Should the Caddie be Banned (or have their powers limited)?

[straightshot7]

Golf is often called an "individual sport", or an "individual game".

 

But is it?

We've got top pros using "we" for a "weason".

 

Why on earth is a Caddie allowed to read putts for the player? Why is the caddie allowed to tell the player if he/she is aligned correctly? etc.

 

I think if the founders of golf were alive, they'd be surprised/disappointed to see that we have turned the caddie into an on-course coach.

 

I wouldn't have a problem with it except the whole point of the Tournament (I thought), was to identify the best player. Not the best player/caddie combo.

 

Imaging a player who is great at all facets of the game, but he cannot read greens. But, alas, he has a caddie who can read greens and tell him what to do. 

 

Said player wins several Major tournaments, thanks to his caddie's ability to read putts. 

 

Are we playing a team game here or an individual game?

I think caddies should be limited to carrying the bag, helping with yardges, and that's about it.

 

No?
 

We already complain about how these guys are so good we need to limit the ball and/or limit the driver. But we aren't talking about how they have a coach, telling them how to line up and where to hit their putts!

Edited March 26, 2022 by straightshot7

[mcputter]

I don't think Francis Ouimet would mind the current role of the caddie.

 

I'm good with the relatively recent rule change of not having the caddie line up the player though.

[Zitlow]

Bobby Jones on caddies; "the caddie profession is a very noble profession however some caddies give the profession a bad name. They show up late to the golf course, slovenly dressed with the smell of alcohol on their breath". 

[straightshot7]

Okay, as long as if you vote No you’re okay with professional golf being considered a team sport. The best player/caddie team wins. 
 

I like Daniel Berger but he needs his caddie to help him line up?

 

whats next?

 

I wouldn’t be surprised if soon we have a caddie lining up the players ball on the green. Is that legal?

[Loki]

OMG, not this thread again.

[wildcatden]

Dump the caddies. Get these golf boards and give the pros a rangefinder.  We'll find out who the best golf surfer is. Plus, imagine the possibilities of sponsorships. You think the players look like NASCAR drivers now with all of the logos on their shirts and hats?!! Wait until we get sponsor paint jobs on the golf boards.

 

Plus the overall cool factor:

[m_w]

Im glad the founders of the game are no longer alive

[NJBigFish22]

I have no problem with the roles of caddie in the game today.  As for the player using we played well today, I’m fine with that, it’s not just his caddie, nutritionists, trainer, coach, agent and whoever else helped him perform at his best.  The player may hit the shot, but he employs a team.

[third-times-a-charm]

Sorry to all the caddies out there and I know its part of golf's history but I would love to see pros play without them. Hell, all levels of golf without them except for old dudes with too much cash and back backs who need someone to carry their bags and give them a luxury experience.

[Creedo77]

They still have to hit the shot and putt, that in itself sets apart the skill of the players 

[Murphy76]

I view the caddie as an intigral part of watching professional golf.  The caddie oftentimes plays the role of an encouraging friend, but moreover a sort of coach. 

 

Pro golf is such an isolating game.  A player could make an absolutely incredible shot, and it not register with anyone.  At the same time, failure could seem to pile on.  I view the caddy as walking alongside as a coach.  The caddy doesn't improve the players skill or talent or teach him much.  The caddy just helps that skill shine.  That is the job of a true coach.    

 

Michael Jordan was great, if not the goat.

Could he have done it without Phil Jackson by his side?   I  dunno.  Moral support and guidance goes a long way.

Golf is the only game (other than tennis, darts, pool, swimming, running, jumping, pole-vaulting, and competitive-eating) that doesn't have a regular on-site coach.

 

Caddys fill that void.    

 

 

Edited March 26, 2022 by Murphy76

[Golfer4Life]

I voted yes, but I think is not an 'out of hand' problem yet.

 

Having said that, watching Bradley was painful and I'm glad this is not the outright norm.

[randywildman]

I voted no. 

 

Kyle Stanley needs all the putting help he can get, Dude made 16 million on the PGA tour, so amazing player, I guarantee if he asked for more help on the green he could double his earnings.

[wildcatden]

33 minutes ago, Murphy76 said:

I view the caddie as an intigral part of watching professional golf.  The caddie oftentimes plays the role of an encouraging friend, but moreover a sort of coach. 

 

Pro golf is such an isolating game.  A player could make an absolutely incredible shot, and it not register with anyone.  At the same time, failure could seem to pile on.  I view the caddy as walking alongside as a coach.  The caddy doesn't improve the players skill or talent or teach him much.  The caddy just helps that skill shine.  That is the job of a true coach.    

 

Michael Jordan was great, if not the goat.

Could he have done it without Phil Jackson by his side?   I  dunno.  Moral support and guidance goes a long way.

Golf is the only game (other than tennis, darts, pool, swimming, running, jumping, pole-vaulting, and competitive-eating) that doesn't have a regular on-site coach.

 

Caddys fill that void.    

 

 

and bowling 🎳 

[Pops99]

I think the role is fine and makes sense. I do, however, thoroughly roll my eyes when Wood or Bones goes on and on and on and on on a broadcast about caddies and everything they do. Maybe it’s just me but I just don’t care that much. As people above have said, it’s still the player hitting the shot. 

[Yrrdead]

I mean its a factor even for us hacks. Case in point , first Bandon trip recently; everyone but me gets a caddy. I would have wiped the floor with my buddies if they didn't have caddies reading the greens. I pride myself on my ability to read a green, had no issues at Bandon but my friends would have been lost without a caddy.

[Ghostwedge]

The caddies role is fine where it is. Get rid of the caddie and players will take a financial hit. I doubt any player is going to lug a staff bag around for four rds, it will be lightweight stand bags and sponsor logo's will shrink, so will dollars.

Caddies are everything from a butler to a traffic cop.

 

[rainkingjr]

I say limit their roles to giving yardages, windage, etc.. No green reading and no lining up players. If I have to look at another caddie or player for that matter, doing the whole feel the slope with their feet thing, I'm going to puke.

[oughtaquit]

Wouldn’t it speed things up considerably if we could get rid of the lengthy player-caddie conversations before every stroke?  

[2bGood]

10 hours ago, Yrrdead said:

I mean its a factor even for us hacks. Case in point , first Bandon trip recently; everyone but me gets a caddy. I would have wiped the floor with my buddies if they didn't have caddies reading the greens. I pride myself on my ability to read a green, had no issues at Bandon but my friends would have been lost without a caddy.

I find this post insulting to caddies and the caddie/player relationship in a funny way. 😉Not all caddies are created equal and not all players can get the most our of what a caddie has to offer. 

 

Edited March 26, 2022 by 2bGood

[BrianMcG]

2 hours ago, m_w said:

Im glad the founders of the game are no longer alive

 

No kidding. They would be scratching and banging on their caskets screaming "I'm ALIVE, Let me out of here!!!"

[Yrrdead]

33 minutes ago, 2bGood said:

I find this post insulting to caddies and the caddie/player relationship in a funny way. Not all caddies are created equal and not all players can get the most our of what a caddie has to offer. 

 

That's valid, one caddy was definitely better at reads but from a purely hypothetical binary discussion; Caddies or no caddies anywhere ever forever more...I'm in camp no caddy. 

[butterysnaphook]

They should just use the new electronic push carts with no caddie. Selfishly I just want to see how it changes things. 

[rainkingjr]

49 minutes ago, butterysnaphook said:

They should just use the new electronic push carts with no caddie. Selfishly I just want to see how it changes things. 

 

I can see it now, Matthew Wallace screaming at his ZIP Navigator.

[Ferguson]

The strongest man in the world is he who stands most alone. 

-Henrik Ibsen

 

 

 

 

 

[BlackDiamondPar5]

If they didn't have caddies they'd play slower than they do now. No keep the caddies. 

[bscinstnct]

Be cool to see JS going back and forth having this conversation with himself 🤣

 

 

GRELLER: You got, 211, 230, adjusted.

SPIETH: It's a 4-iron, right? Stock 4-iron? What's it to fly (inaudible)? I could hit hybrid as well and play a fade. What's the wind doing?

GRELLER: East-Northeast off the right. . . . I like the hybrid more than that.

SPIETH: It's 230 hole?

GRELLER: Yeah.

SPIETH: How do you feel?

GRELLER: I see it fits the the shape of the hole better, it gives you more margin or room. You know? I feel like a 4-iron is perfect. But if it gets right at all. . .

SPIETH: The lie's OK, I kind of have to hit it a groove low.

GRELLER: OK.

SPIETH: But I still like this. If I hit it long left, it's still not bad, you know?

GRELLER: No, I agree. What's your start line?

SPIETH: I'm at the middle of the green bunker. You said it's off the right a little?

GRELLER: Yeah, I just don't feel much right here.

SPIETH: Yeah, I know. But it's not off the left. It's no wind.

GRELLER: Correct, yeah. Look at your target.

 

http://www.jordanspiethgolf.com/article/you-probably-missed-this-epic-jordan-spieth-michael-greller-conversation-that-nearly-led-to-a-green-jacket

 

 

Edited March 26, 2022 by bscinstnct

[caniac6]

How would you like to play #2, and the caddie not help?

[MtlJeff]

Honestly i think it would be pretty unfair to caddies to ban them because of golf becoming more mechanical and painful to watch at times. A lot of this is on the player, who is still the boss of the arrangement. It's not like caddies are forcing the players into this. Also getting rid of caddies wouldn't have changed that painful Keegan Bradley video in any way, he was out there alone doing that nonsence--you might even see more elaborate routines without caddies

 

I don't know what golf is supposed to do, other than rules for quicker shot clocks.

 

There is no way you can have a rule that says "don't make us all look like idiots out here" because that is too generic

[SlothofDespond]

Here's a question I've never even thought about thinking about or caring about. I'll give it a valley girl no?