Caddy tipping

[tt2008]

2 hours ago, LOTTELLEE WINNA said:

At the end (or beginning) of the round, a spot on the green is chosen and each caddy is given a ball and putter by their golfer. The caddies get one putt to see if they can hole from that spot…if they do, they receive 100THB from their golfer.👍

Like that idea, will try it next time!!

[farcanal]

Thanks guys, plenty of differing ideas and comments.

In my opinion (and the 3 guys I travel with ) I think ,given we hire carts, it's not a hard gig for the caddies. We always buy them food and drinks at the multiple halfway houses, and always give them small gifts from Australia.

They do ok, and most times we'll play twice at their course, so 400 baht is fair.

I know there's some filthy rich blokes from Japan, Korea who dish out 1000 baht notes like confetti, but it ain't us.

I also know some caddies are lucky to get 200 baht from some of these rich bastards, so, swings and roundabouts.

My beef with this particular lady was the presumption that I was rich and because I wanted to book her, I should tip between 500 - 1000. 

For all I know she could be a lazy cow.

[farcanal]

On 20/07/2023 at 14:12, Gonetothedogs said:

Mate, everyone tips the caddies 500+
 

 

leave her alone and go play golf 

No they don't.

I have a favourite caddie at Chee Chan (where you need a fat wallet to play) who has received 100 baht tip.

[farcanal]

18 hours ago, Tuna Town said:

First and foremost if you have never played Parichat before then I am not going to try and discourage you and I will leave you to your own devices on whether you want to play there but I will never step foot on that shithole of a golf course again.

I have played all the courses now in the Pattaya precinct and if the tally comes in at 25 then Parichat is getting ranked 25th out of 25

If there are 26 courses then it is 26th

It is not even close to the two next worst for me and they are Silky Oak and St Andrews 2000. Both of those courses are to me gimmicky but have potential if some of the BS was removed from them. Parichat on the other hand can be nuked for all I care

 

Secondly as for your points raised on green fees to me that caddy was to my thinking pretty honest 

She stated 300-400 standard which is pretty bang on the mark. Remember there will be plenty of expats who are not 2week millionaires who will be paying the 300 minimum level. 

Her claim on 500-1000 for bookings also makes sense.

If a guy goes often enough to a course (why you would go to Parichat regularly is another issue) you book a caddy. Given time together you bond with a caddy, the conversation flows I can see guys tipping more.

If the caddy is also attractive I can see guys tipping more to try and impress her in the hope it leads her to be holding their shaft back at the hotel.

I don't really see though why you have snubbed Parichat off your list based on the interaction with the caddy.

She has been pretty honest with her views on payment rates and has also tried encouraging you to tip her well in the hope you will be more generous. Her behaviour isn't really that much of an issue from my viewpoint.

 

Yeah she is trying it on  to get more baht for herself but no different than any TG negotiating a price for P4P who comes in with an initial high offer to see if you are dumb enough to pay it 

 

 

 

Thanks for the heads up.

[hoback]

On 20/07/2023 at 13:31, Kandinski said:

Not a golfer but are caddies employed by the club on a salary or are they working freelance? Not a bad job if they can top up a salary with tips for 1 round ( can they do 2 round a day?)

i've been living and golfing in thailand for a while now and all the caddies i've ever talked to about thier income say they are freelance.  there is no salary.   they recieve a 100 bt (rural) to 350 bt (urban) payment from the golfcourse, aka the "caddie fee", when they get work either through a booking or waiting thier turn in a caddie queue, plus tips.  on slow days there may be no customers and thus no income.  skilled/gifted caddies are usually able to have daily bookings and avoid the grind of the queue, but many are not.  

[Tuna Town]

21 hours ago, LOTTELLEE WINNA said:

At the end (or beginning) of the round, a spot on the green is chosen and each caddy is given a ball and putter by their golfer. The caddies get one putt to see if they can hole from that spot…if they do, they receive 100THB from their golfer.👍

I play a game with the caddy on a Par 3 where I got on Google translate and write it out in Thai so they can read and understand

If I get a bogey or worse they get 100 baht

If I get a par or better they owe me 1 baht

I then put the 100 baht on the scorecard holder so they can see it 

If I have a bad hole I walk over to the buggy and hand the caddy the 100 baht and watch them smile 

Fucking up the hole actually works to help break the ice with the caddy as it loosens them up 

If I Par or birdie the hole I say we play again next Par 3 same same 

I never accept the 1 baht from them (WTF am I gonna do with it anyway??) 

I got through the round once getting Par on all the Par3s. So as I was poised to 2 putt on the last one I told the caddie if I got a par or a birdie they could get the 100 baht. You wouldn't believe how much assistance I got with the read on the putt 555

 

Either way if I have a string of holes with Pars I am happy.

If I fuck up  a Par 3 the caddy gets 100 baht and she is happy 

Simple game that costs me 100 baht which is less than a lady drink in a bar but makes the caddy smile and relaxes them 

[Tuna Town]

5 hours ago, farcanal said:

Thanks guys, plenty of differing ideas and comments.

In my opinion (and the 3 guys I travel with ) I think ,given we hire carts, it's not a hard gig for the caddies. We always buy them food and drinks at the multiple halfway houses, and always give them small gifts from Australia.

They do ok, and most times we'll play twice at their course, so 400 baht is fair.

I know there's some filthy rich blokes from Japan, Korea who dish out 1000 baht notes like confetti, but it ain't us.

I also know some caddies are lucky to get 200 baht from some of these rich bastards, so, swings and roundabouts.

My beef with this particular lady was the presumption that I was rich and because I wanted to book her, I should tip between 500 - 1000. 

For all I know she could be a lazy cow.

400 baht is more than fair

Remember she is also getting 300 to 500 baht in the caddy fee you are paying 

So your more or less paying her 700-900 baht for 4 hours work and she is getting food n drinks and an easy day sitting on her butt driving you around and not walking in the heat

You are pretty much in the "middle of the median range" for paying caddies so don't be worried about your 400baht tip.... It's more than enough 

[LOTTELLEE WINNA]

Another caddie game that gets the gals in the mood for fun is when there is a large group of golfers…say a bar or society outing. Prior to the round starting, on the practice green each player chips in 100THB which goes into a pot; each caddy is given 2 putts and their best ball (ie nearest the hole)is marked. There are prizes for 1st 2nd and 3rd…the gals love the chance to win (say) 500+THB…laughs all round 😀

[Tuna Town]

19 hours ago, tt2008 said:

I only play a couple of times on my typical 2 week trips and I do play at more 'upmarket' and expensive courses.

500baht caddy tip at the end has been the norm for years and TBH just about all the caddy's I have had have been great and well worth it. I also give out 20baht notes during the round for good shots/putts etc

Perhaps I'm overpaying, but when I've talked to other golfers on those courses 500baht (or more for some well healed folks) has been the minimum.

I fully accept that if I lived in Pattaya rather than having holidays then I couldn't afford to play the expensive courses all the time and maybe the caddy tips might be a bit lower.

However 500baht works for me and I'm happy to pay.

Pay them what you want is really the order of the day 

I can make more of a case to be offended at guys over paying P4P girls than I could for a guy overpaying a caddy. 

It is not really an issue that I would be offended by if guys were on here saying the tip 1000 or 2000 baht a round. It wouldn't really bother me

 

I don't ever really feel under any pressure from the caddy on the tip level because you pay it at the end of the round. They ain't exactly really in a position to cause you an issue at this point if you tip low as you ain't really gonna have to see them again and they are unlikely to stab you in the car park of the golf club over the perceived poor tip 

 

Bit different if you are trying to get out of or pay a low ball fee for a TG you just fucked and they are in your room and can cause a scene or even make up some allegation to the BiB about no consent etc

[Gonetothedogs]

53 minutes ago, Tuna Town said:

Pay them what you want is really the order of the day 

I can make more of a case to be offended at guys over paying P4P girls than I could for a guy overpaying a caddy. 

It is not really an issue that I would be offended by if guys were on here saying the tip 1000 or 2000 baht a round. It wouldn't really bother me

 

I don't ever really feel under any pressure from the caddy on the tip level because you pay it at the end of the round. They ain't exactly really in a position to cause you an issue at this point if you tip low as you ain't really gonna have to see them again and they are unlikely to stab you in the car park of the golf club over the perceived poor tip 

 

Bit different if you are trying to get out of or pay a low ball fee for a TG you just fucked and they are in your room and can cause a scene or even make up some allegation to the BiB about no consent etc

Just human decency, no? You know they earn very little and they have been working a hard job all day, putting up with grumpy Farang for 5 hours. 
 

yep, you can leave them a lousy tip and strut your way through the car park unmolested, but come on…

[Gonetothedogs]

1 hour ago, Tuna Town said:

400 baht is more than fair

Remember she is also getting 300 to 500 baht in the caddy fee you are paying 

So your more or less paying her 700-900 baht for 4 hours work and she is getting food n drinks and an easy day sitting on her butt driving you around and not walking in the heat

You are pretty much in the "middle of the median range" for paying caddies so don't be worried about your 400baht tip.... It's more than enough 

Easy day being a caddy? Sat on her butt?

Pardon?

We are talking about 15 bucks a day, it’s absolutely nothing and they can’t live on that, nobody can. 

yep, you don’t have to tip them well for a long hot, joyless day that’s true. 
 

This idea that Thai woman must live in servitude is really weird 

[Tuna Town]

8 hours ago, Gonetothedogs said:

Easy day being a caddy? Sat on her butt?

Pardon?

We are talking about 15 bucks a day, it’s absolutely nothing and they can’t live on that, nobody can. 

yep, you don’t have to tip them well for a long hot, joyless day that’s true. 
 

This idea that Thai woman must live in servitude is really weird 

The minimum wage in Thailand is listed at 354 baht a day. 

These caddies are earning double that for guys giving a 300-400 baht tip on top of the caddy fee for the round 

They are also able to earn other forms of income to bolster their pay outside of caddying 

Exactly how are they in servitude ??

There are plenty of other jobs available in Thailand if they don't want to drive a golf cart around a golf course with a fat farang for a couple of hours a day 

 

Next are you gonna be trying to tell me girls who get on the bus in Issan and come to Pattaya to make the big money selling their pussy in a bar are being trafficked when we all know they are doing it through a personal choice for the excessive earnings available??

 

 

 

[Tuna Town]

8 hours ago, Gonetothedogs said:

Just human decency, no? You know they earn very little and they have been working a hard job all day, putting up with grumpy Farang for 5 hours. 
 

yep, you can leave them a lousy tip and strut your way through the car park unmolested, but come on…

I myself don't leave them a lousy tip anyway and am talking theoretically.

I give the tip in the car park to the caddy but I don't feel intimidated or insecure about doing so not do I feel obliged to pay them heaps of baht 

Most caddies put the baht straight in their coat pocket anyway without even counting it so if they are unhappy they ain't expressing it there and then 

Other than playing in BKK courses it's been a long time since I had a 3 hour plus round in Pattaya so they are not putting up with a grumpy Farang for 5 hours 

I am pretty mellow on the golf course these days in relation to my temperament as I have accepted my limited levels of ability 555

[GARYZX6R]

Certainly not a hard job being a caddy. Grumpy falangs? Sounds like your playing with the wrong group of people. 

[farcanal]

17 hours ago, GARYZX6R said:

Certainly not a hard job being a caddy. Grumpy falangs? Sounds like your playing with the wrong group of people. 

Agree mate.

I've been going to Thailand for golf for 14 years.

Our caddies love us because we are'nt serious, they have a ball, they get involved in the sledging and most enjoy a beer or 2 on us.

One of my mates a few years ago actually had a caddie who had a second job which she was quitting because she had enough income from the caddie job.

[warmn40s]

I’m not American so I’m not used to tipping.
I don’t understand why guys are tipping for ST when a negotiated price has already been agreed on!!!
anyway, I tip what I want to tip!
Most cases 400 baht.

However, if the caddy HELPS me from providing good info and correct reads on the green then I will tip another 100  … probably 25% of the time. 

Golf in Thailand is expensive because of the compulsory caddy (800 per round incl tip) and I usually play 6+ rounds in a 2 week trip, so I’m up for 5000 baht on caddies, that’s enough!

I’m off to Hua Hin later this month for 8 days during their Golf Festival and then on to Patts for another 10 days.

good golfing everybody ⛳️

[LOTTELLEE WINNA]

On 01/08/2023 at 12:11, warmn40s said:

However, if the caddy HELPS me from providing good info and correct reads on the green then I will tip another 100  … probably 25% of the time. 

Golf in Thailand is expensive because of the compulsory caddy (800 per round incl tip) and I usually play 6+ rounds in a 2 week trip, so I’m up for 5000 baht on caddies, that’s enough!

I’m off to Hua Hin later this month for 8 days during their Golf Festival and then on to Patts for another 10 days.

good golfing everybody ⛳️

Excellent post, and thanks for sharing your experiences. There is no doubt about it – golf in Thailand is expensive, compared to many other parts of the world.

I’ve just come back from three years in NZ and was a member of two courses (Keri Keri and Waitangi)… cheap as chips at around $800NZ annually, without anything else to pay. When I lived in Australia, I played in Sydney, luckily my boss was a member at one of the better clubs (Concord) so I often got a freebie, but when I played on the nearby public course (Massie Park) an individual game was around $38AU… again, a reasonable price. In the UK I was a member at one of the more prestigious clubs (Hillside), now here there is a one of joining fee off £5,000, but the annual fee is around £1,000 with nothing else to pay (and this is on an Open qualifying course).

My point is that golf particularly for an ex-pat is an expensive game in Thailand. This is one of the reasons why I moved from Pattaya to Issan. I can play 18 holes for 310THB (green fee+caddy fee) at the Army course and 500 to play what I would describe as a good and challenging course (eg Ubonratdam outside Khon Khaen). Caddie tips pre Covid was from 200 and now from 300 (I book regular carddies and pay a bit more).

Final point about cost and compulsory caddies… the biggest losers are Thai people. It becomes a rich man’s sport and very difficult for working class Thai people to take part.

Edited August 2, 2023 by LOTTELLEE WINNA

[Dunghie]

Keri Keri, Concord, Massie Park...

Some good memories there LW.

All the add ons for golf in Thailand can get rather silly.

Compulsory caddie. (They could be clueless.)

Compulsory cart, one per golfer.

Tips, etc.

Kanchanaburi area can offer some good value options.

Asia hotel 9 hole course was good value, tricky and fun for a few afternoon laughs with the boys, with Kinnaree a decent 19th hole option.

As for tipping caddies, pay what ya think is fair. Were they an asset or a liability?

 

Edited August 2, 2023 by Dunghie

[Rui]

On 21/07/2023 at 16:47, Tuna Town said:

I play a game with the caddy on a Par 3 where I got on Google translate and write it out in Thai so they can read and understand

If I get a bogey or worse they get 100 baht

If I get a par or better they owe me 1 baht

I then put the 100 baht on the scorecard holder so they can see it 

If I have a bad hole I walk over to the buggy and hand the caddy the 100 baht and watch them smile 

Fucking up the hole actually works to help break the ice with the caddy as it loosens them up 

If I Par or birdie the hole I say we play again next Par 3 same same 

I never accept the 1 baht from them (WTF am I gonna do with it anyway??) 

I got through the round once getting Par on all the Par3s. So as I was poised to 2 putt on the last one I told the caddie if I got a par or a birdie they could get the 100 baht. You wouldn't believe how much assistance I got with the read on the putt 555

 

Either way if I have a string of holes with Pars I am happy.

If I fuck up  a Par 3 the caddy gets 100 baht and she is happy 

Simple game that costs me 100 baht which is less than a lady drink in a bar but makes the caddy smile and relaxes them 

This sounds like a good one twoards the caddies, wil have to try that one on my next trip. As for tipping caddies, I usually do from 300-500thb for when i just get the next in line. On the courses where i have regular caddies, I tend to tip them a bit more just because i have known them for a long time.  But everyone should tip what they feel they deserve, just never blame the caddie for your bad day on the course, after all their not the one hitting the ball 🙂 

[Ping Pong]

I'd like to address a few points on here.

Someone said golf in Thailand isn't cheap anymore. Well a day out at a Siam course is not cheap. Until you lift that course and drop it in Surrey and it will cost you 4 times as much, if they let you on at all as a visitor. The Belfry is £185 and a cart will cost you £35 and you have to include your travel costs. And then it isn't exactly the best course in the world either. All of the Siam courses are cheaper than that and better in my opinion.

Caddy tips. What does a caddy make? They get 350baht out of the caddy fee. Most courses have more caddies than players. It's not unusual for a caddy to only have 3 bags a week. The other days she doesn't get paid and must find other employment. It's also true that in low season the caddies go home and the ones who stay can get 2 bags a day. Tipping is generally 400baht now. That's just basic for someone who is so poorly paid. Does anyone really begruge someone getting a £10 tip to go on top of their £9 fee? They get up at 5am, go to the course and sit around hoping they will get a bag that day and if they don't they go home without a penny? Anybody want to sign up for that deal? Not many takers I'm sure.

I tip 500 for starters. That's my bottom rate. I add 100 for a 2 and 100 if she attempts to keep me cool. I remember one very hot and humid day at Laem Chabang. I was done in by the drink stop on 12. My caddy stripped me off, iced me down and stood me in front of a fan and we let 3 groups through until she thought I was recovered enough to go back out. Being over heated in Thailand is not uncommon and is very dangerous. Being looked after properly is worth a very large tip. I shot 40 on Lake and 37 on Valley despite being in serious trouble that day.

The one thing that bugs me is when I get told off by an expat. I was playing with a bar 12 years back and one of the guys saw me tip 500. He went nuts on me as he had only tipped 150. He said when the caddy fee went up he tipped less and I was spoiling the market. His absolute max limit was 500 for caddy fee and tip. No doubt he is only tipping 100 now. There is a word for a guy like that - cunt.

As to booking fees for a caddy that is a thing at some clubs. They have their caddies go out in number order so everyone gets a fair shout at getting a bag. If the last caddy on a day is 136 then 137 gets the first bag the next day. By booking a caddy you are messing with the system. Laem Chabang used to charge 500 to book a caddy back in 2018, could be more now.

I really don't understand someone with a shit load of money being mean. But then some expats never had quite enough money to retire there and the exchange rate is biting them hard. If they are too broke to tip properly then perhaps they should get a job being a caddy to suppliment their income!

[Leo_Bia]

Not sure why anyone would compare Siam with the Belfry?

[hammerman]

Belfry is 100miles from Surrey, but I get your point.

A bog standard Surrey course will allow you to walk round with a bag of clubs in mid summer £25/£50 1000/2000 baht but don't be expecting anything anywhere to the quality of Pattavia or Emerald

I am a member of a mid/top echelon Old School Surrey Golf Club, not to be confused with the 10 or so very elite clubs and courses in Surrey. It will cost you £125 or 5000baht to roll up and play as a visitor with a buggy and must be pre booked via secretary of the club and you must hold a full WHS handicap.

The lower level elite clubs £200/£300=8000/12000 baht including buggy or a caddy at £100/4000baht and a 500 baht tip will not suffice there.

For the top level elite clubs start thinking £500/20000 baht for a mid summer round, handicap less than 18, plus compulsory caddy.

Then there are the handful of super elite clubs that wont let you through the gate.

I too have played with ex pats in Pattaya, and half their gripes come from the time that caddies were made compulsory and enforced upon them and they saw it as a "farang" tax without the tipping. Their golf budgets were taking a hit that they could not avoid and resentment manifested. A lot will only play on the courses where they are allowed to walk due to not wanting an enforced buggy. I have a sympathy towards their situation, but TIT.  

The point is, there are two scenarios the "expat golfer" and the "holiday golfer", I fit into the 2nd category and the Siams are the Thai equivalent of the Surrey Elite clubs for half the price. So all the costs of Golf in Thailand included, it is still  a cheap golf destination,

The Algarve for instance, Cheapest green fee is going to be £50=2000 baht, but play golf at Quinta Do Lago, Vale Do Lobo or in Vilamoura and you are looking at £100 plus for a green fee and £50 for a cart/buggy. Sit down meals in restaurants 2500 baht, and another 2500 baht gets you through lunch and days drinking.

What I am saying is that the cost is of a golf holiday in Thailand is relevant to what you pay in your homeland, if I lived in Thailand and golf was my hobby/pastime I would have a limit as to how much I can pay for that pastime and moan about the costs of this and that, here and there before drawing a line somewhere, about where I can and cannot play golf. I do the same in UK.

The caddies are part of the golf experience in Thailand, travelling 5000miles to play golf and only tipping caddy 150 baht is just  mean, travelling 20miles to play golf and having a caddy + fee + tip enforced as part of your green fee when you don't require it, still mean, but I kind of get it.   

Fore

    

[penboy]

Comparing UK costs to Thailand costs is difficult IMO. Golfers in the UK pay a yearly subscription and can play as many games as they want. This could equate to £15 to £20 a round depending on the annual fees and the number of games - I'm not talking about the most expensive clubs in the UK. In Thailand you play several courses whereas in UK you are stuck on the same one. County cards if available will get you game at another course for £20.

It takes me 6 minutes to drive to my course and fuel will cost about £1 (45baht). Travel costs in Thailand are around 300 - 350 baht either to expat with car or minibus provided by the golfing society.

No caddy fee or tip in UK.

So a game of golf in UK on mid range course is less than £20 (900 baht), whereas a game in Thailand will cost over 2,000 baht (£50). This is why SOME people say that golf in Thailand is no longer cheap.

[Leo_Bia]

11 hours ago, penboy said:

So a game of golf in UK on mid range course is less than £20 (900 baht), whereas a game in Thailand will cost over 2,000 baht (£50). This is why SOME people say that golf in Thailand is no longer cheap.

Plus some of us have been playing golf in Pattaya close on 40 years, and can see it is no longer value for money.

[Hawkeye]

On 02/09/2023 at 05:24, Ping Pong said:

I'd like to address a few points on here.

Someone said golf in Thailand isn't cheap anymore. Well a day out at a Siam course is not cheap. Until you lift that course and drop it in Surrey and it will cost you 4 times as much, if they let you on at all as a visitor. The Belfry is £185 and a cart will cost you £35 and you have to include your travel costs. And then it isn't exactly the best course in the world either. All of the Siam courses are cheaper than that and better in my opinion.

Caddy tips. What does a caddy make? They get 350baht out of the caddy fee. Most courses have more caddies than players. It's not unusual for a caddy to only have 3 bags a week. The other days she doesn't get paid and must find other employment. It's also true that in low season the caddies go home and the ones who stay can get 2 bags a day. Tipping is generally 400baht now. That's just basic for someone who is so poorly paid. Does anyone really begruge someone getting a £10 tip to go on top of their £9 fee? They get up at 5am, go to the course and sit around hoping they will get a bag that day and if they don't they go home without a penny? Anybody want to sign up for that deal? Not many takers I'm sure.

I tip 500 for starters. That's my bottom rate. I add 100 for a 2 and 100 if she attempts to keep me cool. I remember one very hot and humid day at Laem Chabang. I was done in by the drink stop on 12. My caddy stripped me off, iced me down and stood me in front of a fan and we let 3 groups through until she thought I was recovered enough to go back out. Being over heated in Thailand is not uncommon and is very dangerous. Being looked after properly is worth a very large tip. I shot 40 on Lake and 37 on Valley despite being in serious trouble that day.

The one thing that bugs me is when I get told off by an expat. I was playing with a bar 12 years back and one of the guys saw me tip 500. He went nuts on me as he had only tipped 150. He said when the caddy fee went up he tipped less and I was spoiling the market. His absolute max limit was 500 for caddy fee and tip. No doubt he is only tipping 100 now. There is a word for a guy like that - cunt.

As to booking fees for a caddy that is a thing at some clubs. They have their caddies go out in number order so everyone gets a fair shout at getting a bag. If the last caddy on a day is 136 then 137 gets the first bag the next day. By booking a caddy you are messing with the system. Laem Chabang used to charge 500 to book a caddy back in 2018, could be more now.

I really don't understand someone with a shit load of money being mean. But then some expats never had quite enough money to retire there and the exchange rate is biting them hard. If they are too broke to tip properly then perhaps they should get a job being a caddy to suppliment their income!

Booking fee at Laem Chabang is 107 Baht (100+tax).  I dislike the fee as caddies who are good at their job should be rewarded with bookings and more work especially during low season.  The fee is kept by the club and none goes to the caddy which is unfortunate and may cause some people to not book a caddy.  Personally I pay the fee as I have a great caddy there and she makes a difference in my score and general enjoyment of the day.