“Some people like to walk a course with a
caddie or enjoy the services that a forecaddie can
provide,” says Lohman, who, like many of his
caddies, played high school and collegiate golf in
Southern California before turning pro. “They
prefer a real human, and not a GPS, [who] pro-
vides guidance throughout their round. All of our
forecaddies are well-trained, know our golf course,
how to provide good service and how to play golf
themselves. Some are even local surfers and can
educate the golfers about our surf culture, too.”
The program is voluntary for Monarch Beach
Golf Links caddies, and those who elect to par-
ticipate are put through an intensive training
course that gives them even more insight into the
nuances of the surrounding area, including the
oceanfront, canyon and foothill courses.
By the end of their training, Waterman Caddies
are able to dispense sage advice on the physical
characteristics of each hole on the course, such
as tips on wind and weather, as well as hazards,
landforms and other areas where trouble might be
lurking. They can help players read tricky greens
and fairways, locate balls that go astray and pro-
vide distance for every shot.
Before even hitting the links, they can also
help players with club and ball selection, order
a golf car or other vehicle to get around the
The oceanfront course at Monarch Beach Golf Links
links, or place orders for food, beverages, cigars
and other merchandise. Waterman Caddies are
also equipped to shoot videos or snap photos of
golfers and their group to enshrine those special
memories long after the round is over.
“Like all of our special amenities, it has been
very well-received. We usually see a handful of
guests take advantage during the week and a few
of our larger group events,” Lohman says of the
A Waterman Caddie is ready to be your course concierge.
28
MONARCHBEACHRESORT.COM
program’s success.
And that’s due, in part, to their willingness to
go along with the antics that make golf so much
fun. “We had a charity group that had a super-
hero theme recently and they had their caddies
wear capes,” Lohman says. “This made for an
interesting look and carried the theme of the
event during their round.”
But what really sets the Waterman Caddie