Caddies - Tipping in Thailand

Always tip your caddies in Thailand.  I say this without reservation and unless you got that 'caddie from hell' that didn't know a golf ball from a tee and punched you out verbally on the 5th hole, please leave them a fair tip.  I've  had a caddie who was working her first day and her first real golfer was yours truly.  It was not a pleasant experience, but she received a small tip anyway because I knew the circumstances around which she had to work.  I've also seen instances where golfers that had a bad day on the course take their anger out on the caddies by leaving them no tip at all - blaming them for everything. 

But for most golfers, the caddie experience in Thailand is unrivaled in its friendliness and service and they want and expect you to leave some kind of tip.  So, how much?

Most golf courses retain a portion of the caddie fees you pay for their services.  That is why you do not pay the caddies directly, but instead are issued a coupon which they keep to redeem their wages.  While the stated caddie fees sounds like a fair amount for a day's work, they don't get to work everyday.  When they are not doing caddie work, such as on slow days, they must work on the golf course pulling weeds, sweeping pathways, and doing other general maintenance with no salary.  If they are part of a large and popular golf course, they might be part of a pool of 300 or more caddies and may only get to caddie a couple of times a week.  A lot of who gets to work depends on their seniority and ratings by their customers.  They are responsible for cleaning their uniforms and providing their own food during the work day.  

I speak Thai fluently and enjoy conversing with my caddies as we make our trek of 3-4 hours around the course.  Its a great way to improve one's Thai language skills and get to know the person behind that smart uniform and hat.  I've also developed friendships with many caddies over the years at my club and it makes a round of golf more fun when you can joke around a bit too.   A tip:  Don't always pick the youngest and best looking caddies, instead look for the older, more seasoned caddies with the face that has shown some time in the sun (The younger and prettier caddies are usually more interested in their face than your golf game).

Most good caddies have worked on their golf course for many years.  Its not uncommon for senior caddies to have 10-15 or more years of service.  They know their courses extremely well, especially the greens.  I don't know how many times I have sworn a putt should have broken in one direction only to find out that my caddie was right all along.  After all, they've seen that darn put hundreds of times before with other stupid golfers like me....it always breaks right dummy!

How much do you tip?  I would say at the time of this posting, a least 50-75% of their fees and that in some cases would just make them whole after the golf courses deduct their share and their cost to come to work.  If they are really good, then your heart and enjoyment of the day should be the guide.  They work hard in the boiling sun, hauling your bag, and putting up with your bad shots with a big smile around the course for the entire day.  I would say that is a lot for a few hundred baht so please tip generously!

Caddies in the Land of Smiles

One of the great things about playing golf in Thailand is having a caddie to assist you as you make your way around the links.  For some who have never had someone caddie for them, it may be a bit awkward at first to find out what a caddie, will or won't do for you during your round of golf.

One of Thailand's main attraction for golfers beside its wonderful courses, are the very pleasant female caddies.  The first thing one realizes here in the LOS (Land of Smiles), is that playing without a caddie is very unusual and in some courses, prohibited.  Many golf courses make money on the caddie fees as the caddie may only receive a portion of the charged amount.  So now that you are 'stuck' with a caddie, what can she/he do for you?  Aside from carrying or managing your bag on a pull cart, caddies will often be required to drive you around on a motorized cart.  In some cases, its required by the golf course in order to maintain control over where carts can be driven to minimize damage to the fairways and landscaping.  And if one so desires, one can have more than one caddie!

The experience and quality of caddies will vary from excellent to having only one day on the job, so its important to ask about their experience when the assignments are made before the start of the round if you prefer a 'seasoned' caddie.  Other players may just want a caddie to carry their clubs and look nice and really couldn't care about the caddies' golf knowledge.  The good thing is that the LOS has a great reputation of having some really proficient caddies who are very nice as well.  English, or your preferred language may also be an issue for some newer caddies, so its important to set your expectations accordingly.

Don't expect PGA caliber caddies because you are really not that caliber a player either so just enjoy  the wonderful experience it will turn out to be! If the chemistry is good and your foursome is not too serious, there is almost a little party atmosphere at each green.   Here's a list of what  good caddies will do for you here in the LOS:

• Carry, clean, and manage your golf clubs during the round.
• Give you information about the hole (where to hit, hazards, and yardages)
• Help you read and optionally line up the putt for you  
• Hold your umbrella when waiting or while you are over a putt 
• Look for your lost or wayward balls
• Drive your golf cart
• Rake the bunkers
• Clean your balls after you get on the green
• Fix your divot marks
• Mark your ball and re-clean after each putt if necessary
• Keep your score
• Generally assist you in any manner to make your game go smoothly and to encourage you if things aren't going so well.

Here in Asia, there are high expectations from players about how a caddie should perform, so most are trained pretty well before they start their jobs.  In some cases, a golf course may have as many as 300-400 caddies who are queued up for players depending on seniority and performance, so don't be shy to say something if your caddie doesn't meet up with your expectations.  Its a very coveted job at some of the better golf courses and competition is very keen for the jobs.  In any large group of people, you can get a few that are just not up to the task.

So what happens when you find out your caddie is a dud?  There is not much you can do for the round, except maybe ask some of the other caddies in your group to help.  For example, when I find my caddie can't read greens, not even a little bit, I just tell her I'll read the greens myself or ignore what she tells me completely to not cause her to lose face.  Other times, I might ask another caddie for a "group opinion" if its a critical putt.  I then reduce my tip appropriately and if there is an evaluation form, give the caddie a lower rating.  My worse experience was the first day caddie who couldn't do much of anything, including driving the golf cart.  She didn't replace my headcovers on my woods and drivers and thus dinged them.  Nothing serious, but I asked management to replace her after nine holes, talking to the starter in private.

Lastly, there are some things that you should not expect a caddie to do.  Most golf courses prohibit a caddie from hitting or putting your ball, so don't expect them to putt the ball into the hole for you, even for fun.  Unless you go to some notorious golf courses, caddies are not available after the round for drinks, dinner, or other extra-curricular activities so please be polite and respect their profession.  Its also not appropriate to be too touchy with caddies as many are culturally quite shy about physical contact.

Now that you know all there is to having a caddie, its time to go out and have some fun.