. One always takes a caddie. Others rarely take one, or not at all. That's no surprise and my remarks didn't convey otherwise. Again, a majority of Muirfield members play there regularly and unlike the R&A, don't have as many overseas members that are more inclined to take them.

If we are speaking to the title of the thread, other than those that: either don't want to pay for one, want to figure it out on their own, or might be "distracted" by caddies...most seem to appreciate what a Scottish caddie experience can add to their round.

Again, it all comes down to expectations and how one embraces working WITH a caddie to enjoy your day. That is where many seem to stumble, and with the hardened attitudes exhibited by many here, regretably, they will never experience the richness of a memorable caddie golf round. A pity, but we all make our choices.

Cheers,
Kris

[Jim Jackson]

Thanks to all.  I'm going to make it a hybrid - caddies at Aberdeen and Cruden Bay, and enjoy my virgin voyage solo on the rest.  Will keep you all abreast of my take on things when I return.   Cheers.

[Niall C]

Hate to break it to the "group," but advocating taking caddies posts outnumber those who advocate pass. Some get it, some don't. To each their own.  R&A and Muirfield members certainly do take caddies regularly. Just like this site, some ALWAYS play with one, others occasionally, and plenty not at all. Which is fine.

Caddies in Scotland have survived principally because of overseas, vistor play, of that there is no question. Beyond Prestwick, Troon, R&A, Muirfield and perhaps one or two more, members, especially locals, don't take caddies as they've played the course often, and sometimes carry, or most often use the pull-cart, which is understandable.

Kris,

I assume this post was aimed at me. I think you will find that the vast majority of Scottish golfers have never ever used a caddy and contrary to what you suggest, the instance HCEG and R&A members using caddies is about as rare as pyramidal orchid in Kintyre.

Niall

[Jud_T]

Caddies are a luxury;  So are fine cars, good wine, a great massage, gourmet food, a fine Cuban cigar, a hot personal trainer, a trip to the Old Course or Bandon.  All are well worth it to those who value the finer things in life...