The Idea Blog

Readers of this space know I prefer my golf on foot. As good as a couple of the golf car companies have been to me and to Burris, golf is better as a walking sport for those who can still work their way around the course.

Golf For Women (GFW) has an excellent article (”You really chunked that one,” Jan/Feb 2008 issue) about female caddies at Bandon Dunes. On my first trip in 2004, Jim Carmichael in our group had one of the caddies featured in the article all week; she was excellent (as all the caddies are there), and they got along well enough for Jim to win in more than one of the rounds.

I was pleased with the article, both for bringing it to GFW’s readers’ attention, also for finding a new way to spread kudos to what I think is the premier golf resort in the U.S.

I know, I know: GFW isn’t aimed at me. But too much of the content and photography looks more like this photo (note the swing, the style, the veritable lack of verisimilitude).

And not enough of it looks like this:

Another thing I like so much about Bandon Dunes is the staff’s commitment to the game and what makes it so great. It’s clearly a walker’s course - or courses - and they’re also very good about pace of play. No marshals riding the course. Rather, there are sentinels stationed at strategic points, and they’re armed with the tee sheet and a clock. They enter each group’s time at several key locations.