Caddie
Conundrum
PROPER PROTOCOL FOR GOLFING AT AN UNFAMILIAR
UPSCALE COURSE WITH A REQUIRED CADDIE
I
by MICHAEL J. STOTT
16
V I R G I N I A G O L F E R | S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 0 17
ADMIT IT, I’M OLD SCHOOL. I was raised in a family that encouraged
traditional thinking. In high school, I caddied at the high-end Indian Hill
Country Club in suburban Chicago where such a mindset was a job prerequi-
site. Back in the day I earned $7 for a single bag, $14 for a double bag. Tipping
was not allowed.
Times have changed. “The golf cart and powered pull cart seem to have
completely eliminated the caddie in American golf,” says Rob McNamara, the
head professional at Farmington Country Club in Charlottesville. “However, there is
nothing better than a good caddie on a classic course like Farmington.”
Most regular visitors to high-end resorts like the Homestead, Greenbrier or
premium destinations like Kiawah, Pinehurst, Pebble Beach, Bandon Dunes and
The Cloister, have caddie compensation knowledge in their DNA. But what about
the accidental tourist who is lucky enough to receive an invitation and essentially
shows up clueless?
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