Caddying, the lost art.
Nowadays in Canada and the U.S., it is rare to have a caddie as they are only found at the top ultra exclusive private clubs whose gates are closed to most of the golfing public or at 5 star 6 diamond resorts that many cannot afford to play.
Sad really, as having a caddie is a treat. Caddies will not only share with you the history and stories about the club, but they will read the greens like they are children's books, give you the correct yardage from anywhere on the course and know all the best ways to play each hole. Invaluable really. You have your own GPS of the course for the day. Now only if we could follow their directions, we could have our career rounds.
If you are travelling in the Caribbean or Asia you are in luck as you will have these golf guru's appointed to you at most courses. I was recently at a course and two visitors were griping about having to pay a green fee, caddie fee and of course the obligatory tip. Yes, yes and yes. But don't look at this in a negative way as they did, as how often do you get to feel like a pro and have a caddie?
It can be an incredible experience not only because of what I already mentioned, but they will usually be pretty good players themselves and will see your flying elbow or reverse weight shift and in their friendly way will correct your flaws and having you flushing the ball. Or if you do slice one over four fairways into the bush, they will never snicker at you like your buddies back home. Instead they will either figure out a way for you to play the shot or at least find your beloved Pro V (Fabergé egg) that you were sure was lost forever and return it to you.
Who knows, you may get your own Danny Noonan, Eddie Lowery or even better don't forget Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson and many other golfing legends got their start in the caddie yards, so you could be walking with a future Hall of Famer. Caddies are a lost art in North America, so look forward to the opportunity as you travel. Yes it might be a small added expense but it really takes golf back to its nostalgic days, so enjoy the unspoiled walk.
Did I mention that all the caddies in Southeast Asia are very attractive women who will have you so distracted you will not care about any errant shots. Yes, you will have to keep your temper under control and be on your best behaviour as you would not want to upset the ladies.
Remember, a caddie is not your servant for the day. Treat them with respect, listen to their stories or advice and don't forget the tip. If you are really unsure of the tip just ask the local pro or clubhouse manager and they will give you the low, average and high rate, giving you a great idea what your guru for the day was worth.
See you in the fairway.