Forget Goat Yoga: Oregon Ranch Debuts Newest Goat Caddies By Brian Weis

Forget Goat Yoga: Oregon Ranch Debuts Newest Goat Caddies

Veteran caddies Bruce LeGoat and Mike LeChevon set to retire following the 2022 season as Chunky and Charlie join the ranks

By Brian Weis

SILVIES, Oregon - July 27, 2022 - The Links at Silvies Valley Ranch announced today that two new goat caddies have been added to the resort's staff. Chunky and Charlie were selected from over 300 young goats at the ranch all vying for a spot on the caddie team. Goat caddies are available to assist golfers on McVeigh's Gauntlet, the property's 7-hole challenge course that was named Best New Golf Experience by Golf Magazine in 2018. The stunning 7-hole course was designed as a fun yet challenging course to help players settle bets and test their accuracy on a series of undulating par 2, par 3, and par 4's.

While on duty, goat caddies carry up to six golf clubs, a dozen golf balls, golf tees, and six cans of refreshment, along with a few dozen peanuts for themselves. Silvies caddies are equipped with a custom goat caddie backpack designed by Seamus Golf.

"We are thrilled to welcome Chunky and Charlie to our team of caddies," said Sandy Campbell, head of the goat caddie program at Silvies. "Both of these guys have worked tirelessly to earn their spot on the staff, and they are sure to be adored by golfers and resort guests. After all, they never give any baaad advice on the course!"

The ranch has the largest herd of organic meat goats in the world. The goats are used to help improve the sustainable environment at the ranch, and as a healthier alternative to other kinds of protein at the ranch's gourmet restaurant and other white tablecloth restaurants and homes in the region. The purebred American Range Goats are two - eight years old when caddying full time, and they work three to four days a week for about four hours per day.

The McVeigh Course is about a half-mile long, and goat caddies get a 20 minute break between rounds, along with a healthy snack of organic antelope brush and juniper. Golfers must take a short training course to have a caddie and are given a two-way radio for questions or to summon a human if any disagreements occur with their caddie.

Like all caddies, they have their own caddy shack (by the clubhouse) where they lounge around until they're called. At night, they have caddie quarters in the stable where guests can go visit and pet them.

The goat caddies are one of the many things that make Silvies unique. Recognized by Golfweek, Golf Digest, GOLF Magazine and Golf Inc. for its innovative approach to the golf experience, Silvies boasts both quality golf as well as the opportunity to connect with the land on a deeper level. In addition to golf, guests can enjoy a variety of ranch activities, including horseback riding, shooting, fishing, hiking, cattle feeding and goat herding. Ranked in the Top 15 Golf Resorts in America by Robb Report, the property features luxurious Western-inspired accommodations, farm-to-table dining options, an extensive Scotch collection, and one of the largest spas in Oregon, making the boutique eco-resort a must-see destination.

For more information on Silvies Valley Ranch or to book your retreat, please call 1-800-SILVIES (745-8437), email info@silvies.us or visit www.silvies.us.

Revised: 02/10/2023 - Article Viewed 3,322 Times - View Course Profile

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the mastermind behind GolfTrips.com, a vast network of golf travel and directory sites covering everything from the rolling fairways of Wisconsin to the sunbaked desert layouts of Arizona. If there’s a golf destination worth visiting, chances are, Brian has written about it, played it, or at the very least, found a way to justify a "business trip" there.

As a card-carrying member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA), and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG), Brian has the credentials to prove that talking about golf is his full-time job. In 2016, his peers even handed him The Shaheen Cup, a prestigious award in golf travel writing—essentially the Masters green jacket for guys who don’t hit the range but still know where the best 19th holes are.

Brian’s love for golf goes way back. As a kid, he competed in junior and high school golf, only to realize that his dreams of a college golf scholarship had about the same odds as a 30-handicap making a hole-in-one. Instead, he took the more practical route—working on the West Bend Country Club grounds crew to fund his University of Wisconsin education. Little did he know that mowing greens and fixing divots would one day lead to a career writing about the best courses on the planet.

In 2004, Brian turned his golf passion into a business, launching GolfWisconsin.com. Three years later, he expanded his vision, and GolfTrips.com was born—a one-stop shop for golf travel junkies looking for their next tee time. Today, his empire spans all 50 states, and 20+ international destinations.

On the course, Brian is a weekend warrior who oscillates between a 5 and 9 handicap, depending on how much he's been traveling (or how generous he’s feeling with his scorecard). His signature move" A high, soft fade that his playing partners affectionately (or not-so-affectionately) call "The Weis Slice." But when he catches one clean, his 300+ yard drives remind everyone that while he may write about golf for a living, he can still send a ball into the next zip code with the best of them.

Whether he’s hunting down the best public courses, digging up hidden gems, or simply outdriving his buddies, Brian Weis is living proof that golf is more than a game—it’s a way of life.