Okay, so I was super curious about how much golf caddies actually make. I mean, you see them out there on the course, lugging clubs and giving advice, but what’s the real deal with their pay? I decided to do some digging and, well, the results were kinda all over the place. Here’s what I did.
My Little Investigation
First, I hit up Google. Just a basic search: “how much do golf caddies make?”. I scrolled through a bunch of articles and forum posts. Some talked about caddies at fancy private clubs, others mentioned caddies at public courses, and then there were the pro caddies on the PGA Tour – total different ballpark there.
It seemed like the pay really depended on a few things:
- The type of course: Fancy private clubs generally pay more than public courses.
- Experience: Obviously, the more experienced caddies get better gigs and better tips.
- Location: Caddies in, say, Florida or California, probably make more on average than caddies in a less golf-centric area.
- Whether they get tips: Because most all of them rely heavily on tips.
Breaking Down the Numbers(kinda)
From what I gathered, caddies at your average public course might make anywhere from $20 to $50 per bag, plus tips. So, if they carry two bags for a foursome, that’s $40 to $100, before tips. A good day with generous golfers could easily bump that up.
At the higher-end clubs, it’s a different story. I saw numbers ranging from $100 to $150 per bag, plus tips. Some of these clubs even have “caddie levels,” where more experienced caddies get paid more. It really seemed like a “hustle” kind of job – the better you are, the more connections you make, the more you can potentially earn.
The Pro Caddie Life
Then, I stumbled upon the world of professional caddies. These guys (and some gals!) are basically part of the golfer’s team. They get a base salary, but a HUGE chunk of their income comes from a percentage of the golfer’s winnings.
I read that a typical deal is something like 5% of winnings if the golfer finishes outside the top 10, 7% for a top-10 finish, and 10% for a win. So, if a golfer wins a tournament with a $1 million purse, the caddie could pocket $100,000! Of course, if the golfer has a bad week, the caddie’s pay takes a hit, too.
My Final Thoughts
After all this “research,” I realized there’s no simple answer to “how much does a golf caddy make?” It’s a super variable gig. You could be scraping by at a local course, or you could be making bank on the PGA Tour. It all boils down to location, experience, the golfers you work with, and, let’s be honest, a little bit of luck. One thing is for sure. The job is tough and need to work hard.
