If you love golf, enjoy the outdoors, and want a career that puts you right at the heart of the action, becoming a golf caddie might be your perfect fit.
From helping recreational golfers enjoy their rounds to guiding professionals under tournament pressure, golf caddies are essential to the sport.
In this ultimate guide, we cover everything you need to know about becoming a golf caddie - whether you're just starting out or dreaming of walking inside the ropes on the PGA Tour.
Is it Golf "Caddie" or "Caddy"?
Both spellings are widely used, but context matters:
- “Caddie” is the traditional and more formal spelling, particularly in the UK and in golf literature. It's the preferred spelling used by professional organisations and golf clubs.
- “Caddy” is often used informally in American English, and also refers to equipment (e.g. golf cart caddy, tea caddy).
If you’re writing professionally or applying for a job, use “caddie.”
What Does a Golf Caddie Do?
Golf caddies provide crucial support to players on the course. While duties vary with level and setting, common responsibilities include:
- Bag & Equipment Management
- Carrying, cleaning and organising clubs
- Ensuring spare balls, tees, towels, umbrellas and other kit are on hand
- Course Maintenance
- Repairing divots and pitch marks, raking bunkers, and smoothing footprints
- Tidying pins and ball marks around the hole
- Strategic Advice
- Offering yardages, club recommendations and reading greens
- Acting as a sounding board for shot selection under pressure
- Pace-of-Play & Etiquette
- Keeping the group moving smoothly and courteously
- Advising on pace rules and local policies
- Emotional Support
- Providing encouragement and calm during high-stress situations
- Managing player focus and composure, especially on tournament days
At club level, caddies focus on bag carrying, spot-checking yardages and helping members enjoy their rounds.
At tour level, caddies become strategic partners - preparing yardage books, analysing wind and lie, tracking statistics and collaborating on detailed game plans.
In some resort or elite settings, caddies are also expected to provide hospitality-like service, managing the golfer’s comfort and enhancing the experience.
A Day in the Life of a Golf Caddie
Here’s a look at two typical days - one for a club caddie, the other for a tour caddie:
Club Caddie (Member Loop)
- 06:30 – 07:30
- Arrive at the bag drop to check the day’s tee-sheet, prepare carts or trolleys, and collect any player notes (handicaps, preferred drills, equipment requests).
- 07:30 – 11:30
- Carry the first full round of the day (18 holes) – advising on yardages, reading greens, repairing divots and bunkers.
- Maintain pace-of-play, ensuring a courteous flow from tee to green.
- 11:30 – 12:00
- Break: refill water bottles, grab a snack, check in with the pro shop for any updates or late tee-time changes.
- 12:00 – 16:00
- Second round (if double-booked) – repeat your morning duties, adapting strategy to changing conditions and member feedback.
- 16:00 – 17:00
- Return equipment to the pro shop, clean and restock clubs, update your caddie notes for the next day, and deliver any member feedback to the Head Professional.
Tour Caddie (Tournament Week)
- 05:00 – 07:00
- Course reconnaissance - walk key tees and greens, mark bunker edges and slope lines in the yardage book
- 07:00 – 12:00
- On-course for first round - carry bag, advise on club selection, monitor wind and lie, coach mental approach
- 12:00 – 13:00
- Mid-round debrief - adjust strategy based on scoring trends and weather shifts
- 13:00 – 17:00
- Complete round, then collate data (fairways hit, putting stats) and share insights with player
- 17:00 – 18:00
- Attend sponsor or media commitments as needed; assist player in post-round warm-down
- 18:00 – 20:00
- Plan next day’s approach - update digital yardage book, liaise with equipment reps for any gear changes
Skills Required to Be a Golf Caddie
Becoming a top-tier caddie requires more than physical endurance. You need a balanced mix of soft and hard skills:
Golf IQ
- Thorough understanding of rules, course architecture and scoring formats
- Ability to visualise shots and judge slopes, wind and turf conditions
Physical Fitness & Stamina
- Walking 5 - 10 miles per round carrying 15 - 20 kg in all weather conditions
- Maintaining balance and strength through multi-round days
Mental Toughness
- Staying focused over 4 - 6 hour rounds, often in stressful tournament environments
- Remaining calm and positive during adversity
Communication & Emotional Intelligence
- Reading your player’s mood and adapting your approach
- Offering concise advice - or knowing when silence is best
Organisation & Preparation
- Keeping clubs clean and ready, managing weather gear and refreshments
- Pre-round preparation: studying the course, flag positions and yardage books
Adaptability
- Handling last-minute tee-time changes, course conditions or travel disruptions
- Shifting between club, resort and tour environments seamlessly
Qualifications & Training Paths
Formal certifications are not always mandatory, but they can give you an edge:
- Local Caddie Programmes
- Many private and resort clubs run in-house caddie schools or training initiatives
- Covers basic etiquette, bag care, course maintenance and customer service
- Evans Scholars Foundation (US)
- Provides full tuition and housing scholarships to caddies with strong academic records and financial need
- Includes training, mentorship and networking within elite college golf circles
- Caddie School for Soldiers (UK)
- A charity-run programme that trains ex-military personnel in caddying skills, leadership and career planning
- Association of Professional Tour Caddies (APTC)
- Membership offers insurance, contract advice and networking for tour-level caddies in the US
- European Tour Caddies Association (ETCA)
- Supports caddies on DP World Tour events with health cover, legal guidance and peer forums
- Short Courses & Workshops
- Rules of Golf seminars (R&A/USGA)
Lifestyle and Work Conditions
Caddying offers unique rewards but demands a flexible, active lifestyle:
- Physical strain: Caddies can walk between 5 and 10 miles per round, often carrying 15-20kg bags. Tasks include raking bunkers, fixing divots, and tending pins in all weather conditions. Long days can be physically exhausting, especially when double-looping.
- Travel: Club caddies may work locally, but top resort caddies sometimes move with the seasons, working in warm-weather destinations during winter. Tour caddies travel extensively - up to 30 weeks a year - crossing countries and continents.
- Seasonality: In the UK, Europe, and northern US, golf is seasonal, typically April to October. Some caddies travel abroad to find off-season work.
- Work hours: Tour caddies often arrive before sunrise, help players warm up, walk the course in advance, work tournament rounds, and stay late to prep for the next day. Even at clubs, caddies can work from dawn till dusk on busy days.
- Mental and emotional strain: Caddies are part-psychologist, part-strategist, and must support players through both triumph and failure. The emotional pressure is real - particularly in competitive settings.
- Unpredictable income: Income varies week-to-week. Club caddies rely heavily on tips. Tour caddies often only profit when their player makes the cut or places highly.
Despite the challenges, caddying offers rewards few jobs can match: time outdoors, access to iconic courses, camaraderie with fellow caddies, and in some cases, life-changing earnings.
Industry Trends and Hiring Insights
The role of the golf caddie continues to evolve with changes in technology, golf culture, and player expectations:
- Technology integration: While GPS devices and rangefinders are now common, caddies - particularly at tour level - still provide unmatched strategic insight. Many use digital yardage books during practice rounds to prepare for competition days.
- Return to walking golf: There is a growing emphasis on walking the course for health and tradition, particularly at high-end clubs and links-style courses. This trend is fuelling renewed interest in caddie programmes.
- Caddie associations and representation: Professional associations like the APTC (Association of Professional Tour Caddies) in the US and the ETCA (European Tour Caddies Association) advocate for better working conditions, sponsorships, and income stability.
- Sponsorship opportunities: Some tour caddies now wear sponsor logos on their bibs or hats - an important income stream, especially for those supporting lower-ranked players.
- Diversity and access: Programmes like the Evans Scholars Foundation (US) and the Caddie School for Soldiers (UK) are working to broaden access to the profession. These initiatives bring new talent into the game, including ex-military, students from underserved communities, and aspiring female caddies.
- Hiring dynamics: Most caddie roles - especially at clubs - aren’t advertised. Walk-ins, recommendations, and referrals matter. For tour roles, caddie-player pairings often begin through informal networks, player referrals, or serendipitous opportunities during amateur or developmental events.
Career Progression for Golf Caddies
This section dives deeper into how professionals typically enter the golf caddie role, and where they often move on to afterwards.
Typical Paths Into Caddying
- Starter / Junior Caddie
- Begin at local clubs or resorts - learn basic bag-carrying, pace-of-play and etiquette
- Experienced Club Caddie
- Build rapport with members, gain repeats and word-of-mouth requests
- Elite Amateur & Regional Events
- Volunteer at high-profile amateur tournaments to network with rising players
- Professional Tour Caddie
- Secure a tour-level gig by demonstrating reliability, strategic input and fitness
Where to Go Next
- Caddie Master / Caddie Programme Manager
- Oversee a club’s entire caddie operation - training, scheduling and quality control
- Swing Coach / Performance Analyst
- Leverage your course-management expertise into technical coaching roles
- Tournament Logistics Manager
- Transition into event planning, operations and player liaison for professional tours
- Media & Broadcasting
- Provide on-course commentary or analysis as an expert insider
- Entrepreneurship
- Launch a caddie training school, author strategy guides or develop golf-tech apps
Golf Caddies Salary: How Much Do Golf Caddies Make?
Club Caddies (UK & Europe)
- Base fee per round: £50-£60
- Expected tip: £20-£30
- Total per loop: £70-£90
- 2 rounds/day in peak season: £140-£180
- Seasonal earnings: £15,000-£25,000
Club Caddies (US)
- Base fee: $40-$100 per round
- Tips range: $40-$100 depending on club and player
- High-end clubs: $150-$300 per day, more for double bags
- Seasonal earnings: $15,000-$35,000
Professional Tour Caddies
- Weekly base pay: $1,500-$3,000 (PGA/DP World), $1,000-$2,000 (LPGA/LET)
- Prize money cut: typically 5% (normal), 7% (top 10), 10% (win)
- Top caddies can earn $500k-$2M/year
- Lower-ranked tour caddies may only clear $10k-$30k after travel costs
Best Caddies in Golf
Some caddies have earned legendary reputations, including:
- Steve Williams - Worked with Tiger Woods, Greg Norman, and Adam Scott; helped secure 14 of Woods’ majors.
- Jim “Bones” Mackay - Phil Mickelson’s longtime caddie, now with Justin Thomas.
- Joe LaCava - Caddied for Fred Couples and later for Tiger Woods during his 2019 Masters comeback.
- Fanny Sunesson - One of the first successful female caddies, notably with Nick Faldo.
- Ted Scott - Currently with Scottie Scheffler, earned over $2.5M in 2023 alone.
Golf caddies are much more than bag carriers - they’re strategists, psychologists, travel companions, and essential members of the golfing world.
Whether you’re working at your local club, guiding a VIP at a resort, or competing on the biggest stages in golf, caddying offers a pathway into one of sport’s most unique professions.
With the right knowledge, dedication, and networking, anyone can begin their journey into caddying. Start local, stay reliable, keep learning, and who knows, you might one day help a player lift a major championship trophy.