Caddys, do they even exist any more?

Seve OB

When I was a kid I used to go down to Greystones golf club with my dad, caddy for him and then play my own game after while he got slaughtered in the bar. :eek:

Indeed it was my introduction to golf and a tough one it was at that. Those were days, where after the game, my dad would buy me a drink and a kit kat and if it was raining I could sit in the locker room or stand in the doorway for 10 minutes or so to down the drink. I remember seeing the inside of the old bar once, when I was allowed to go in and get an autograph from the Priest out of Glenroe! :rolleyes: de de, de do do, de do, de do de do,

I remember one time, after caddying, playing in the junior comp and then spending hours on the putting green and with the light fading I was getting tired so I went over and fell asleep in the back of the car. Now my dad had been keeping his eye on me as you could see the putting green from the bar, but not a close enough eye as he failed to spot me heading to the car. Well when he realised I wasn't on the putting green any more, I think the place went into lockdown, everyone was out scouring the car park and surrounding areas looking for me, of course the back of the car was the last place they looked!

My dad made sure I knew all the etiquette of golf, where to stand, the rules, knowing not to be talking, how to hold the pin, watching for shadows.... there was no stepping out of line and if you did, you were told. It's funny that nowadays he lives by none of these philosophy's! :rolleyes: But I always hold what I learnt in good stead especially as I have since played enough golf with people who have no idea about course etiquette but take offence to being given some. It true what you say ... catch them young. Speaking of young, maybe the lack of young caddys nowadays lends itself to some of the bad behaviour we (on occasion - I'm not having a go at them all) see round the course??

Anyway, back to caddy's. If I wasn't there, my dad had another young lad who, if he was amongst the flock of caddys hanging around the first tee, would regularly caddy for him. I would also on occasion caddy for a few of the other members.

From time to time I would slip across the fields to Woodbrook Golf Club (I lived in Shankill) and caddy for someone there, though that was much tougher to get a bag as they had a caddy master who seemed to despise the sight of kids, and whoa and behold you would be thrown out of the place if you approached a golfer yourself. I did get a gig one weekend in Woodbrook when the Irish PGA was played there carrying the scoreboard around. Can even remember that one of the guys playing was Owen Mulhall I think from Royal Dublin.

£5 was the going rate as board man and caddy

So in light of the joy Parlance experienced last night welcoming his baby son into the world it got me thinking. I had always hoped that one day, I would have a son (3 daughters so far...... but one of them will have to do ) and be able to share the same experiences with him/her that I did with my dad. I would be able to exploit child labour and for a few measly euro get him/her to drag my clubs around the course, run to the bar at half time to get the supplies in etc etc, and then when old enough, could drive me home after I got slaughtered in the bar seeing as drinking and driving is no longer permitted.

But it appears with the advent of electric trollies over the last 15-20 years, there is simply no need for a caddy anymore. Indeed, I don't remember seeing one anywhere I've played golf in long and many a day.

Have you ever, would you, or even do you use a caddy? How much would you pay for one?

Young fellas caddying is surely akin to the stories we have all heard about trainee footballers cleaning the pro's boots after matches / training. Could caddying serve as an apprenticeship to a future in golf. Do you think caddying should be mandatory as and entry to golf, so young lads can learn the rules & etiquette etc

let the bickering commence

PARlance

Stevie, if he's anything like me in my teens you can have him then for caddying... Actually, you can just have him.

Mrs OB might be getting some action tonight by the sounds of it

I fully expect my daughter to be on the Solhiem cup, so get those girls to the club practicing too... There's a bit more golfing pedigree in your lineage (and you can play yourself unlike me ) so no excuses

TrapperChamonix

I hope my son to be fully engaged in caddying this summer. However this will be for overseas guests rather than members and as such he will hopefully be self funding for the 1st time.

Not sure why you seem to remember this so fondly. I think you highlight the regard that clubs in the past held for kids. Stand in doorway, not allowed inside etc, generally seen as pests.

Seve OB

TrapperChamonix wrote: »

I hope my son to be fully engaged in caddying this summer. However this will be for overseas guests rather than members and as such he will hopefully be self funding for the 1st time.

Not sure why you seem to remember this so fondly. I think you highlight the regard that clubs in the past held for kids. Stand in doorway, not allowed inside etc, generally seen as pests.

Yea, I guess it was just the getting out on and around the golf course that I loved. Anything to do with golf and I was happy. The clubhouse was definitely not the place for kids!

Fair play to you taking this up as a career. I am aware that it exists in some of the more prestigious clubs for foreign visitors etc. I think I was more aiming it at general club play, casual golf and kids being caddies.

Seve OB

PARlance wrote: »

Stevie, if he's anything like me in my teens you can have him then for caddying... Actually, you can just have him.

Mrs OB might be getting some action tonight by the sounds of it

I fully expect my daughter to be on the Solhiem cup, so get those girls to the club practicing too... There's a bit more golfing pedigree in your lineage (and you can play yourself unlike me ) so no excuses

I've heard of wife swapping but never baby swapping. Lauren is almost 3 months now, so I think we'll wait a while for your lad to settle in before we trade :p

Mrs OB can have all the action she likes whenever she requires............. But we are married now :rolleyes:

I had the 2 girls out on Sunday across the green with their little hurlogs. Grace (almost 3) lasted maybe 5 minutes, but chucked her bat and just wanted to chase the ball. Lucy (almost 5) lasted maybe 15 and try as I do, she just doesn't have the hand eye co-ordination and wont even hold the thing correctly..... I will battle on though

TrapperChamonix

stevieob wrote: »

Yea, I guess it was just the getting out on and around the golf course that I loved. Anything to do with golf and I was happy. The clubhouse was definitely not the place for kids!

Fair play to you taking this up as a career. I am aware that it exists in some of the more prestigious clubs for foreign visitors etc. I think I was more aiming it at general club play, casual golf and kids being caddies.

I think you misread my post, its my 14 year old who'll be the caddy. If he gets 2 or 3 gigs a week, it should pay for all the golf balls and chicken curry's he can consume. Who knows at the end of it he might be able to pay back some of the golf balls I've supplied him with.

The_Architect

In many member's clubs in the States, it is mandatory to take a caddy.

They all work freelance and do not get paid by the club. It is expected that you tip them minimum $80 but $100 would be expected.

Seve OB

TrapperChamonix wrote: »

I think you misread my post, its my 14 year old who'll be the caddy. If he gets 2 or 3 gigs a week, it should pay for all the golf balls and chicken curry's he can consume. Who knows at the end of it he might be able to pay back some of the golf balls I've supplied him with.

Haha, my bad.... Lol.


God the arguments I used to have with the old man about golf balls. They were the prize if you won a junior comp and lucky enough I took home a few, only for him to take and replace with crap you wouldn't even practice with!

There were a few holes where he would take a few clubs and finish out , tee off the next and met me half way down the fairway........ Otherwise 10 minutes for me to rifle through the gorse in search of golf balls. Of course any decent ones I found I was accused of nicking from his golf bag.

Thankfully most if the balls I get nowadays come free..... Actually can't remember last time I had to buy some

Seve OB

The_Architect wrote: »

In many member's clubs in the States, it is mandatory to take a caddy.

They all work freelance and do not get paid by the club. It is expected that you tip them minimum $80 but $100 would be expected.

Yea I had heard about that from a few people........ Makes the game very expensive.

derra

I used to caddy some days up in Old Conna when I was a junior which was 20 odd years ago. There was no caddy service as such, might just get a phone call during the week on the Summer holidays to caddy for someone.

Went over to Woodbrook a couple of times on a Saturday but was too hard to get out with a gang of lads there.

A few of those lads done alright in later years. The Byrnes' caddying on tour:

Matthew Byrne: Christy O' Connor '89 Ryder Cup at The Belfry

Myles Byrne: Ian Woosnam and that unfortunate incident at the British Open, Peter Baker

Dermot Byrne: With Lowry at the moment

Brian is another brother who had a bag or two as well.

John Mulrooney had Olazabals bag as well as carrying for the Darren Clarke's British Open win. Think he was with Jiminez too.

Darren Reynolds was with McGinley at The K club Ryder Cup.

They had other bags too that I'm not sure of at the moment as well as others that done a spot of caddying.

Them boys would have a story or two to tell :pac:

Seve OB

derra wrote: »

Them boys would have a story or two to tell :pac:

Oh they do and I hear them on a regular basis...... Not from any of the guys you mentioned though


I was more aiming at the young lad caddying with my thoughts but it is interesting to see the names you mentioned all got a start in Woodbrook.... No wonder I found it tough to get a bag there!

Rippeditup

We use to caddy as kids in the likes of the ladies open and seniors open and then the odd local pro ams... Also I remember getting Mossy Keanes bag in a pro AM once. his grips had about 8 layers of tape on them as his hands where like shovels.

One of my mates went on to caddy full time, He was on the PGA tour but is with Sydnee Michaels now on the LPGA tour. Some amount of travelling and getting to play some amazing courses on his travels.

the greatest game

I caddied a lot as a young lad up to the age of 14/15 , I was more a human donkey carrying a bag or pulling a trolly rather than holding pin etc, I remember one of the first times, I carried the cart in the the bunker :-)

Anyway, I ususally got 3 pounds for a round, sometimes more sometimes less.

I caddied for the crew members of Airforce 1, and few irish minor celebs, when I was 17/18 I caddied for japanese tourists - was more a guide, I got 100 pounds, this was back in late 80's .

I had lots of pocket money from golf as a kid, but no interest in the game at all, Now I am an addict - stange.

rollotomasi

Just poking around the Ballybunion website:

Senior caddie € 45
Senior caddie (double bag) € 80
Junior caddie (1 bag) € 30
Fore caddie € 65 (whatever that is.....)

Catering for the American market, methinks....

nomunnnofun

rollotomasi wrote: »

Just poking around the Ballybunion website:

Senior caddie € 45
Senior caddie (double bag) € 80
Junior caddie (1 bag) € 30
Fore caddie € 65 (whatever that is.....)

Catering for the American market, methinks....

A fore caddie is a person that walks ahead of you and keeps an eye on where you are hitting your balls to keep them from getting lost as far as I know. I read an article once that mentions this is where the Shout FORE originated from. If your ball was about to hit this caddie, a shout would go up '' beFORE you'' and they could duck/cover to protect themselves. Could just be a myth though.

Seve OB

nomunnnofun wrote: »

A fore caddie is a person that walks ahead of you and keeps an eye on where you are hitting your balls to keep them from getting lost as far as I know. I read an article once that mentions this is where the Shout FORE originated from. If your ball was about to hit this caddie, a shout would go up '' beFORE you'' and they could duck/cover to protect themselves. Could just be a myth though.

nice one, that's interesting