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Ethical dilemma at work

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by Rhody31, Aug 22, 2016.

  1. Rhody31

    Rhody31 Well-Known Member

    Not a newspaper one.
    Since being ejected from the biz, I've been working summers at a private golf course as a caddie. Money, exercise, blah, blah, blah. Our compensation is 90 percent tips.
    One guy we have is a legendary ass kisser. His on-course cheerleading makes working behind him unbearable because he's loud and his rounds take forever. On 18 green, he sticks tees in the side of the cup, places a ball on it and tells the guys to pose like their rolling a putt. Whatever. Other than the theatrics, he does a good job.
    But he crossed a line.
    The other day I was behind him on 10 green and we heard some screaming from the 11th hole. Turned out somebody in his group got an ace on an uphill par 3. Great for the caddie, turned out to be an extra $200 in his pocket. We're talking about it in the shack the next day and a kid I work with says "It wasn't a hole in one."
    The ass-kisser was forecaddying (the majority of our work is forecaddie loops) an uphill par 3 where you cannot see the green from the tee. It's a weird move because we are specifically told not to do that on par 3s. Kid in the shack was ahead of him and turned when he heard the yell (he was double-bagging for some members), then saw him walk across the green as the players made their way up and kicked the ball in the hole. First "ace" for the guy in his group - who would have been excited sticking a shot to a foot - who was clearly excited and accepted congratulations and a hefty post-round bar tab. After the round the kid who saw the AK kick it in went up to him and said "I saw what you did on 11." AK replies "what? The ace?" Kid says, "I saw you kick it in," and the ass kisser laughed and said "you do what you gotta to do make money."
    This makes me sick. I've lost total respect for the guy. I'm no saint out there. None of us are. In your average rounds we all toss balls from rough to fairways and in average rough players always have good lies. If we get sticks or it's tournament play, we play it all straight but most of the 15-25 handicaps prefer if we double check to make sure if a ball is there and replace it on top of the grass instead of two inches deep in it.
    But what this kid crossed that line. In the past I've congratulated him on big days, defending him against people who really don't like his style, but right now I have no respect for him. To do that to a guy is awful because you're robbing someone of a moment that should be special and if a player or member or anyone except another caddie saw him do it, it's a huge black eye for all of us.
    Part of me wants to tell my boss, another part of me says just tell the kid I heard the story, tell him he's bullshit and we're done.
    So what's the way to go here?

    And I get this sounds trivial, but anyone who calls himself a golfer has to get chills reading about a fabricated ace.
     
  2. cranberry

    cranberry Well-Known Member

    As you mention, it would have been a huge thrill for the guy that he stuck it a foot from the cup. What a dick.
     
    doctorquant likes this.
  3. cjericho

    cjericho Well-Known Member

    No dilemma. Call him out. He is a jerkoff. How does he get $200? Is this a club tourney or just rich guys playing for money among themselves?
     
  4. qtlaw

    qtlaw Well-Known Member

    That sucks and as a golfer no way I'd want that "gift".

    Now, given that everyone on the course thinks he/she got an ace; celebrations have taken place and monies paid; don't thinking unmasking the charade will do anyone any good; other than sticking it to the offender, which is not worth upsetting everyone else's life.

    The only thing is to bring it to the attention of the "caddie-master"(?) and let them send the message that such shenanigans are not acceptable in the future.
     
  5. Rhody31

    Rhody31 Well-Known Member

    Minimum gratuity is $20 per player, the good caddies get double and the real good ones get more. The more memorable you make a round for a player, the more you make; an ace is a payday, so the guy who got the "ace" forked over $200 cash. There's a story of Bill Gates getting an ace at Augusta and when the caddie went in to see his tip - he switched Gates off a club - there was nothing there. When he went to make a payment on tuition for school that fall, he discovered Gates took care of the whole thing.
    No club tourney, just guys coming out to play. some rich, some aren't. A lot of times the guys who don't have the nice gear or high paying jobs tip the most because you can really make a day memorable for them.
     
  6. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    I'd hide in the bushes by 11 the next time this guy has a foursome, run out and put all the balls in the hole and let him explain that. If the kid bitches, tell him you understand that's his thing and you were just trying to help.
     
    Last edited: Aug 23, 2016
    Rhody31 likes this.
  7. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    Ugh. That story pissed me off. I can't stand people like that.
     
    Ace likes this.
  8. Earthman

    Earthman Well-Known Member

    Have to say that I'm equally chilled by this:
    ". In your average rounds we all toss balls from rough to fairways and in average rough players always have good lies. If we get sticks or it's tournament play, we play it all straight but most of the 15-25 handicaps prefer if we double check to make sure if a ball is there and replace it on top of the grass instead of two inches deep in it."

    It seems like your club promotes a culture of cheating. I would never want my caddy to improve my lie.
    USGA Rule 13 "Play it as it lies" is pretty clear.

    Kick it in the cup / Kick it out on the fairway, in the end it's all cheating.
     
  9. LongTimeListener

    LongTimeListener Well-Known Member

    The mysterious Earthman makes a good point.

    Rules are rules.
     
    YankeeFan and JC like this.
  10. doctorquant

    doctorquant Well-Known Member

    That's pretty damn bad ... The whole "improve the lie" bit is one thing, but giving a guy a hole-in-one is another. That guy will probably find out someday, and while it won't be the end of the world, it'll be a helluva downer.
     
  11. cranberry

    cranberry Well-Known Member

    I've never had a hole in one and don't really expect to (because I suck), but the biggest thrill I ever had was hitting a six-iron onto an elevated green on a beautiful late fall day for an eagle. When we got up to the green we couldn't find my ball and we spent about 10 minutes moving every leaf on the green before someone actually thought to look in the cup.
     
    dixiehack likes this.
  12. Michael_ Gee

    Michael_ Gee Well-Known Member

    I've had one or two roll over the cup and/or stop at gimme distance, and I suck too. It's being blessed by random chance. That's why what Rhody's co-worker did is so shameful.
     
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