Caddie Master
A caddie master is the staff member who runs a golf course’s caddie program, managing the team of caddies and assigning them to the golfers who want one.
What is a caddie master?
A caddie master is the person in charge of the caddies at a golf club or resort. When a golfer books a round and asks for a caddie, the caddie master is the one who decides which caddie goes out with them. The role covers hiring and training the caddie team, building the daily schedule, and stepping in whenever a member has a special request or a complaint.
Not every course has one. The position only exists where a club runs an organised caddie program, so caddie masters turn up at private clubs, traditional links courses, and higher-end resorts, but almost never at a public course where players carry their own bags or ride in a cart. At most clubs, the caddie master reports to the director of golf or the general manager, according to job listings compiled by InterviewGuy.
It helps to picture the caddie master as the head of one small department inside the wider golf operation. A caddie works for a single golfer during one round. The caddie master works for the club and looks after the whole group of caddies, day in and day out.
What a caddie master does
The heart of the job is matching. Each morning the caddie master checks the tee sheet, sees who has asked for a caddie, and pairs every golfer with a suitable one based on who is available, how experienced each caddie is, and any preference a member has shown in the past. Golf Jobs describes the tee sheet as the thing that drives a caddie master’s entire day.
The role runs the program from end to end. The main responsibilities tend to fall into a handful of areas:
| Area | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Recruiting and training | Bringing in new caddies and teaching them the rules, etiquette, bag handling, and course knowledge they need |
| Scheduling | Making sure enough caddies are on hand for the day’s bookings, including busy weekends and events |
| Quality and member relations | Collecting feedback, resolving complaints, and coaching caddies who need it |
| Coordination | Working with the pro shop, starters, and other staff on tee times and pace of play |
| Administration | Tracking caddie performance and handling payments |
The size of the team swings a lot from venue to venue. Golf Jobs puts it at roughly 5 to 15 caddies at small clubs, 20 to 50 at mid-size private clubs, and 100 to 160 or more at major links venues. The Old Course at St Andrews is a good example: its caddie manager oversees around 160 registered caddies.
None of this asks the caddie master to caddie in person. Running the program is the work, not walking 18 holes with a bag.
Caddie master vs. caddie
Most people land on this term because they have heard both “caddie” and “caddie master” and want to know how the two differ. The simplest way to put it: one carries the bag, the other runs the whole operation.
| Caddie | Caddie master | |
|---|---|---|
| Works for | One golfer, for one round | The club, across the whole season |
| Main job | Carries the bag and advises on clubs and greens | Hires, trains, schedules, and assigns caddies |
| On the course? | Yes, walks all 18 holes | Usually not, based at the clubhouse and first tee |
| How many people | Serves one golfer at a time | Oversees a whole team |
A caddie is the person beside the player, calling out yardages and reading putts. The caddie master is the person who made sure that caddie turned up trained, dressed to standard, and pointed toward the right golfer.
Where the term comes from
The word “caddie” reached golf through Scots, which borrowed it in the 17th century from the French cadet. The term first referred to a military cadet and later to anyone who did odd jobs, and by the 1800s it had settled on the person who carried a golfer’s clubs. “Master” is used in the older sense of a head or supervisor, much as clubs once spoke of a professional or a greenkeeper as the specialist in charge of one corner of the operation.
Some clubs now prefer the title “caddie manager”, which means the same thing. St Andrews, for one, calls the role a caddie manager rather than a caddie master.
Related Golf Terms
- Birdie-or-better percentage — The share of holes played in birdie or better.
- Driving distance average — A player’s average measured tee-shot distance.
- Par 3 scoring average — A player’s average score on par-3 holes.
- Putts per green in regulation — Average putts taken on greens reached in regulation.
- Par 5 scoring average — A player’s average score on par-5 holes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every golf course have a caddie master?
No. Only clubs and resorts that run a caddie program employ one. Courses where golfers walk on their own or ride carts have no need for the position.
Is a caddie master usually a former caddie?
Often, yes. Plenty of them work their way up after years spent caddying, though some arrive from hospitality or golf operations backgrounds instead.
Does a caddie master need to be a professional golfer?
No. A caddie master needs a solid command of the rules and etiquette of golf, but has no need to have played the game at a professional level.
How much does a caddie master earn?
Pay changes with the club and the region. One estimate from InterviewGuy puts the average around $44,720 a year in the United States, with the prestige of the club and the person’s experience pulling the figure up or down.
What is the difference between a caddie master and a caddie manager?
Not much at all. They are two names for the same job, and “caddie manager” is the more common label at some modern clubs and at UK venues such as St Andrews.
Sources
- Golf Jobs. “What Does a Caddie Master Do? The Complete Guide.” Accessed August 2026.
https://golf-jobs.com/blog/what-does-a-caddie-master-do - InterviewGuy. “Caddie Master Job Description.” Accessed August 2026.
https://interviewguy.com/caddie-master-job-description/ - Wikipedia. “Caddie.” Accessed August 2026.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caddie - Wiktionary. “caddymaster.” Accessed August 2026.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/caddymaster - Indeed. “How To Become a Caddie.” Accessed August 2026.
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/how-to-become-caddie
