Caddies going through your golf bag...and other gripes

[maxtroy]

20 hours ago, Kanga said:

I don't disagree with much of the rest of your post but pragmatically I do not see this situation ever changing. So I try to be positive and, as you mention, try to find a compatible caddie that I can book at the courses I play.  Yes this can be an ongoing "chore" but it's pretty much all we can do if we want to maximise the enjoyment from "a good walk spoiled" 

NB - One game last year I actually sacked a caddie after 10 holes ........

I don't recall sacking  a caddie but I have had to tune-up a few so they at least did the basics of their job .

I have seen so much unwanted drama over the years . Played rounds where blokes have sacked caddies but also seen caddies quit on abusive golfers.  The classic is the twat who couldn't hit a putting line if the reward was a blowjob and yet continually blames the caddies read . 

Yes things will unlikely change and yes the best thing to do is get the number of the good companions (caddies) and book them next time you play the course . 

[farcanal]

On 8/31/2018 at 04:02, maxtroy said:

Just a question of which course wants to be the first . Some place like Mountain shadow  or Crystal Bay I think would be likely candidates . Their  rates are the lowest at $750 and caddie fee at $300 .  Go flat rate $1150 for walking with caddie optional . If golfer wants caddie then course still turns over the caddie portion to the caddie but if no caddie selected the course pockets the money . Those wanting buggies just pay extra for the buggy and drive themselves .

Fucking annoying when you take a buggy and still have to take a caddie .

I would happily patronize a caddy optional course . It would be lovely to remove the uncertainty of the caddie lottery . 

.......Those wanting buggies just pay extra for the buggy and drive themselves....

This will NEVER work. You simply could not allow every Tom, Dick or Harry to drive the carts themselves. At least the caddies know the protocol required to drive a cart on a golf course. Had an instance back here in Oz where a local cricket club had their annual golf day at a public course and a couple of carts were rolled. Nobody hurt (probably too pissed) but substantial damage to cart and course. This is why caddies are compulsory if you want to ride. Give the "no caddie" option but only if you walk.

And my group avoid the caddie lottery by pre-booking our favourite caddies...would not dream of playing golf in Thailand without a caddie.

[maxtroy]

9 hours ago, farcanal said:

.......Those wanting buggies just pay extra for the buggy and drive themselves....

This will NEVER work. You simply could not allow every Tom, Dick or Harry to drive the carts themselves. At least the caddies know the protocol required to drive a cart on a golf course. Had an instance back here in Oz where a local cricket club had their annual golf day at a public course and a couple of carts were rolled. Nobody hurt (probably too pissed) but substantial damage to cart and course. This is why caddies are compulsory if you want to ride. Give the "no caddie" option but only if you walk.

And my group avoid the caddie lottery by pre-booking our favourite caddies...would not dream of playing golf in Thailand without a caddie.

.Have you ever played golf in America , Canada or the  Caribbean ?  Millions of rounds of golf are played annually where every Tom , Dick and Harriet drive the buggy when playing a round of golf . No mandatory caddies required .  I suppose I could support  your position on keeping drunken Ozzies from getting behind the wheel of a buggy but that would be the topic of another thread  .

As for Thai caddies knowing the protocal I will point out my expereince of seeing a caddie , driving my buggy ,  pin another caddy between the front of my buggy and the back of the buggy the injured caddy was in  charge of . My caddy was not experienced and actually a danger to others so I gave her driving lessons for the remainder of the round . The injured girl was taken to hospital and I never learned the extent of her injury . So one drove to close to the buggy ahead and one placed herself in danger between two buggies . 

I was also preparing myself for the 'Fuck the Farang" tango because when you sign for the buggy you also sign over responsibility for any damages incurred by  that buggy regardless of the fact that you are not in control of the vehicle.  Fortunately for me they didn't ask me to compensate the injured caddy . 

You must have experienced being on a tee box adjacent to a green and as you are completing your downswing hearing the screeching brakes of a caddy  driven buggy coming to an abrupt halt .

Fact is a child can drive a buggy on a golf course . 

 

[farcanal]

6 hours ago, maxtroy said:

.Have you ever played golf in America , Canada or the  Caribbean ?  Millions of rounds of golf are played annually where every Tom , Dick and Harriet drive the buggy when playing a round of golf . No mandatory caddies required .  I suppose I could support  your position on keeping drunken Ozzies from getting behind the wheel of a buggy but that would be the topic of another thread  .

As for Thai caddies knowing the protocal I will point out my expereince of seeing a caddie , driving my buggy ,  pin another caddy between the front of my buggy and the back of the buggy the injured caddy was in  charge of . My caddy was not experienced and actually a danger to others so I gave her driving lessons for the remainder of the round . The injured girl was taken to hospital and I never learned the extent of her injury . So one drove to close to the buggy ahead and one placed herself in danger between two buggies . 

I was also preparing myself for the 'Fuck the Farang" tango because when you sign for the buggy you also sign over responsibility for any damages incurred by  that buggy regardless of the fact that you are not in control of the vehicle.  Fortunately for me they didn't ask me to compensate the injured caddy . 

You must have experienced being on a tee box adjacent to a green and as you are completing your downswing hearing the screeching brakes of a caddy  driven buggy coming to an abrupt halt .

Fact is a child can drive a buggy on a golf course . 

 

Exactly my point....all over the world cart and course damage is a huge problem for public golf courses due to idiots driving the carts.

Thailand is simply taking out this one factor to preserve cart and course.....and hiring carts and caddies helps pay the bills.

This is not to say the Thai caddies won't have the occasional accident, but the risk is certainly reduced dramatically by keeping idiot farangs out of the drivers seat......and I'm talking about ALL farangs, not just us Aussies.

I'm out...... me and my group love the caddies, we have a blast every single day .....wouldn't have it any other way. And I'm sure I speak for thousands of other golfers who flock to Thailand every year.

 

[Scuba+]

These threads always seem to degenerate into arguments about caddies vs no caddies, its not what this is about really, its about optional caddies. It's actually a shame that the bulk of Thais can't afford to play golf, major part of that is caddy fees. Its a good job in the UK we didn't have compulsory caddy otherwise golf would never have taken off

[fatjack1]

Number of courses in Thailand - 250-300

Average number of caddies per course - 100

Employed Thais as caddies - 25,000 to 30,000

It really doesn't matter a damn if poor thais can't play golf or if some expats are counting their pennies and can't or won't play golf because of the extra cost of caddies.  They are here to stay and will remain mandatory as part of Thailands sensible concept of full employment.  

Anyone that considers mandatory caddies a hardship should simply not play golf in Thailand.  Simple really.  And you can discuss till doomsday making it optional but no "actions" on the part of PSC or other farang group will have one iota of impact on this.  It's a laugh to think the boycott of Pattaya CC was because of anything but the fact it is a shitty course.  

 

 

[Scuba+]

 It's a laugh to think the boycott of Pattaya CC was because of anything but the fact it is a shitty course.  
 
 

Fact is people stopped playing it because the price went too high, because it is an average course at best. At the right price people start considering courses. You may not like it but that's the way it is

[Kanga]

10 hours ago, fatjack1 said:

It's a laugh to think the boycott of Pattaya CC was because of anything but the fact it is a shitty course.  

Agreed and I have said before I don't actually remember any specific boycott - for Phoenix yes as the members tried to get everybody to stop playing.

9 hours ago, Scuba+ said:

Fact is people stopped playing it because the price went too high,

I still think it is relatively overpriced - it's only real advantage is proximity to Pattaya central compared to other courses. 

[fatjack1]

58 minutes ago, Kanga said:

Agreed and I have said before I don't actually remember any specific boycott - for Phoenix yes as the members tried to get everybody to stop playing.

I still think it is relatively overpriced - it's only real advantage is proximity to Pattaya central compared to other courses. 

Yeah, we've never really accomplished anything or exerted enough strength to scare any of the courses.  Which is the point here that we will not do so regarding optional caddies.  

On Pattaya CC I don' think many bar venues play it now.  Could be wrong.  Maybe I just block it out if I see it on the schedule as I know I won't play there or Parichat because both courses are poor layouts and/or condition.

  

[Maninmanama]

[emoji120][emoji120][emoji120][emoji120]

Exactly my point....all over the world cart and course damage is a huge problem for public golf courses due to idiots driving the carts.
Thailand is simply taking out this one factor to preserve cart and course.....and hiring carts and caddies helps pay the bills.
This is not to say the Thai caddies won't have the occasional accident, but the risk is certainly reduced dramatically by keeping idiot farangs out of the drivers seat......and I'm talking about ALL farangs, not just us Aussies.
I'm out...... me and my group love the caddies, we have a blast every single day .....wouldn't have it any other way. And I'm sure I speak for thousands of other golfers who flock to Thailand every year.
 

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

[Maninmanama]

Wow! Great to see this discussin livening up.

Quality of courses and merits vs tourists / long timers and expats (memberships) vs the specific example of Phoenix vs costs / merits of caddies are IMHO completely separate subjects.

Each has their own arguments for and against, and in reality and after many years of enjoying golf in LOS, not much will change. Not living there, but golfing 3 or 4 times a year.

Everyone has seen (or more likely) heard stories or urban myths of golf in Thailand. Most of it is opinion. Up 2 u! We cannot live by exception, even if it is what most of us will remember.

Personally, I'll continue to enjoy and live with all its idiosyncrasies, book my caddies, play where I like and want, mix it up between the the best and semi best courses, look for good deals and so on.

I do however appreciate the difference between a lot of the guys who live there "permanently" and those who are less regular.

Golf on!

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

[maxtroy]

17 hours ago, Scuba+ said:

These threads always seem to degenerate into arguments about caddies vs no caddies, its not what this is about really, its about optional caddies. It's actually a shame that the bulk of Thais can't afford to play golf, major part of that is caddy fees. Its a good job in the UK we didn't have compulsory caddy otherwise golf would never have taken off

You are right  . Too many people see black and white .  We are talking about caddies as an option and certainly not eliminating them . In fact , next time I am at Rancho Charnavee I guarantee I will be looking forward to booking one of the gogo  girls  oops I mean caddies .555.

No caddies is not ground breaking as there is a 9 hole golf course on the Navy property in  Sattahip that is open to all and  does not have caddies . Challenging course but subpar on maintenance and clubhouse facilities .

[Scuba+]

 

 

 

They are here to stay and will remain mandatory as part of Thailands sensible concept of full employment.  

 

 

 

 

It would make more sense to have compulsory caddies in Australia where unemployment is nearly 6%, in Thailand its 1%

 

[fatjack1]

17 minutes ago, Scuba+ said:

 

 

 

 

 

It would make more sense to have compulsory caddies in Australia where unemployment is nearly 6%, in Thailand its 1%

 

Could be.  I don't claim to be an economist nor am I judging Thailands system.  Just commenting on what it is which is they keep people employed doing stuff that isn't always needed.  I doubt t they will change this system any time soon and I doubt there is anything we can do to speed it up.

 

[farcanal]

On 9/8/2018 at 14:11, Scuba+ said:

 

 

 

 

 

It would make more sense to have compulsory caddies in Australia where unemployment is nearly 6%, in Thailand its 1%

 

Yeah, good luck with that....they pay people to sit on there arse down here