A short guide
Playing with a caddie
A good caddie reads the greens, knows where the trouble hides and keeps the round moving. On the great links and at a handful of private clubs, it is part of the experience.
Caddie or forecaddie?
A caddie carries your bag, gives you yardages and lines, and reads the putts. A forecaddie walks ahead of the group, spots where the balls land and helps everyone with lines and greens, while your clubs ride on the buggy. At Valderrama, one forecaddie per group is compulsory; at Victoria Golf & Country Resort in Sri Lanka, one caddie per player is.
How to book one
Ask when you book the round. Kingsbarns strongly recommends requesting a caddie at the time of booking, because its caddies are independent and availability cannot be guaranteed; North Berwick asks for requests at booking, or where possible at least 14 days before you play. Wynn Golf Club lets you ask for a particular caddie before you arrive. At St Andrews, the Links offers its own caddies.
What to expect
Your caddie meets you at the first tee or the caddie master’s office. Tell them your usual distances and how much help you would like on the greens. On a links course in wind, trust their club choice: they play that ground every day.
Customs differ from club to club and from country to country, so ask the club or the caddie master when you book.