How Many Caddies Can a Golfer Have?

Thinking about a caddie for your next round might bring to mind a single figure managing the bag, but you may wonder if gaining an extra edge with a second looper is possible. The official rule on how many caddies a golfer can have is strict, but understanding the nuances for different scenarios - from PGA TOUR events to your casual weekend game - is where it gets interesting. This article will break down the exact rule, the reasoning behind it, and how it applies to you on the course.

The Straightforward Answer: The Official Rule of Golf

Let's get right to it. According to the a player is limited to having only one caddie at a time.

The specific rule is Rule 10.3a: Who May Be a Caddie. Its language is direct and leaves little room for interpretation under official circumstances. It states a player can have a caddie to carry clubs and give advice, but with this key limitation:

• One Caddie at a Time: "A player may have only one caddie at any one time."

This means that for the duration of a hole, from the moment you tee off until you hole out, you cannot have two people acting as your caddie. This applies whether you're in a club championship, a local tournament, or any round played strictly by the Rules of Golf. You can't have one person check the yardage while another cleans your ball on the green. Only one person can perform the duties of a caddie at any given moment.

What Does ",At Any One Time", Really Mean?

This phrasing is where many golfers find a bit of gray area. Does it mean you must stick with the same caddie for the entire 18 holes? Not necessarily. The rule is designed to prevent a player from using a team of advisors *simultaneously* on the course. It doesn't prevent you from changing your caddie mid-round.

Swapping Caddies Mid-Round

Here’s a practical scenario many golfers might encounter, especially in junior or amateur golf:

Imagine your dad caddies for you on the front nine, and your friend plans to take over on the back nine. This is perfectly legal, provided the handoff is clean. You cannot have both of them offering advice on the 10th tee. Here’s how a proper mid-round caddie change should work:

1. Complete the Hole: The first caddie should finish their duties on the 9th green.
2. Make the Change: The first caddie officially stops acting as your caddie. They can hand the bag over to the new caddie between holes (for example, on the walk to the 10th tee).
3. No Overlap: Critically, there should be no period where both individuals are giving you advice, reading putts, or otherwise performing the duties of a caddie for the same shot or hole. Once caddie #1 is done, they are simply a spectator. Caddie #2 then begins their role.
   • In Stroke Play: You receive a two-stroke penalty for each hole where the breach occurred.
   • In Match Play: You receive a loss of hole for each hole where the breach occurred.
   
   
   • Friendly Rounds: The spirit is to have fun. If a friend or family member provides a small tip, it's generally accepted. However, it's good practice to understand the official rule.
   • Charity Scrambles: These events are all about fun and fundraising, and rules are often relaxed. Teams consult each other on every shot - that’s the whole point of a scramble! There's no prohibition on this.
   • Junior and College Golf: Coaches are often allowed to provide advice, but typically only between holes. They may walk with their players but are instructed not to act as a second caddie during the play of a hole to teach players to think for themselves.
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Effectively, the rule isn't "one caddie per round," but "one caddie at a time." This flexibility is helpful if a caddie feels unwell, needs to leave early, or if there was a pre-arranged plan to switch.

The Penalty for Using More Than One Caddie

The Rules of Golf are enforced with clear penalties, and the one-caddie rule is no exception. Violating this rule results in the General Penalty, which is one of the more significant penalties in golf.

The penalty is applied per hole, making it a severe mistake. If you had two caddies giving you advice on the 1st tee and you didn't correct the situation until the 3rd hole, you would incur the penalty for each of the three holes. In stroke play, that's a whopping six-stroke penalty - enough to wreck any scorecard.

How is the Penalty Handled?

Let’s say you and your friend both have caddies. Your friend's caddie reads your putt on the 5th green at the same time your own caddie is getting a yardage for your next tee shot. You've officially breached Rule 10.3a by having two caddies at once. If you discover the error, you must immediately clarify which person is your single caddie for the rest of the round to avoid further penalties on subsequent holes.

Why Does the One-Caddie Rule Exist?

As a coach, I emphasize that golf, at its core, is a game of individual challenge. The one-caddie rule is designed to protect this spirit and ensure fairness and logistical sanity on the course. There are a few key reasons for its existence:

1. To Preserve the Individual Nature of Golf

Golf tests a player’s skill, decision-making, and mental fortitude. Allowing a "team" of caddies could shift the balance from a player’s ability to a team's strategic power. Your opponent would not only be competing against you, but against your entire advisory board. Limiting it to one caddie keeps the player as the primary decision-maker, with just one dedicated assistant.

2. To Maintain Fairness and a Level Playing Field

If players could have unlimited caddies, those with more resources could hire specialists - a putting guru, a course-management expert, and a yardage technician. This would create a massive gap between well-funded players and everyone else, undermining the principle that everyone starts on an equal footing.

3. To Manage Pace of Play and On-Course Congestion

Think about the logistics of multiple caddies. A foursome could potentially have 8, 12, or even more people walking with them. Imagine an 8-person crowd just on the green trying to read one putt. It would be chaotic, slow down play significantly, and make the experience worse for everyone on the course. The one-caddie rule helps keep the flow of the game moving smoothly.

Situational Differences: Pro Tours vs. Casual Rounds

While the Rules of Golf serve as the universal standard, not every round of golf is a PGA TOUR qualifier. It's helpful to understand the context.

Professional Tours and Elite Amateur Events

On professional circuits like the PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, and European Tour, the one-caddie rule is absolute and strictly enforced. A player a team that includes a swing coach, a short-game coach, a physio, and a manager. However, during a stipulated round, only the designated caddie can provide advice. The swing coach might watch from outside the ropes, but they cannot step in and provide on-course guidance without breaking the rules against outside advice.

Team Events (Ryder Cup, Solheim Cup, etc.)

In team-based match play events, the rules slightly change. Team Captains and Vice-Captains are often permitted to give advice to any player on their team. However, each player in the group still has only one designated caddie. You won't see two caddies standing over one player's ball assisting them.

Casual Golf &, Scrambles

Here’s where real-world golf for most people lives. Are the "golf police" going to pop out and give you a two-stroke penalty during a friendly Sunday round if your friend, who came along to watch, warns you about the water right of the green? No, very unlikely. In casual rounds, context matters most.

The bottom line for casual play: know your playing partners and the situation. But if money or a serious title is on the line, always stick to the official one-caddie rule to avoid any issues.

Final Thoughts

In short, the Rules of Golf definitively state a player can only have one caddie helping them at any single moment. This rule is fundamental to preserving the fairness, individual challenge, and smooth flow of the game, applying everywhere from the PGA Tour to your local club championship.

While only one human can legally carry your bag, there’s nothing stopping you from having another expert in your pocket. At Caddie AI, we provide that instant, 24/7 caddie-level support without breaking any rules. When you’re facing a tricky lie and your caddie isn't sure, you can get a trusted opinion on how to play the shot by snapping a photo. We can help you strategize your way around a tough hole or simply give you the confidence you need on club selection, taking the guesswork out of your game and letting you play with more conviction.