PAYMENT OF GOLF CADDIES

[The following are a selection of comments received from Secretaries of Golf Clubs in connexion with our representative's interview with Mr. J. H: Taylor; published last week.]

[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]

Sia,—I thank you for your letter enclosing a copy of the article entitled, " Payment of Golf Caddies." I quite agree with everything that Mr. J. H. Taylor says regarding the difficulty of paying regular wages to golf caddies. Nevertheless I think that Mr. Taylor lays too much stress on the necessity for taking a caddie every round. If one can afford it, it is very pleasant to have your clubs carried and your ball watched for you, but this adds considerably to the cost of the game.

In my opinion an almost equal amount of enjoyment can be obtained from a game of golf if you carry your own clubs, and this effects a considerable saving, especially for young men and women, making it possible for people to play golf who could not afford it if they had to employ a caddie each time they played. During the golfing season I think that a number of caddies often earn more money per week than is earned by the green-keeping staff of the club, which gives them an opportunity of saving something for the lean time, if they would do so.—I am, Sir, &c.,

C. LANCE GAMBLE, Secretary. Hadley Wood Golf Club, Hadley Wood, near Barnet.

Quite impracticable to pay caddies a regular weekly wage, so far as my club is concerned. They are only fully employed on the links at week-ends, and do other work the remainder of the week. —ARCREBALD Moa.aisols, Major, Hon. Sec., St. Margarets-at-Cliffe Golf Club.

I quite agree with Mr. J. H. Taylor, and do not see how a scheme of regular payment for caddies could be worked out. It would be a splendid thing if it could be done, but there are too many difficulties in the way.—R. RerrnwELL, Secretary, Royal Norwich Golf Club.

With reference to your article, so far as North Berwick is con- cerned it would be quite impossible to pay a regular wage to the caddies. For at least six months in each year these fellows hardly do a thing, and when offered any other kind of job on occasions they flatly refuse to put their hand to it. The caddie is a man by himself, who will always be a caddie unless he is one of the few who has the ability to get on as a professional, and from these parts this does not happen very frequently.—R. H. S., Secretary, North Berwick Golf Club.

Very much in agreement with Mr. Taylor's views. I consider that the regular employment of caddies by clubs is impracticable. Clubs are not all close to large towns with a regular unemployed class from which to get their caddies.—J. HUNTER, Lt.-Col., Secretary, Birstall Golf Club.

I am almost entirely in agreement with J. H. Taylor's article. It is impossible, for the reasons he gives, for most clubs to engage regular caddies, and they have to be considered as casual labour employed by the player who fakes them out. Almost all who appear here in hopes of a job are good, and I can only hope that their worth is recognized by the size of the tip. The necessity for a caddie is largely physical or temperamental, and a caddie generally adds to the pleasure of the game, but surely a player's partner or his opponent can keep an eye on one's ball, and I have- never been able to understand a first-class player being unable to see the line of his putt unless the caddie points it out.—Atais MACKENZIE-GRIEVE, Capt. R.N., Secretary., Seaford Gold Club.

Regular wage out of the question on any but the very wealthy private courses, and on account of the differentiation between boys who caddie after school, professional caddies, and out of work men. I personally favour grading caddies into two or three grades with proportionate caddie fee. I further believe in the case of the. average golf club, that the caddies be paid an adequate fee inclusive of club cleaning and tips absolutely forbidden.—G. P. K. ARM- Errsoxo, Secretary, The Tyneside Golf Club, Ryton-on-Tyne. - As one would expect from a man of his experience and observa- tion, Mr. Taylor's views on the caddie are to the point, and with my limited experience as a club secretary I fully endorse what he says in the article referred to.—W. J. KENDALL, Major, Secretary, Hallamshire Golf Club, Ltd., Sandygate, Sheffield.

In our opinion the idea of employing caddies on the staff of the club is quite untenable. The employment by club members of caddies is so very intermittent during the five days of the week that it is seldom that more than three or four are available after Sunday. However, we do agree that something should be done to secure them a slight retaining wage, if it could be done without incurring insurance and all the bother with such matters.— C. L. Hor..nnsa,. Hon. See., North Worcestershire Golf Club.

A very excellent article with which I very largely agree. I think a regular wage is not practicable, but that we should progress along the lines of teaching the caddie to become more proficient in

his duties, which should assure him more regular and probably

more lucrative employment. Clubs can do a great deal towards promoting the keenness and efficiency of their caddies at small cost to themselves.—C. H. WILD, Major, Secretary, O.U.G.C.

Personally I consider that the payment of regular wages to caddies is impracticable in most clubs. With regard to this club (North Oxford G.C.), the question does not arise as we have been unable to procure caddies since the War, owing largely to the fact that the demand for caddies in this club is small and also to the fact that boys in this neighbourhood prefer other occupation,. J. C. HARE, Secretary.

Most caddies, especially the adults, are afflicted with the " casual labour " mentality. The thought of a definitely fixed daily job of work would be sufficient to scare them from the clubs. The economic aspect is the deciding factor. None but wealthy clubs could afford it.—W. H. Kura, Hon. Sec., Nottingham City Golf Club.