Caddie
A caddie is a person who carries a golfer’s clubs and provides advice and assistance during a round of golf. The term can also be spelled “caddy.”
What is a caddie?
A caddie works alongside a golfer throughout a round, carrying the bag, maintaining equipment, and offering guidance on how to play each shot. The role goes well beyond hauling clubs from hole to hole. Caddies provide yardage information, suggest which club to use based on distance and conditions, read greens for putting lines, and help with course management decisions like when to play aggressively and when to lay up.
Under the Rules of Golf, published by the USGA and The R&A, a caddie is defined as someone who helps a player during a round to carry, transport, or handle their clubs and give them advice. A caddie is the only person a golfer is allowed to ask for advice during competitive play. If a player asks anyone else for guidance on club selection or shot strategy, it results in a two-stroke penalty in stroke play or loss of hole in match play under Rule 10.2.
Caddies also take care of the course during a round. They rake bunkers after a player hits from the sand, repair ball marks on greens, replace divots in fairways, and tend the flagstick. At private clubs and resorts, a caddie often shapes the entire experience of a round, keeping pace of play moving and helping golfers who may be unfamiliar with the layout.
What does a caddie do during a round?
Before a round begins, a caddie checks the bag to confirm the player has everything needed: enough golf balls, tees, gloves, a towel, and rain gear if the weather calls for it. On the PGA Tour, caddies walk the course days before a tournament to chart distances, note pin positions, and identify where hazards come into play.
During the round itself, a caddie’s work follows a rhythm on each hole. Off the tee, the caddie watches the ball flight and tracks where it lands. The walk to the ball is when the caddie calculates the distance to the target, using yardage markers, sprinkler heads, or a rangefinder. Once they reach the ball, both caddie and player discuss the shot, factoring in wind, lie, elevation change, and any trouble around the green. The caddie then cleans the club after the shot and returns it to the bag.
On the putting green, caddies help read the slope and speed of the surface. Some players rely heavily on their caddie’s read, while others prefer to make their own assessment and only want confirmation. A good caddie adapts to what each golfer needs.
Caddie vs. forecaddie
A caddie and a forecaddie serve different functions on the course. A caddie works one-on-one with a single golfer, carrying their bag and providing full-service support throughout the round. A forecaddie works for an entire group, typically a foursome, and does not carry anyone’s clubs.
The forecaddie’s primary job is to move ahead of the group and spot where each player’s ball lands. This speeds up play, especially on courses with blind shots, heavy rough, or elevated tees, where landing areas are hard to see. Forecaddies also rake bunkers, tend flagsticks, and provide general course information, but they do not typically offer the same level of strategic advice a personal caddie would.
At many private clubs and upscale resorts, golfers can choose between hiring a caddie or a forecaddie. A forecaddie costs less per player because the fee is split among the group.
| Feature | Caddie | Forecaddie |
| Carries clubs | Yes | No |
| Works for | One golfer | A group (usually four) |
| Provides strategic advice | Yes, shot by shot | Limited or none |
| Primary role | Full on-course support | Ball spotting and pace of play |
| Cost | Higher (individual fee) | Lower (split among group) |
Where does the word “caddie” come from?
The word traces back to the French word “cadet,” meaning “the boy” or the youngest member of a family. Scottish speakers adopted “cadet” as “caddie” or “cawdy” in the 17th century, initially using it to describe porters and errand boys in Edinburgh. These caddies were organized enough to form a society in 1711, with published fees for their services.
The term gradually narrowed in meaning. By the mid-19th century, the Oxford English Dictionary recorded “caddie” as someone who specifically carried golf clubs. The first recorded caddie in golf was Andrew Dickson, who carried clubs for the Duke of York during a match at Leith Links in Edinburgh in 1681.
How caddies are paid
Pay depends on the level of golf. At local clubs and resorts, caddies typically receive a flat fee per round plus a tip from the golfer. Fees vary by course and region.
On the PGA Tour, the compensation structure is different. According to Front Office Sports, tour caddies earn a base salary of $1,500 to $3,000 per week. On top of that, they receive a percentage of the player’s prize money, following what is commonly called the “10-7-5” structure: 10% of winnings for a tournament victory, 7% for a top-10 finish, and 5% for all other finishes where the player makes the cut.
These percentages can add up quickly at the highest level. Golf Digest reported that Ted Scott, who caddies for Scottie Scheffler, earned approximately $2.6 million during the 2024 season. The payouts are not limited to the PGA Tour either. Harry Diamond, Rory McIlroy’s caddie, earned an estimated $450,000 from a single tournament, McIlroy’s win at the 2026 Masters, according to WJBF. Those figures come with costs, though. Tour caddies cover their own travel, lodging, and meals, and annual expenses typically land between $25,000 and $50,000.
Related Golf Terms
- Forecaddie — A course assistant who works for a group of golfers, spotting ball locations and maintaining the pace of play without carrying clubs.
- Looper — Slang term for a caddie. A “loop” refers to a single round of caddying.
- Cabbage — Very thick rough or heavy vegetation off the fairway.
- Bunker — A sand-filled hazard on the course, also called a sand trap.
- Caddie master — The person at a golf club who manages the caddie program, assigns caddies to golfers, and oversees scheduling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it spelled “caddie” or “caddy”?
Both spellings are used. “Caddie” is the traditional and more common spelling in golf. “Caddy” can also refer to a storage container, so “caddie” is preferred when referring to a person on the golf course.
Can a caddie touch the ball during a round?
Under the Rules of Golf, a caddie may mark, lift, clean, and replace a player’s ball on the putting green without the player’s authorization. In other areas of the course, the player must give permission before the caddie handles the ball.
Do all golf courses offer caddies?
No. Caddies are most common at private clubs and high-end resort courses. A handful of exclusive clubs actually require golfers to use a caddie or forecaddie as a condition of play. Most public courses do not offer caddie services.
How much should you tip a caddie?
Tipping practices vary, but a common guideline at U.S. courses is $20 to $50 per bag for a standard round, with higher tips for exceptional service or longer rounds.
Sources
- USGA. “Rule 10 – Preparing for and Making a Stroke; Advice and Help; Caddies.” Rules of Golf. Accessed April 2026.
- Scottish Golf History. “Caddie.” scottishgolfhistory.org. Accessed April 2026.
- Front Office Sports. “How Much Money Do PGA Tour Caddies Make?” May 2025.
- WJBF. “Masters 2026: How much are the caddies paid?” April 2026.
- Golf Digest. Caddie pay reporting via multiple articles, 2024–2025.
- Keiser University College of Golf. “The Role of Caddies in Professional Golf.” April 2025.
- Golf Monthly. “What Is A Caddie In Golf?” March 2022.
