Do you guys prefer to take caddies when available? I personally think that most caddies suck.

[caniac6]

My freind and I were playing the back 9 early several weeks ago, and we met a couple that were out for an early morning walk. They were from N. Ireland, visiting their daughter in NC. The gentleman was a caddie at Royal County Down. He was 71, and still carried two loops per day. There was nobody behind us, so we talked for awhile, and he told some stories about famous people and golfers he had caddied for. He, and his wife were great people, and I could have spent all day talking with them. If he were caddying for me,it would be a real pleasure just to walk around with him. If you ever play RCD, ask for John from Kilkeel.

[aenemated]

The caddies I had in Scotland were outstanding; especially the fella at Carnoustie. Knew every inch of the course, had my game figured out after about 3 holes and was chock full of stories and great advice. I wound up tipping him what I paid for him to be there in the first place - he was just that awesome.

 

Other times, though, I've had guys who's reads were so painfully off; I dunno how they had jobs unless it was just to rip off tourists.

[RSinSG]

Last summer we requested a specific caddie (based on a WRX member’s recommendation) for Spyglass and Pebble. He carried for Spyglass and was great. He saved me several strokes telling me where to hit or putt. Unfortunately he tweaked his back and we got a random guy at Pebble.

 

This goober cost me several strokes by giving bogus information. I asked how far I could hit a shot and not run out of fairway and he said 195. To be 100% safe I hit a 6i which I never hit more than 175-180 and it rolls over the cliff. Then on 18 after hitting a perfect drive left of the tree he asks if I’m going for it in two. I tell him I’m not and ask for a number to carry the bunker. He gives it to me and I add two clubs just in case. I hit it flush and bury it in the bunker. We stopped asking for reads on the greens after realizing he didn’t have a clue.

 

Executive summary- they can help or hurt depending on their skill.

[caniac6]

> @Irishman1979 said:

> I believe most caddies suck to be honest with you. They do not know how to read greens, they are pretty much clueless. Maybe its the generation but compared to caddies 20 years ago they blow balls.

 

Most caddies probably think golfers suck, too.

[davep043]

> @caniac6 said:

> > @Irishman1979 said:

> > I believe most caddies suck to be honest with you. They do not know how to read greens, they are pretty much clueless. Maybe its the generation but compared to caddies 20 years ago they blow balls.

>

> Most caddies probably think golfers suck, too.

 

Most golfers DO suck.

[payerasjl]

Ive had way more positive experiences with loopers than bad ones. Most of the negative experiences have come from double bagging and not from the looper himself. I do my own thinking on the course, but lines (blind shots, angles, etc) and wind i feel like we all could benefit from caddies. However at my home course i walk and carry myself pretty much 95% of the time.

[Malvern]

Having just done a tour (14 courses) in the eastern US, all apart from one of the courses, we had a caddie. At US$120 a game it added to what was already an expensive trip.

 

I suppose because we were guests or unaccompanied, perhaps we didn't get the "better" caddies at some venues. I still didn't get the double bagging and found it mostly annoying, standing around waiting for my clubs to arrive. I also play in metres so its more difficult for the caddies, albeit at most places I just handed them my range finder.

 

We thought at the end of the trip that we would have preferred to have a guide (perhaps an older member) in each group rather than a caddie, someone to talk to about driving lines, where to miss greens or read putts if asked.

 

At no course on the US leg did the caddie ask about my game or how I liked to putt, they spent most of their time as someone else discussed, handing me a driver and reducing their walk. This contrasted to my experience at TOC where I managed to shoot 77 with advice and likely mid 80s without. My experience over the tour was that the caddies with few exceptions were flat to small negatives for my game.

 

[DavePelz4]

Given the opportunity, I'll take a caddie everytime. However, it takes about 1 hole to understand how the caddie will be of benefit. We've been blessed to play Chicago Golf Club and my caddie was 15. He was great with front, middle and back yardages along with the best pick up lines for high school girls. He was great for taking a load off my back, raking traps and cleaning clubs.

 

Played in the BMW Pro AM and my caddie lost the 9 iron. Seriously. He carried a bag.

 

Played Medinah #3 and my caddie was a young lady who played for the University of Illinois Golf team. She knew the course well, picked up my game, was a great green reader and I trusted everything she said.

 

The first time playing Erin Hills, our caddie announced on the range that he was looping for the 11th day in a row and really didn't care. I let him read a 4 foot putt on the first green, played his line and he was wrong and after that, he was a bag carrier. He could not have given worse advice and cost me at least 4 shots.

 

The most recent time playing EH, my caddie picked up on the first hole that there was some wagering going on. He asked to get in on it and I've never had a caddie work so hard to be precise. That day I won a nice amount of cash and gave it all to him. I got a win, he got cash and we were both satisfied with the outcome.

 

There are a ton of other stories but at the end of the day, it comes down the person like most things do.

[Noles]

I have only had the pleasure to walk with a caddy carrying on a few occasions. I would do it every round I play if I could afford it. I had would I would consider a bad caddy once and it did not ruin my day or round. My one caveat gong forward is that I do not want a caddy that smokes.

[Bonneville85308]

I strongly prefer the "DIY" approach to playing golf. I find caddies to be a distraction, I'd rather be challenged to figure out the course myself and suffer the consequences if I guess wrong. I'm physically capable of carrying or push-carting my own bag, raking bunkers, etc. and don't need help with that.

 

I was a country club caddie many years ago as a teenager. I think I was really good at keeping up with the players and always knowing where the balls were at, but my green reading skills were questionable, and most of my course advice tended to be "negative" which I think some players didn't like; i. e. "stay away from the right side of the fairway, the ball will always bounce right and roll through the rough into the woods" instead of "favor the left side of the fairway for the best position into the green." Most of the other caddies in that caddie yard were also not much more than "bag carriers". I suspect the majority of the membership only used our services because if they wanted to walk, caddies were mandatory.

[lakecowboy]

> @Argonne69 said:

> I generally take a caddie for the experience, not the detailed course knowledge. It typically takes 2 to 4 holes to determine if the caddie knows their stuff, or they'll be used to carry clubs only. I've had some great caddies at Pebble, Pinehurst, Bandon, Whistling Straits, St Andrews and Chambers Bay. I've had some train wrecks at Erin Hills, and **Kiawah**. Unless you're getting a high recommendation from a well known source, it can certainly be a cr-pshoot.

 

Caddies really are a crapshoot these days.

 

My caddie at The Ocean Course at Kiawah a few months ago was a very nice kid, but he cost me a ton of strokes. He couldn't read the greens out there at all. The best caddie I ever had was at Estancia in Scottsdale, played there as a guest and it was an incredible experience. He knew every blade of grass in those greens.

[Mcgeeno]

In all honesty I've never been able to justify the price. The money I can save up to play places like Bandon/Chambers pretty much drain all my disposable golf income even before caddies which can cost 100+ per round.

 

I've played 8 rounds at Bandon without a caddy and played well/had an amazing time. I might have liked a caddy at Chambers but by the time I had played it a 2nd go around it was fine.

 

I'm sure it adds to the experience and all that but I believe its unnecessary.

[ryder2015]

I think the player owns some responsibility in their caddie experience. Let the caddie master know your expectations before you start. Do you want a green reader and someone to Hussle to find your playing partners slices all day? ask for it. Do you just want someone to follow you with a good personality. Ask for that. Let the caddie know what you want. If you ask for the front of the green yardage twice in a row usually you will get that on the 3rd green. Don't want a green read say " you got it" before its offered. The caddie is your employee for the round. Treat them with respect but let them know your expectations so they can adjust.

 

I'll usally take a caddie when available but I usually look for a bag carrier if I know the course and if its a competitive round on a trip I want the best caddie you have and that might be a tip to the caddie master.

 

 

[caniac6]

> @ryder2015 said:

> I think the player owns some responsibility in their caddie experience. Let the caddie master know your expectations before you start. Do you want a green reader and someone to Hussle to find your playing partners slices all day? ask for it. Do you just want someone to follow you with a good personality. Ask for that. Let the caddie know what you want. If you ask for the front of the green yardage twice in a row usually you will get that on the 3rd green. Don't want a green read say " you got it" before its offered. The caddie is your employee for the round. Treat them with respect but let them know your expectations so they can adjust.

>

> I'll usally take a caddie when available but I usually look for a bag carrier if I know the course and if its a competitive round on a trip I want the best caddie you have and that might be a tip to the caddie master.

>

> I've only used a caddie a couple of times, and all I want is a good guy to carry my bag, and only give advice if I ask.

 

 

[BNGL]

> @Irishman1979 said:

> I believe most caddies suck to be honest with you. They do not know how to read greens, they are pretty much clueless. Maybe its the generation but compared to caddies 20 years ago they blow balls.

 

What are you looking for and where are you playing?

If you’re looking for tour level caddies it ain’t coming from a kid who’s working a summer job. When I was in college I looped to get playing privileges at some clubs and tried my best to be what I’d like as a caddie. I’m not going to ever suggest your club, but I’ll tell you the static number and then what it’s playing. Nothing more nothing less, anything you tell me is the most interesting thing in the world and nothing about my life will be of concern to the you the employer.

 

Example of the whole conversation I’d have:

Nice drive, sir. Alright you got 197 static, playing 173 with elevation and wind down and off the right. Balls tend to kick from the right and chase to the back here. What are you thinking? Mhmmm I love that... put a good swing on it.

 

Outside those “professional caddies” that summer in the north and winter in the south not much is happening outside of that.

 

 

 

[caniac6]

I think guys that are looking for caddies to read greens are looking for an excuse for bad putting. I would never ask a guy that doesn't know how I putt to read a green.

[theredzone7]

I have only used 3 caddies in my life. One was at Cascata in Las Vegas. The guy was awesome. My 2 at Bandon were decent

[david.c.w]

Probably like everyone else I have had good and bad. Personally I like them mostly for the overall service (carry/find/rake) and great green reading and overall course management. I really don't like them clubbing or giving "plays to this yardage" info. That is unless there is something super specific, like "I know this feels like just a straight crosswind here, but overall it is hurting a 1/2 a club and I know because I have been doing this for 18 years". I would rather have them give me a straight yardage and let me adjust for rough/slope/etc.

 

Also agree with another poster about the caddy handing driver and then sprinting to the fairway. I usually tell them up front that I probably want driver/3W/Hybrid and my range finder and let me figure it out.

 

Great green readers are hard to find though, so overall I am happy to have a junior caddy carry and provide basic service and let me do the calculations. Don't get much opportunity for caddies though, wish I had more.

[jjthomp2]

The bad has far outweighed the good in my personal experience. It's very expensive the time's i have had to bite the bullet and use a caddy. I love when i see the club offers tiers of caddies. Sometimes all i want is for them to carry the bag, rake the bunker... forking out $100+ a loop is extreme

[2012BFT]

In my experience (Local CC's) the caddies are young kids that aren't well versed/interested in golf yet. I usually end up wanting to get my own clubs after a while of watching them slap around my Scotty and other clubs together. I don't want my clubs all dinged up etc.

 

Granted this is way different then a true caddy caddy that knows golf etiquette and how to read greens etc.

 

I would love to golf with a career caddy sometime though that is the "real real" somewhere.

 

 

[CrazyCoolie]

If I have a choice it is always a caddie. I just love taking a relaxing stroll for a couple of hours. I have been reading the the comments and some people have been saying that a caddie has cost them strokes. I have never heard such bullshit in my life. **The greatest lesson I have ever learned is that the golfer is always responsible for their shot.** It is never the caddies fault they did not hit the ball. A golfer should always read their own putts and especially now be able to figure out carry distances. A caddy's only real job is to carry the bag, if they are able to read a green or advise on how to pay a hole are just icing on the cake.

[david.c.w]

> @CrazyCoolie said:

> If I have a choice it is always a caddie. I just love taking a relaxing stroll for a couple of hours. I have been reading the the comments and some people have been saying that a caddie has cost them strokes. I have never heard such **** in my life. **The greatest lesson I have ever learned is that the golfer is always responsible for their shot.** It is never the caddies fault they did not hit the ball. A golfer should always read their own putts and especially now be able to figure out carry distances. A caddy's only real job is to carry the bag, if they are able to read a green or advise on how to pay a hole are just icing on the cake.

 

At $100 a pop the caddies job should be more than just to carry the bag. If you are paying $30 for a junior caddy that is different. Especially at a high end private or resort course where it might be your first time playing, and the courses might have complex or unusual layout. It would be frustrating to pay a total of $400 for a bucket list course and caddy just to hit a great shot and have it dribble into a creek that the caddy should have told you about.

[CrazyCoolie]

> @"david.c.w" said:

> > @CrazyCoolie said:

> > If I have a choice it is always a caddie. I just love taking a relaxing stroll for a couple of hours. I have been reading the the comments and some people have been saying that a caddie has cost them strokes. I have never heard such **** in my life. **The greatest lesson I have ever learned is that the golfer is always responsible for their shot.** It is never the caddies fault they did not hit the ball. A golfer should always read their own putts and especially now be able to figure out carry distances. A caddy's only real job is to carry the bag, if they are able to read a green or advise on how to pay a hole are just icing on the cake.

>

> At $100 a pop the caddies job should be more than just to carry the bag. If you are paying $30 for a junior caddy that is different. Especially at a high end private or resort course where it might be your first time playing, and the courses might have complex or unusual layout. It would be frustrating to pay a total of $400 for a bucket list course and caddy just to hit a great shot and have it dribble into a creek that the caddy should have told you about.

 

I think the problem I have for that assessment is the idea that $20 an hour means that someone is supposed to be an expert in their field. Some caddies are great others are not. The bare minimum for a caddy is to carry the bag. With all the doodads one can buy today, i do not see how anybody but a top tier caddy would be helpful.

[Jake0331]

Let me describe my course’s first hole, 355 (most popular men’s tee) and straight. Golfer hits a great drive, solid contact with no need for a second, may talk some smack to his buddies, all good stuff. We walk out to the middle of the fairway (congrats on that part) and then I promptly tell him that the raw yardage is 157 to a middle pin. Now let’s do the math. I am sufficiently entertained with the club selection at this point, and most never understand why the second comes up short. But hey, I am just an uneducated lackey. And you flushed an 8 iron into a waste bunker short. I offer solid advice as how to negotiate that shot, skulled long.

 

“Put me down for a 5.” Is said all bunch. Cheers.

 

After that I bring up something other than golf. Somewhere along the way people ask if I play golf, obviously I am here and do. Bottom line, golf is really difficult. I feel like I help a bunch of people do it just a little bit better when I can, some I let suffer because it entertains me. Honestly, no one could actually say I do a poor job. Maybe I am just bouncing off your vibes, some don’t care they are going to shoot 110 and give me a shot a tequila here or there. Others have been multiple MidAm or US Juniors etc and day wow, never would have thought. Sometime I advise yardage, sometimes I know it a club. I can hear your mishits, even on a putter and I am half deaf from gun fire. Golfers are delusional. But really, only the ones that cannot accept that they are bad are critical.

 

Honestly, I would NEVER want to loop for someone that did not want me there, so if it is up in the air, carry it yourself.

[Creedo77]

**CADDIE COMMENTING**

Some good reading in here about peoples good/bad experiences about using a caddie.

Having just finished an entire year out on the Korn Ferry Tour, I can say that I do not miss the club caddie life one bit. Sure, I've made some good cash over the years and have had loads of requests at various clubs I have worked out, but nothing beats being around the pro golf/tour life. Club caddying is a griiiinnddddd, the sun up to sun down days, the good golf, the really really bad golf which sucks to watch, yet it's rewarding to help out folks and have them tell me they've never had a caddie like me before. Being out there helping people like you all is all about expectation levels on your end and me keeping a good attitude throughout the day. There are loads of bad caddies out there at clubs who are there to make a quick $100 and get the hell outta there, but I find it that the guys who do it year round are the good ones who are there to pay bills and make ends meet.

Some of you have mentioned courses like Pebble/Spyglass/Whistling/etc and it seems that people have had more positive than negative experience here than random country clubs. Thats because these caddies are overseen by a company out of Ponte Vedra called CaddieMaster. CM has guys at Augusta, Pinehurst, 4/5 TPC courses, LACC, Liberty National, Cassique, and several other world class facilities. They train their caddies extensively over several days (I use to be a trainer at my old CM course) and they dont give the green light to newbies until they feel they're ready to loop. They want a new guy to be able to perform the job just as good as someone who has been there for numerous years.

Everyone can agree that the #1 thing that can most likely separate your good from the bad is golf knowledge. In any caddie yard the range of knowledge is on both ends of the spectrum, and I've worked at clubs where some guys didnt even know what a hybrid was. No idea why they want to work in the golf industry but heyho you gotta feed yourself. There arent many clubs that "class" their caddies based on skill and what they're paid but the club that I work at during my offseason does and it works perfect. I average $120 a bag, while the high school/college kids average $50/$60 a bag, based on experience. If you happen to have a great looper, and I'll speak for all of them, dont hesitate to throw them an extra $20/$40 on top of the suggested rate. You dont know how great it feels to carry 2 bags for the better part of 4 1/2 hours and pull in a $300/$400 based on the experience I or another good caddie just provided for you.

When I read some of these comments about caddies blow balls and all that makes me want to run into some of you one day and loop for you and show you exactly why you should more often than not take a caddie when you get the chance. The best way to ensure you have a good experience is to call ahead and request a caddie with a good skill set. If I was to go to Bandon I'd want a guy who knew what he was doing based on what I'm paying to be there. In the end, I dont think people realize just how much we think ahead while were out there, or how hard we work. So, while I know some guys suck out there dont just bash the whole caddie community based on some poor experiences!

Not really sure what my post accomplished but just wanted to rep for the caddies out there

[Other Barry]

The caddie I had at The Old Course was awesome. It was the experience I was hoping for. He lived in St Andrews his whole life, was comical, kept up a conversation, talked shit to the other caddies, found some errant tee shots, and even set me straight when I was contemplating hitting a 60 instead of putting. I couldn't ask for a better experience.

When I went to North Berwick I didn't grab a caddie only because the people I was playing with didn't grab one. Also, glad I didn't because, I got to experience the course on my own.

Planning on playing Bandon next year and i don't plan on using one. I DO plan on taking one when I play Pebble later on in the year.

[Schley]

I enjoy takinga caddie where available and while I don't require them to be Steve Williams on my bag I want to help the young kids who are working a summer job, while at the same time enjoy the professional 40-60 year old doing it full time. The best off the top of my head were The Country Club, LACC, and TOC/Kingsbarns. I know this group is a little frugal, and I don't believe in spending others money, however my opinion is my own. I take em when I can adds to the walk and helps me find my surely frequent wayward drives.

[Itsjustagame]

Had the same caddie for a week at Casa de Campo. Never lost a ball or had a bad lie- that guy "found" everything you hit.

You might not be able to find the right tee box without a caddie some places (Ballybunion), and if you get a caddie who is also a member that can be very enjoyable.

[Roadking2003]

This is an interesting thread. Some are forgetting that they are responsible regardless of what the caddie says.

Someone posted that a caddie gave them bad reads for the whole round. Why would you keep getting reads after one or two bad ones?

For me, here are the things I expect a good caddie to do;

Carry my bag so I can walk, enjoy the scenery and talk with my buds. Rake traps so I don't have to. Find my ball when off the fairway. Give me yardage to the pin and sometimes to the front and back of the green. Give me yardage to penalty areas and bunkers. Give me his estimate of the yardage to be added or subtracted for uphill and downhill play. Point out characteristics that are not obvious such as a false front. Read greens if asked. Read green contours that might impact my approach shot. Word of encouragement at the appropriate time.If a caddie gives me two bad reads I stop asking. Even a beginner should be able to provide #1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

[Jkfuller]

I think it’s like anything in life, there’s good and bad. When I’ve had a good caddie it’s been very beneficial. However, a bad caddie can ruin the day. All in all I prefer to not take a caddie.