in the loop
Bandon Dunes’ caddies are a staple of the resort’s experience, and for the last four years they’ve represented the resort in the Looper Cup.
Caddies and Bandon Dunes—they go together like links golf and the wind. “It is always how I envisioned Bandon Dunes—walking with caddies,” says founder Mike Keiser, who worked carrying bags and advising players when he was a young golfer. “They are a very important part of what made Bandon what it has become.”
It turns out Bandon’s caddies aren’t just great at telling you whether to flight a 6-iron or go all out with a 7—they can also flat-out play. And since 2015, they’ve represented Bandon Dunes in an event called the Looper Cup, which is a celebration of all that caddies bring to the game. The event now includes three of the best clubs in the U.S.—Pine Valley, Pebble Beach, and Cypress Point—with caddie teams contesting the title over three days. The contest is fun—but caddies on each team are often exceptional players, the stakes are high, and the golf is world class.
For Vince Quattrocchi, Bandon’s Director of Caddie Services, the Looper Cup is just another demonstration of the grassroots approach Mike Keiser has taken at Bandon Dunes. “It is a prime example of his generosity and love for caddie programs around the world,” Quattrocchi says. “It is an honor for caddies to play in the event. The camaraderie is infectious, and though it is a competition, everyone leaves as friends.”
“At Bandon they are a key part of the experience. And the Looper Cup just goes a small way to acknowledging the significant role they play.”
—Mike Keiser
There’s a connection between caddies, regardless of whether they work at a private club or at a resort. What they promote—guiding golfers as they walk over the ground, assisting with the details that make a round unique, and curating the experience—isn’t specific to a venue, as much as it is central to the game. Not surprisingly, many caddies are strong players, often with experience in high-level amateur golf, which means the Looper Cup is highly contested. But there’s also a social element. “It’s fun to meet caddies from other places across the country; we have a lot in common to talk about during the rounds,” says Jason Humphreys, 39, who is the former captain of the Bandon Dunes squad. “The caddies who travel in have always been impressed with what the resort offers for its caddies. If anything, it would be great to see the event grow and more clubs become involved.”
That’s the feeling of the caddies who have participated from other clubs as well. “This was the best week of golf in my life so far,” said Serge Hogg, a former multiple Maryland State Stroke Play Champion who loops at Pine Valley. “You’re going to have to search far and wide to top it. Everyone at the facility treated us like gold. I can’t wait to get back.”
For Keiser, who was inducted into the Western Golf Association’s Caddie Hall of Fame for his support of loopers, as well as the WGA’s Evans Scholars program, the success of the event is simply another testament to the role caddies play in the game—and their continued importance at Bandon Dunes.“
For years, caddies were essential, and a lot of players came into golf through working as caddies,” Keiser says. “At Bandon they are a key part of the experience. And the Looper Cup just goes a small way to acknowledging the significant role they play.”
