Playa Dorada Golf - what's up with the Caddies?????

That sounds exorbitant to me. Yes part of your fee is the caddy fee but my understanding is that does not actually go to the caddy and that they rely on the tips. BUT - 2,000RD is not a tip - that is a weeks wages for most Dominicans - ridiculous.

Lets wait for Bushbaby to respond - he is more on top of the golf at Playa Dorada.

Caddies here in Jarabacoa work for RD$250 for 9 holes, RD$500 for 18. I usually go RD$300-600 and they are VERY happy with that.

RD$2000??? Pfffffft. No way. What is Spanish for "Bite Me"?

Love that answer..............

In Las Lagunas and the Sto. Dom. Country Club we pay for 18 holes between 500/600 peso weekdays and 700 on weekends 2 players together.
Had not any bad comments during or after the round.
Opposite in La Romana, had some dispute with Caddies there althaough they have their rates posted.
Complain means no extra peso.

Good luck

2000dr is too much. I think the best thing you can do is to settle the matter of how much you are going to tip from the start. Then, go on with your game once everyone in on an agreement. I would hate to play golf and have someone complaining at each hole. I think 500dr is good enough for a tip. If they keep the hassle, talk to management.

"Bite Me" = "Muerdeme" Yet not the same connotation. I would say, "No Jodan!!!"

someone was throwing their money around and had a good round of golf and now the bar was set where he left it..

and now thw caddies want it every time out

besides all gringos are rich!!

bad bob

2000Rd for a caddie!!!!! Wow is it in DR or in Dubai??? Way too much.

suzannel said:

I was wondering what is up with the caddies at Playa Dorada Golf Club. This year wanting to play more golf we brought our clubs. To date we have played 5 games at Playa Dorada and all the games have been a major PAIN!!! and not because of the way we play.
The caddies are the pain, when I play golf it is meant to be fun, however the fact that we have to play with caddies is a problem. Fron the first hole, they start complaining that they have no money and that they expect a big big tip. This goes on and on throughout the game with no letting up.
I find it very aggressive.
What is a good tip for them????, my understanding is that part of the fees is a $15.u.s. pay for the caddy, am I wrong???
I thought that a $500rd tip was decent for an 18 hole, but apparently it was not, the next game I played, the caddy said that the tip I had given the previous caddy was not sufficient and that the caddies did not want to play with us for that tip, they say they expect a $2,000rd tip!!!!!. Fine I did not want a caddy from the start, however they will not allow us to play without a caddy.

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Next time you might want to play the Metro Country golf course our caddies are very well mannered.

At Playa Dorada I usually tip 500 pesos plus a sleeve (3) of balls.

2000 pesos for a typical tip is ridiculous.

If I ever get an unpleasant greedy caddy, he will get less than 500 pesos.

The last caddy I had was great so I gave him $20 US, 6 balls, and my ex 3-wood.

Given the excessive winter greens fees, low Canadian peso, and apparent miserable greedy caddies, I will be leaving the clubs at home.

I play Playa Dorado two times a week, every week. I'm a member and don't have to use a caddy but I do, as well as the three others in my group who always play together. Here is what we do. I ride a cart and pay my caddy $500RD, they walk and give their caddies $1,000RD to carry their bag. The caddy fee at the club is something that I don't even fully understand and I have been a member since 2004. I think the best suggestion was one previously stated, clear the tip with the caddy before you begin. If he doesn't like it then tell him you want another caddy.

laurapasinifan said:

someone was throwing their money around and had a good round of golf and now the bar was set where he left it..
and now the caddies want it every time out

besides all gringos are rich!!

bad bob

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There is a fair bit of truth in the first part of your statement Bad Bob ............ some 'would be ultra rich' guys spoil it for everyone else by 'over tipping'!

Of the US $15 (RD $400) you pay to the 'caddie master' RD $300 goes to the caddie & the RD$100 balance goes to the caddie insurance fund - I have NO argument with either of these but adjust my 'tip' accordingly. Generally I have my OWN caddie & so I pay him direct rather than through the 'System'. My caddie KNOWS what he is going to get in advance & is aware that if I have a FANTASTIC round he will get a benefit ....... (needless to say he is still waiting for that benefit day!!:cheeky::ermm

RD $500/600 in excess of the RD $400 is (to me) a fair reward for 4/5 hours work in the sun. Good Humour & advice/help whilst going round might suggest a little more but that is YOUR choice. ANYONE that tried the tactic of 'hard sale/woe is me' on the course would IMMEDIATELY be given a warning to stop it or I will return to the clubhouse with him & request a REPLACEMENT caddie. The message soon gets round believe me!

If you are still here & want another round or two before leaving, go chat to Ramon (my regular caddie) or Juan. Tell them I sent you & you want THEM to take you around the course. If they do not have the time because of other commitments (they are getting busier due to recommendations by me) then ask them to arrange a good replacement at an pre-agreed rate. They'll do it!!

If you are still here at the weekend & if my eye is healed,irate: why not shoot me a PM or e-mail & maybe we could join up. I can soon get a fourth if you are already a two!!

Hit 'em straight (the BALLS that is - not the caddies!:cheeky:!). ~ Grahame

suzannel said:

I would certainly like to have the name of the owners or an address/email of the Management, so I can advise them of what is going on.
The problem is that on the North Coast (I am in Cabarete), we are very limited course wise.

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Let me assure you suzannel that talking to the OWNER (even if you can get to see him) will not get you anywhere!! Try having a quiet word with Johny the Pro explaining that you are doing so to stop the course getting a very bad name for exploitive caddies who try hard to ruin your game (& hence you will not be back again - loss of earnings for the club etc!!). Also, have a word with Rafael the starter - he doesn't like hassle either!!

Have you visited Playa Grande?? That is virtually the same distance from Cabarete but may in fact be a few minutes less to get to because less traffic!! OK, so it is a few US$'s more but the course IS fantastic, the caddies ARE (generally) more appreciative & the views are .......... Pure Pebble Beach(ish). Just don't buy club sandwiches from the cart going round unless you can afford a second mortgage!!

If you go down there, tell Luis I said 'Hi' & that you want a GOOD caddie that won't overcharge you!

Go far & Go straight ~ Grahame.

RD2000 for a caddie - give me a break!

Fortunately at my club here in Santiago, members don't have to use caddies. Of course, since I don't have my own cart I have to walk as anyone renting a cart is required to use a caddie(???!!!).

Also, being that my wife's family is quite poor and I know how much people make on a daily basis here for I would find it somewhat difficult to pay a caddie even RD500 given that the round only costs me RD300.

Honestly, I think they ought to get rid of the caddies, raise the rates slightly and invest the money in the maintenance of the course. Of course if a golfer wants to bring his own personal caddie that would be up to them.

Chip said:

RD2000 for a caddie - give me a break!

Fortunately at my club here in Santiago, members don't have to use caddies. Of course, since I don't have my own cart I have to walk as anyone renting a cart is required to use a caddie(???!!!).

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Just to correct any misconception here that might be arrising, Playa Dorada Golf club members do not have to take a caddie unless they wish to either - with or without cart. Tourists, ocassional players who are residents & VISITORS to the club are.

Chip said:

Also, being that my wife's family is quite poor and I know how much people make on a daily basis here for I would find it somewhat difficult to pay a caddie even RD500 given that the round only costs me RD300.

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Members at Santiago pay RD $300 per round, the normal rate for visitors is RD $800 (Fedogolf members pay RD $600). Regardless of the cost per round however is the fact that caddies spend upwards of 60% of their time WAITING for their turn to go out caddying - & RD$500 for 4/5 hours carrying a heavy bag around the course for someone is NOT an excessive figure to expect! IF you have got your regular caddie & you play more than twice a week, & IF BOTH of you agree to a slightly lower figure, that might be considered fair (but NO lower than RD $400 per round I would suggest otherwise it becomes exploitation!). Hey, I thought I was known as mister cheepy-cheepy round here as I always want to negotiate?irate::cheeky:

Chip said:

Honestly, I think they ought to get rid of the caddies, raise the rates slightly and invest the money in the maintenance of the course. Of course if a golfer wants to bring his own personal caddie that would be up to them.

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Getting 'RID' of the caddie union was tried a few years ago & failed miserably. Many members up here WISH to have caddies & for the sensible & informed who know proper rates etc ...... the system works fairly well. One or two bad apples get into every cart & unless we notify the people selling the whole cart accordingly, those bad apples will sometimes affect the less strong apples in the cart!

The maintenance of the course has been in effect for quite some time now & DRAINEDGE is now almost complete. We have been playing a day or two after heavy rains recently whereas before we had to wait a week or so. YES I would prefer to see the greens improved & (hopefully) get them more uniform in speed etc, but I will certainly stand by the management & say they HAVE greatly improved the course over the past 2 years.

May the improvements continue (PLEASE Chio!!). ~ Grahame

Chip said:

Also, being that my wife's family is quite poor and I know how much people make on a daily basis here for I would find it somewhat difficult to pay a caddie even RD500 given that the round only costs me RD300.

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Playa Dorada winter guest fee is $75 US so 500 pesos caddy tip is not relatively extravagant.

I totally agree with your other comparison though.
A lot of people in the Dominican Republic work much harder and longer and make much less.
300 pesos fee plus 500 peso tip seems like pretty good money in the DR for 4-5 hours of walking around a golf course. Some of them even get to ride in the cart.

I can sympathize with them though as their business is probably very slow.
I think the greens fee should be lower to get more traffic and the club and caddies would all be better off.