Bandon Dunes caddies and yardages

[Pdog]

We are making our first pilgrimage to Bandon in a couple weeks. We opted to go with the full experience and getting caddies for each of our rounds. A question for those that have been there: Do you think we still need GPS/range finders even with caddies? Most phones or handheld GPS devices won't hold a charge for 36 holes so wondering how accurate the caddies' ranges are.

[kaschreiber]

A lot of the caddies carry range finders on them as well. I'd still take it, it won't weigh you down.

[eboettne]

Didn't take a caddy for any round the 1st time I went as I'd rather discover new courses myself and enjoy a little solitude. Laser range finders and yardage books were my friend. Old Mac was the most difficult to play w/o a caddy, none of the others were too confusing.

[Kernel]

I carry a small external battery for my phone when I play 36. Even with constant GPS usage it's more than enough.

[duffer987]

Take the rangefinder. Some caddies are better than others and you might want to double check yardages to hazards and the like, if the caddie doesn't give them. Or even start double checking ones to the pin if you think your guy is off.

[Edaw68]

I brought my rangefinder on my first trip where I had a caddie for all my rounds, and left it in my bag. The caddies had rangefinders of their own (same model in one case) so I never needed it. I've played a ton of rounds with forecaddies, caddies for other people and I'm in a similar spot, etc, and never found the caddies to be off on yardages. It's more a matter of they may be off clubbing you since it takes a bit to learn the game of their amateur and how far they hit it. But raw yardage, and adjusted yardages for elevation change and wind, I've never found them off by much. By the way sometimes the wind there isn't able to be adjusted for. It's a matter of "how far does this play into the wind? Doesn't f&*%$(g matter".

 

So no need to bring the phone for GPS, but bring it for pics, cuz you're gonna take a lot.

[Pdog]

Thanks for the great info! We get there Sep 7.

Sep 7 arrive, play preserve in PM

Sep 8: Pacific Dunes morning; Bandon Trails PM

Sep 9: Bandon Dunes morning; Bandon Trails PM

Sep 10: Old Mac morning; Bandon/Pacific Dunes PM

Sep 11: Preserve AM, return.

 

[Serenity Now]

Went in March and had caddie for 1st round then opted to just carry my own bag the rest of the trip and use my range finder. Expense for caddie was unnecessary as far as I was concerned. between the 4 of us in the group, we figured out all yardages, gps range etc. Enjoy, best trip I have ever been on and can't wait for March to get here for round 2!

[GCU23]

I echo the guys saying leave it in the bag or at home. I just got back from my first Bandon trip this past Sunday, and like you, we had caddies for all of our rounds on the big courses. Of the 4, 2 carried range finders of their own and the other 2 had the yardages down without one. They were amazing, and the reality is that the distance to the pin really made no difference, the wind was up and everything felt like “125 pin playing like 170.” Of the wind is down, it might be a different story, but the caddies take care of it for you.

[puttnforthe8]

I would leave it...the caddies try to lighten the bag as much as possible anyways....I have never felt like it was needed.

[tonypizzle]

yeah they either will carry their own or use yours. i had one caddie actually use mine. so just leave it in the bag.

[Pdog]

Just got back from Bandon. We had Ryan Hall as our caddie. He started off using my rangefinder, but had trouble getting it to read the pin (don't ask my why as it seems easy to me). So he just used the yardage markers and his knowledge of the pins to give me good distances. And considering the conditions (rain and wind), we couldn't pin seek so general yardages worked fine. The other caddies either did the same or had their own. Next trip, I'll leave it at home!

[cabinetboy]

I brought a skycaddie on my first visit. I didn’t bring it on my second visit. The skycaddie did not have its normal, detailed info—it simply gave yardage to center of the green. And there are plenty of sprinklers that give that same info. When you consider the likelihood of rain and wanting to reduce how much you carry, it was far better to leave it behind.

[wolverine_man]

We are playing the Straits this Spring.  Do most (or all) of the caddies there have range finders?  Both of the caddies in our foursome at Bethpage Black had them and they were dead on. Just trying to know what to expect. Also, any specific caddies to ask for by name at the Straits? 

 

** Edit: Sorry, I'll repost in a different thread as this thread is for Bandon. My bad. 

Edited January 22, 2022 by wolverine_man
Off topic

[StudentGolfer4]

Most caddies with use a range finder and if they don’t it’s because they know the course well enough they don’t need one. 
 

When caddying, I always use mine  for shots into the green when distance to the pin is relevant. Nothing worse than giving the correct yardage, and having the player hit what they think is a good shot, but it doesn’t end up where they think it should based on my given yardage. I’ve found that when I’m using a laser the player is more trusting. It’s also nice to be able to shoot a random tree or whatever else they may want a distance to.