The threads on potential limits to the amount of discs that one could carry really got me thinking about carts and caddies. Most people shared an opinion similar to this: if someone wants to carry a whole bunch of discs, then let them tire themselves out doing so. The problem with this argument is that you can have 100 discs with you during your round without having to carry anything. This is only one of the issues involved when considering the fairness of carts and caddies, here are some others:

Carts...first of all, disc golf carts are not marketed for retail. People make them, and if you can't, then you don't get one. Is this fair? They also can be distracting if people bring them to rough/elevated courses (I once helped a guy pick up all his discs/junk 3 times during a round on a hilly course).

Caddies...Should someone be able to "carry the load" for you? This is only one problem that I have with caddies. Personally I think that at the very least someone should not be allowed a caddy that competes in a higher division. While competing in the advanced division in FL I have competed against other advanced players whose caddies included JohnE McCray and Ken Climo. Needless to say, I did not feel that that was entirely fair.

What do you guys think?

I think McCray and Climo must be great guys if they are willing to caddy for some Ams.

They were hoping to earn 10% of the player's disc winnings...

You would think with their credentials they could probably charge 20% ;)

If you can't make a cart, you've got bigger things to worry about than fairness.

They knew payouts were so good in Advanced they only needed 10% :eek:

I really don't think that it matters whom the caddy is. The person throwing the disc is your competitor, not the person lugging around their bag.

Is there an advantage? Sure, maybe. It is hard to say.

Is it an advantage knowing the weather so, you brought an extra towel to dry your discs? Probably.

People use all sorts of things that are within the rules to gain an advantage. Most of them are quite minor however, playing good golf is MUCH more important than any of them put together.

People need to stop worrying about how many discs people have, if they have a cart, or if they have a caddy. It is not against the rules and any advantages are over-shadowed by the actual things that take place on the course. Play well and everything will work its way out.

What good is it if I have Doss carrying my bags if I am constantly missing 10' putts?

I say big deal. If carts or caddies make you feel someone else has an edge you dont, build a cart or find a caddie.

I cant wait until Masters so I can use a cart.

i think your just jealous ken climo was his caddy and not yours....I WOULD BE. Also, i know of places where you can buy disc golf carts.

Carts and Caddies... are big advantage to the player. The caddy especially, I know my arse get tried lugging all my equipment around all weekend and to only have to throw and walk would allow more energy to be spent on the game and also if the caddy is experienced in disc golf. His knowledge and experience becomes an advantage for the the player in the tourney. ;)

The rules allow for both... and thus that is ok.
there is no advantage you get,outside of the rules of the game, from having a caddy and/or pull cart.
I've played events with players that had caddies or pull carts and it never even phased me. They are just disc golfers playing disc golf. If that kind of stuff bothers you then maybe you shouldn't leave the house.

On the concept of # of discs and caddies:
- Once again I don't care if your caddy is holding your 100 discs. That will save you a lot of energy as well. this is all NOT MY PROBLEM and not an issue to me. I could have a caddy come out too and carry all of my discs too. If the caddy is giving good advice it is still ok and legal in Disc golf. The player is the one who has to throw the disc, not the caddy.

-Scott Lewis

If you can't make a cart, you've got bigger things to worry about than fairness.



Now THAT'S funny!!! :D

nanook

Still gotta throw the disc. They cant do that for you.

The rules allow for it so I dont see how its fair or unfair.....Sure not having to carry your bag is an advantage but not an unfair one........Anyone can find someone to caddy for them.......If you have any friends or family or heck even a kid at the course will carry your bag for a price........I dont know about carts yet.......Sure you dont have to carry but they just seem annoying to me from what I have witnessed........Except when it rains and none of your plastic gets wet because you have a cart........I could see using one on a flat course in the rain.

But there are alot of advantages that some people have that others dont.......IE a good putt.......or a Long drive.......Or a killer roller.......Doesnt mean they are unfair.......Its just means that person put the extra effort in to get those shots or to build a cart or to find a caddy and they deserve whatever advantage they gettin from doing such things.......Its not unfair at all.......I think its smart

Just my 2 cent

Sunday, after playing in the Modesto Baskethounds' weekly, I went shopping. I went to Sports Authority and checked out the jogging strollers. I priced them then went to babiesRus and checked out their inventory. I found a sweet jogger stroller made by Jeep that had speakers and a place to plug in your mp3. I bought it on the spot. Didn't want to buy a used one that had hidden dna on it.
Anyway, I've been wanting a cart for a couple of years. I am sick of taking off my bag and putting it back on after every shot; especially when it's rainy weather.
So I used my cart for the first time yesterday...and let me tell you...it was awesome. My shoulders weren't all jacked up from messing with my bag all day. I didn'nt have to stoop over as much. I was way more fresh during the round and even when I got home. I actually felt sorry for the guys I was playing with that had to keep picking up their bags.
There is no doubt that having a cart is an advantage. It is until you have to play a mega-terrain course and you have to carry your bag like everyone else. This could be bad in the long run. I'd hate to go to the worlds and then realize I have to carry my bag the whole tourney if the courses aren't cart friendly. I guess I'd just have to get a caddy in that situation. Taxi...

I think that a lot of people are missing the point that disc golf is more about your head game (ie decision making, disc selection, shot selection, judging wind, risk vs. reward, etc) than your skills. Ken Climo cannot make the shot for you as your caddy, but he sure can stop you from taking a stupid one. Not only that, but he can tell you the things that he tells himself when things aren't going his way. This is more than just a little influence in a game that is supposed to be about how well you handle yourself under pressure.

I think that caddies should be allowed, but I still think that you should not be able to use a caddy that plays in a higher division, because there are too many advanced players with the skills to be a pro that still lack the mental game to reach their potential.

Long ago when I was in my last year as an ADV player, I rigged up a cart for golf. It was pretty cool, but basic. I had it set up so I could carry all my extra gear, plus a big area for my cooler (I used to drink a LOT of beer during rounds back then). I liked that! Then the problems started to surface. Other players were constantly hounding me to carry some of their stuff, one regular local asked me one time, "Hey, will you put this disc in your cart for me to use later? I only want to use it on one hole, but I don't want to carry a bunch of stuff. Come on, you've got lots of room." The nerve! I said no, which made for a tense round . In addition to that, our course here used to have cables lining every park road so when playing golf, I had to pick up my cart twice every time I crossed a road, and there are quite a few road crossings here. That got old.

Thankfully, after a few months of playing as a professional, I realized I was going to have to save the beer drinking until after the round, thus not needing the extra room for lugging a cooler around the course. I haven't missed it (the cart or drinking during the round) since.

it is a simple situation.
know the rules.
play by the rules.
if you have studied more than the next guy, and applied that knowledge to your game, or have the fortunate availabillity to have a knollagible caddie then you have an advantage not neccessarilly an unfair one.

Ridiculous! It is ok to have caddies. Opinions are like @H*les everyone has one.

Scream and argue till your red in the face or blue, what-ever. It will never change, until you actually get the PGA to ban them.

Not being mean, just BLUNT.

These are your options...

1. If you want a cart, then get a cart.
2. If you dont want a cart, then dont get a cart.
3. If you want a caddie, then get a caddie.
4. If you dont want a caddie, then dont get a caddie.
5. If you want a caddie to push your cart, then have your caddie push your cart.
6. If you dont want your caddie to push your cart then dont have your caddie push your cart.

Why are we even debating this issue? We need to debate issues that affect the organization, like the weight issue.

Do carts and caddies need to be tested for being overweight?

Do carts and caddies need to be tested for being overweight?



Now we have a thread topic. :D http://file036a.bebo.com/1/large/2007/06/23/08/3834519999a4764730326l.jpg

I think that a lot of people are missing the point that disc golf is more about your head game (ie decision making, disc selection, shot selection, judging wind, risk vs. reward, etc) than your skills. Ken Climo cannot make the shot for you as your caddy, but he sure can stop you from taking a stupid one. Not only that, but he can tell you the things that he tells himself when things aren't going his way. This is more than just a little influence in a game that is supposed to be about how well you handle yourself under pressure.

I think that caddies should be allowed, but I still think that you should not be able to use a caddy that plays in a higher division, because there are too many advanced players with the skills to be a pro that still lack the mental game to reach their potential.



I see where you are coming from but its ALL about skills.......Climo can tell anyone and everyone he wants what he thinks or what he does in a certain situation but that doesnt mean they are A. Going to listen to him B. Going to be able to execute the shot like he said he would or how he could. C. Even have the chance to have Climo as a Caddy D. Be good enought that anything Climo had to say would even help him.

Let me tell you a quick story. I went down to Rock Hill SC this year for the Monday Qualifying of the USDGC......Schweb was my caddy........I will admit that he helped me look at some shots and choose a little different approach on a few holes but he couldnt throw those shots for me!!! I still took a 4 on hole 1 a 7 on hole 5 a 4 on hole 6 and finally a 6 on hole 18 the only hole I didnt listen to what he had to say on (Stupid Me!!!) :mad::mad::mad:

Do I think having him there with me helped me out??? Sure I do.......Do I think I could have shot a 68 without him.......Sure I could........If I had to pick between having him there and me by myself which would I choose??? I would choose to have him there for sure. But what it comes down to is that it isnt unfair to have a caddy who is smarter than you its flat out good planning!!!

I mean look at the guys in the PGA!!! Heck all they do nowadays is swing the club!!! Thier caddys tell them EVERYTHING....Wind, uphill, downhill,Distance, even reading putts. Tiger is not the best because his caddy is the best he is the best because he has the best skills. In the end it does not matter who is carrying your bag, or who is telling you what to do, It all comes down to you actually doing it.

And yes I admit alot of Advance golfers could be pro if they played smarter but how are they ever going to learn to do so without a little help from the pros they know that already play smarter???

Just my 2 cent :D

I love this mullet!!!

-Scott Lewis

I guess I'll have to talk to the Champ about skipping worlds this year to be my caddy! :D

In all seriousness, Mullet makes a lot of sense in his post, however I still like to think of golf/DG as an individual game of thought and execution. Some players can execute, but get into trouble because of their thinking (0r lack of...). Other players think all the right things, but lack the skill or whatever else to execute. Its all based on the individual, so I don't like the idea that someone could have someone with them as a crutch to their mental game.

One of the reasons I brought this whole topic up was because of a phenomenon I have observed here in Clearwater. Kenny has two younger friends who both possess AMAZING skills. When they play with Kenny they are usually within a couple strokes of him, taking his advice and following his lines. When they play doubles with him they also excel. Despite all of this, only one of the two players has cashed in pro, and that was only once. Without the Champ's help and confidence, they get lost in DG mediocrity (most head-game mistakes). This shows me that having a great player with you can help more than most people realize.

I guess it's time to give up my cart and find me a good caddy.

terrain?....no problem, I wont give up my cart
http://f10.putfile.com/7/18313015921-thumb.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic/2942165)

i like this one of yours even better!

http://www.putfile.com/pic/5411568

only thing i dont like about those carts are the discs are too close to the ground so you have to bend over way to much.

Try these out. Ran into Zach in AZ and his carts are NICEEE

www.4handz.net (http://www.4handz.net)

only thing i dont like about those carts are the discs are too close to the ground so you have to bend over way to much.


Thats actually not the case. As I mark my disc, I pull whatever disc I'm going to use for the next shot. Actually there is less "bending over" because I dont have to "bend over" to pick up my bag when I'm ready to go down the fairway :D

I have one of those and they are hands down one of the best. Discs aren't too far down to reach, they are high enough up to travel through fairly deep water, I have been through a foot deep and it held up. I just wish the rain flaps were attached with sliding doors or something.

I had to reinforce the disc area because it started to stretch out but that took care of it.

The real upside is they will fit on any standard golf pull cart. Just strap 'em in and go. ;)

Try these out. Ran into Zach in AZ and his carts are NICEEE

www.4handz.net (http://www.4handz.net)



Thx for link, I've been trying to get a Cool Cartz for 2 years.