Updated on June 23rd, 2023 at 12:49 pm
Being a caddie can be both fun and a profitable job. If you are someone who loves to be around the game of golf and just can’t get enough of it, taking a job as a caddie is a great idea. For golfers who want extra help and advice while they are on the course, caddies can make your day at the country club much more enjoyable.
Sometimes golf caddies can make quite a bit of money out on the course, and all golf caddies likely dream of making it to the PGA Tour. If you have ever wondered what a caddy can make and whether or not this would be a good position for you, we have all the answers.
How Much Do Caddies Make On Tour
A golf caddy on the PGA Tour will make a weekly base salary and then a percentage of the player’s wins. If a golfer is able to win the tournament, the caddie will usually make 10% of the winnings. Certainly, this is some motivation for a golf caddie to help get their player to the winner’s circle.
Typically when professional golfers have a top ten finish, the caddie also gets a higher percentage of the winnings, usually around 6-8%. Each golfer on the PGA Tour can structure the deal that they have with their caddying partner differently.
Most PGA Tour caddies will have a base salary of around $2000 per week. Some players will negotiate this a bit higher if they are working for a big-name professional and potentially have large expenses. Sometimes professional golfers will pay for the caddie’s travel expenses, and other times it is completely the responsibility of the caddies.
When a professional golfer makes it on the PGA Tour, they really have to run their own business with caddying staff, wellness staff, managers, accountants, and more. There is much more to it than making that putt on the 18th green.
How Much Do Caddies Make At Local Country Clubs
There are so many different types of private golf courses and country club styles across the country. Caddying at one club could guarantee $150 per round, and at another, it may only be $75. Caddies need to find a spot that works for them and work to get to know the membership. The better the caddie knows the members, the higher the chance of getting a tip.
Many caddies will try and work two rounds a day at a country club. When you do two rounds a day, caddying can be a very profitable business to get into. This is partly why college kids and those working to be able to afford to play professional golf love the caddying business.
At a local country club, there are two different types of caddies. A traditional caddie will carry one or two golf bags for the full 18 holes and a forecaddie that will just follow along with the carts, read greens, carry putters and tend the pin. Forecaddies are a nice addition when four people want to play in carts and not have to worry about paying for the full golf caddy fee.
Be sure to check out our recent post – Forecaddie vs Caddie
Typically speaking, a forecaddie that is handling 4 people is going to make around $80 for a round. Each person chips in, making it an affordable fun way to play a round of golf. If you are playing a golf course for the first time, a forecaddie can offer valuable information to make sure you have a great game.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hopefully, these answers to what a caddy costs have helped you understand the way golf clubs or country clubs work and how PGA Tour caddies make money.
Who Is The Highest Paid Caddy In Golf?
The highest-paid golf caddies are continually changing. Players that make a lot of money will end up paying their caddies, and therefore the list is ever changing. The highest paid golf caddie is currently Jimmy Johnson, the caddie of Justin Thomas.
Justin Thomas is one of those golfers who almost always finds his way to the top ten of an event. This helps to increase Johnson’s pay. If Johnson stays on this golf bag, he will likely end up a very wealthy man.
However, Justin Thomas would likely admit to the fact that he wouldn’t have been able to win or play as well as he does without the help of his caddie.
Do Caddies Pay Their Own Expenses?
Many caddies will pay their own expenses. When you watch golf on television, it’s easy to get caught up in all the money players make. However, there are so many players that you don’t see that are struggling week in and week out.
When professional golfers get to a tournament, they often rent large homes with boats and pools and have lots of families come and stay with them. However, there are other struggling tour pros trying to make the cut by staying at a local hotel they got a deal on.
A caddie may be expected to pay their own expenses depending on the golfer they are working for. However, most golfers will realize that the caddie needs to have enough money to afford to live a week in and a week out on tour.
Can You Make A Living As A Golf Caddy?
You can make a living as a caddie, and many are able to do so. The great thing about this is that you can make a living at a country club or on the PGA Tour. Obviously, the golfers on the PGA Tour will make quite a bit more money than those at a country club; however, the country club rates are often very fair.
The bottom line is that if you want to make money as a caddie, you have to be good at what you do. You will need to understand the golfers that you work with, know what goes into carrying a Golf bag, what Golf accessories players should have in their bag, how to read a green as well as understanding how to read a golf green guide, and to play into the mental game of a golfer.
Each golfer that a caddy works with will be different, and to make an impression and keep a player’s mind focused during a round, a caddie will earn every penny of the money that he or she makes that day. Fore information check out AEC Info.
