Uber for Caddies

[newtogolf]

As many have stated, most courses that offer caddies do no allow private caddies on their grounds.  The way around it would be for the golfer to bring the caddie as your guest but they would have to pay green fees for the caddie.

I've hired caddies the club provides and their value varies based on their familiarity with the course and the greens.  A caddie who doesn't know the course and the greens is worthless imo.

A forecaddie at my club is $40, one who carries your bag is $80.  Most club members hire forecaddies, so at $40 there's not much room to undercut the club prices, pay the caddie and make some money for yourself.

[JKolya]

I did not read all of the replies, and this may have been said already - but, most courses that allow caddies already have a caddie program. And for those courses who do not, I do not see any players taking a caddie. The exception is for events and tournaments. I could see, for example - for a state open, players taking caddies. For such cases, the standard now is caddies either call the course and/or governing body and get put on a list, and/or caddies just show up to the tournament and wait. Players show up and ask for a caddie, and those who are there go out in a first come first go basis. So, there is theoretically a lot of room for improvement on this process, but given that it is such a small market, I am not sure if the app would take off. 

 

[DaveP043]

I just stumbled across this website, linked from the main website for MidSouth club.  

https://caddiewalk.com/caddie-reservations-mid-south-talamore/

It looks like Caddiewalk is providing caddies for 6 courses in the Southern Pines area.

[Foot-Wedge]

I think "crowdsourcing" services can be good but not in this case. I don't live around a bigger metro area so don't see anyone actually caddying or really don't know where you'd source candidates/caddies as well. I grew up playing Peachtree Golf Club in ATL that only had caddies in white jump suits and they knew every inch of the course blind-folded that's why they were caddies. I don't think these same guys could have gone to another course and been anywhere near as helpful except for toting clubs.

I personally would never hire someone to carry my bag and give me "suggestions" purely because they don't know me and my swing, that's 50% of being a caddy.

I think that the hardest part of the process would be screening someone that would be qualified to be a caddy based on teaching status and course knowledge. And the technical issues you are going to run into that will be the biggest headache is the "payment gateway" or online/app payments

Also, always remember that you MUST "test the waters" before shelling out $10k + to hope that you have a MVP (Mininmal Viable Product) that has any return on investment.  Unfortunately, caddies are to old school and rarely used to have a MVP to offer

i say all this a web developer that has an app myself and design for clients for a living. Good thought direction though

P.S. If your an "idea" type person that has app ideas, that you think maybe the next Uber...I would suggest discussing your ideas with professional developers and marketing folks AFTER they sign a non-disclosure agreement. I'd hate to see your intellectual property get ripped off and someone beating you to the punch. I've seen it time and time again!