Bandon 4some with only 3 using a caddie

[highbombs77]

So I am going on an 8 man group trip to bandon next week.  Most of the players want to use a caddy for all rounds, but one guy doesn't.  So one of the groups will be 3 with a caddie and 1 without.  Is this going to be a problem?  I assume the caddies will just somewhat ignore the guy who hasn't hired a caddy.  Is there any etiquette issues we should be aware of ahead of time?

[puttnforthe8]

5 minutes ago, highbombs77 said:

So I am going on an 8 man group trip to bandon next week.  Most of the players want to use a caddy for all rounds, but one guy doesn't.  So one of the groups will be 3 with a caddie and 1 without.  Is this going to be a problem?  I assume the caddies will just somewhat ignore the guy who hasn't hired a caddy.  Is there any etiquette issues we should be aware of ahead of time?

 

So as you know they double bag.  So the group w/ 'that guy' will need to request a single bag for the one guy.  He will likely get a less experienced caddie.  In reality, the caddies will probably help him out from time to time.  What I would suggest is you tell "that guy", IF he gets some decent help *forecaddish* from the single bagger or even the double bagger, he should still probably toss in $20 per caddie as a tip per round.  

 

If 'that guy' refuses to tip at all, I don't know what to say....he wouldn't get invited back in our travel group. 🤣   But if the other caddies do help him and he refuses, personally I would make sure you guys throw them a little extra.

 

 

 

 

[highbombs77]

"That guy" was in favor of doing the group caddie at $40 per person per round, so I don't think he would have a problem kicking in 20-40.  He was just balking at the 120-130 per round since we are playing 5 rounds in 3 days.  At winter rates that does essentially double the cost of the golf. 

 

I guess that is what I'm asking about.  It sounds like in your opinion that guy should kick in 20-40 to the 1 bag caddie each round if he gets any help at all.  Which he almost certainly will because obviously he will overhear the caddies talking to the other players on the tee boxes.  

 

When we called the caddie number to decrease from 8 bags to 7 they just said "sure, no problem".

[puttnforthe8]

43 minutes ago, highbombs77 said:

"That guy" was in favor of doing the group caddie at $40 per person per round, so I don't think he would have a problem kicking in 20-40.  He was just balking at the 120-130 per round since we are playing 5 rounds in 3 days.  At winter rates that does essentially double the cost of the golf. 

 

I guess that is what I'm asking about.  It sounds like in your opinion that guy should kick in 20-40 to the 1 bag caddie each round if he gets any help at all.  Which he almost certainly will because obviously he will overhear the caddies talking to the other players on the tee boxes.  

 

When we called the caddie number to decrease from 8 bags to 7 they just said "sure, no problem".

 

Yes sir...that's my opinion.  

[doc52]

Is it his first time at Bandon?
 

If so, he’s going to be really glad you reserved caddies. I truly believe it makes the rounds even more enjoyable. 

[highbombs77]

He went to bandon once before and did a group caddie and said he didn't really like having a caddie that much.  They were in a 3some that trip so his experience probably wasn't too different from having 2 caddies in a 4some

[seekingpar]

I have been a couple of times and will be out there next week also. I have had a caddie that was of no good other than hauling the bag and that was disappointing. One of the other guys had a great caddie that he is using again this trip. I will be carrying my bag but throwing $$ his way. I don't think anyone should feel obligated to take a caddie but make it clear early on that the expectation is that he will throw in some cash or go out of his way to not look for advice.

[highbombs77]

17 minutes ago, seekingpar said:

I have been a couple of times and will be out there next week also. I have had a caddie that was of no good other than hauling the bag and that was disappointing. One of the other guys had a great caddie that he is using again this trip. I will be carrying my bag but throwing $$ his way. I don't think anyone should feel obligated to take a caddie but make it clear early on that the expectation is that he will throw in some cash or go out of his way to not look for advice.

How many are in your group, and how many are using a caddie? Have you been in a 4some that was mixed caddie/no caddie before? 

[vandyfan]

I am not a big caddie guy. I have been several places where they are required and it is fine but add that to an already expensive round and it adds up quickly. I'm not super comfortable with paying someone else to carry my bag (I walk about 60 rounds a year, I got it). I know they typically know the course and read the greens but, for me, I think that is all part of me figuring out the golf course. Plus if a caddie gives me 4-5 great reads that I wouldn't have seen myself, now we are talking about a score that I probably wouldn't have shot on my own, etc. Whatever...

 

...all that said, if everyone else in your group is taking a caddie...JUST TAKE THE CADDIE, jesus.

[VNutz]

11 hours ago, highbombs77 said:

So I am going on an 8 man group trip to bandon next week.  Most of the players want to use a caddy for all rounds, but one guy doesn't.  So one of the groups will be 3 with a caddie and 1 without.  Is this going to be a problem?  I assume the caddies will just somewhat ignore the guy who hasn't hired a caddy.  Is there any etiquette issues we should be aware of ahead of time?

My group has a mix of guys with and without caddies, my group has been 12 guys each time; in my experience it's never been a problem with the exception of a guy or two that doesn't take one and then wants too much information. The caddies there in my experience have all been really cool and just want to help so they won't ignore you, just make sure you don't take them away from their guy. And make sure if you do use them to throw in money at the end. I always walk and carry so I go it myself, I try not to use them but there are times when they unprompted pick up your wedge and clean it or rake your bunker for you, or they'll throw out a line or nugget of advice here and there.

[kaschreiber]

I've never had a personal caddie there and I can't think of any time I've directly asked the caddies in our group for lines, reads, anything like that. They have been helpful just in my overhearing their advice, raking bunkers, pulling flags, offering numbers if I'm near the guy they're bagging for, spotting balls of the tee if they ever go wayward, etc, if it's not impeding their helping the guy/guys they're actually carrying for. If the guy is just out there, I throw him $20 or will grab him a beer or two. If he's a good hang and adds a lot to the round, $40 (and then if he's a good hang something a little more at the end of the trip). I'd encourage the guy to not think of it as just a guy that's carrying/cleaning clubs, giving numbers, etc. A good caddie will have good stories, encourage the group when they're down- they add a lot to the experience. If that's not worth anything to him, I'm with @puttnforthe8

 

[spud3]

+1 on the last two comments.

 

It's not a problem for there to be one member of the group without a caddie.  Just make sure that player understands that the caddie's sole responsibility is to their guy, not him.  He should expect and ask for zilch, and add a tip for the unavoidable benefits of being in a group with a caddie.

[ND2005]

1 hour ago, spud3 said:

+1 on the last two comments.

 

It's not a problem for there to be one member of the group without a caddie.  Just make sure that player understands that the caddie's sole responsibility is to their guy, not him.  He should expect and ask for zilch, and add a tip for the unavoidable benefits of being in a group with a caddie.

Exactly. 

 

I've never had a 3/1 breakdown on caddie/no-caddie. But I have been paired as a 2-some with another 2-some that didn't take a caddie. 

 

They committed major etiquette faux pas by continually expecting OUR caddie to cater to them. Waiting for pins to be pulled, asking for reads, etc. Our caddie was trying to be helpful/non-confrontational but he was getting pulled in a million directions and obviously felt like he needed to be tending to us. 

 

Then at the end of the round they stiffed him on even a tip

[Slippin_Jimmy]

I mostly take a caddy at BD but a few times my playing partner and I haven't and have been paired with golfers with a caddy.  This may be an etiquette faux pas but in those cases we've each slipped the caddy a $20 early in the round vs. after, and just say it's a thanks for pulling pins/etc.  Maybe overthinking it, but in my experiences the caddies are usually helpful with looking for balls, offering distances and lines off the tee, pulling pins, etc. and this way I didn't feel like a freeloader during the round. And also they know they're not getting stiffed either.  Probably overthinking it but it's been well received in my experience.

[highbombs77]

Thanks for all of the thoughtful replies!  It seems like the consensus is that it shouldn't be a problem as long as he is careful not to ask for anything from the caddies, and has a very low threshold to tip $20-40 if he receives any help or entertainment from the caddies. 

[PorkChopExpress]

It's fine, just use common sense. 

It's only an issue if the non-caddie guy 😉 continually asks for advice and doesn't tip

 

But like above, just get a caddie

 

[seekingpar]

On 2/2/2022 at 6:54 AM, highbombs77 said:

How many are in your group, and how many are using a caddie? Have you been in a 4some that was mixed caddie/no caddie before? 

I have played with two caddie's in a threesome and foursome. This last trip (2/5-2/9 36 for 3 days 53.5 miles) we had 4 with two caddies. We have had one of the caddies(Fern) before and the two of us without tipped the caddies $20 per round. I told them I don't expect them to go out of the way but appreciate anything. I felt like they appreciated it and they helped out quite often. I will continue to carry(Rickshaw) my own bag as long as I can and my friend ,who I have gone on three trips, will continue to get his caddie. I also suggest picking up a beer on the turn.

[highbombs77]

Update - "that guy" didn't use a caddie for the first round.  He was very careful not to ask anything of the caddies.  He did fine physically but he got crushed on blind shots, tough reads on greens, hitting the wrong part of the green and rolling off, etc.  He got a caddie the rest of the rounds for the trip. 

[DD4442]

I was the one guy without a caddie once at Pacific Dunes.  There were no issues at all, but just being in the group you will get tips on line and speed, and hear or see what the caddie's do to help their players.  You get their local knowledge, learn where to drop your bag for easiest access to the next hole, funny stories, etc.  I tipped each of the three $20 just for that stuff.  Seemed to be a good idea at the time.