How to Be a Golf Caddy

Becoming a golf caddie is far more than just carrying a bag - it's your front-row seat to the game, offering a unique blend of physical work, mental strategy, and on-course camaraderie. This isn't just a job, for many, it's the most immersive way to learn and love golf. This guide will walk you through the essential duties, the required knowledge, the art of communicating with a player, and the practical steps to land your first caddying job.

What a Great Caddie Actually Does

Top-tier caddies are indispensable partners to their golfers. Their role goes well beyond transportation services for the golf bag. They are responsible for a wide range of tasks that make the round smoother, more enjoyable, and often, more successful for the player. Understanding these core duties is your first step.

Your On-Course Checklist: The Core Responsibilities

• Keep the Kit Clean and Ready: Before the round even starts, ensure the player's clubs are spotless. Throughout the round, wipe down each club after a shot and clean the player's golf ball on the green. A clean club face is essential for predictable performance, and your player will appreciate the constant care.
• Manage the Bag Like a Pro: Your most famous duty. Be ready to hand the player their club of choice quickly. After the shot, take the club, clean it, and place it back in the correct spot in the bag. A well-organized bag means no searching for a club on the next tee box.
• Be a Guardian of the Course: Always carry a sand bottle or divot tool. Your responsibility is to repair any divots your player takes and rake bunkers meticulously after they've played out of them. On the green, you should be the first one to fix your player's ball mark (and any others you see). This shows respect for the course and the groups behind you.
• Serve as the Official Spotter: This is a non-negotiable part of your role. Watch every shot your golfer hits, from tee to green. Tracking the ball’s flight and pinpointing its landing spot saves time, prevents lost balls, and reduces your player's stress.
• Tend the Flagstick: Know the etiquette. Attend the flagstick when your player is putting from a distance. Once they ask for it to be removed, pull it out carefully, making sure not to damage the edge of the hole. Place the flagstick gently on the ground away from any putting lines and return it to the hole after everyone has finished.

The Caddie’s Mental Game: Knowledge is a Coach on Your Shoulder

Carrying the bag gets you on the course, but your golf knowledge is what will make you a truly valuable caddie. You need to become a student of the game, understanding not just the basic rules but the strategy that underpins every shot decision. Think of yourself as a one-person support crew and strategist.

Mastering Your Environment

Just as a golfer analyzes a hole, a caddie must analyze everything around them. A fantastic caddie accounts for all the variables before offering a yardage or suggestion. This turns a simple distance into valuable, actionable advice.

• Factor in the Wind: Is it a helping breeze, a hurtful headwind, or a tricky crosswind? A one-club wind can be the difference between a birdie putt and a bunker shot. Learn to feel the wind on your face and watch how it affects the flag or the trees.
• Gauge Elevation Changes: That approach shot may be 150 yards on the laser, but if it’s severely uphill, it’s going to play longer. If it’s downhill, it will play shorter. Learning to estimate how much to add or subtract for slope is an advanced skill that players truly appreciate. Always give the player the actual yardage first, followed by the "playing" yardage (e.g., "You've got 150, but it's playing 160 up the hill.")
• Assess the Lie: The ball's position dramatically influences the shot. Is it sitting up nicely on the fairway? Or is it buried in thick rough? Is the ball above or below the player’s feet? A shot from deep rough won't fly as far, while a sidehill lie will naturally cause the ball to curve. Pointing this out ("This will probably fly a little left-to-right from this lie") is high-level caddying.

Reading the Greens Like a Pro

This is where caddies earn their reputation. Helping your player understand a putt's break is one of the most valuable services you can offer. Reading greens is part science, part art.

• Find the Low Point: As you approach the green, identify the overall slope. Where would water run off? This gives you the general direction of the break.
• Walk the Putt's Path: Stand behind the ball and look toward the hole. Then, walk to the low side of the putt line and look at it from there. This side view can often reveal subtle breaks you wouldn’t see from behind the ball.
• Look at the Last Few Feet: The ball slows down near the hole, so the break will affect it most in the final third of the putt. Pay close attention to this area. Communicate what you see simply: "It looks like a cup out to the right to me."

The Caddie-Player Partnership: Communication is Everything

Your relationship with the golfer for those four hours is a unique partnership. Mastering communication is just as important as knowing yardages. Every player is different, and your job is to adapt to their needs and personality.

Provide Information, Not Swing Instruction

This is perhaps the most important rule. Unless a player specifically asks you for swing advice, don't offer it. Your role is to provide information about the course - yardages, hazards, wind, green-reading - so they can make the best decision. Giving unsolicited swing tips can throw a player off and break their trust in you.

Know When to Talk and When to Stay Quiet

Some players are chatty and want to talk about sports, work, or anything else to stay relaxed. Others are intense and prefer silence to focus. It's your job to read their vibe. A good rule of thumb is to let them initiate conversations beyond golf talk. Be friendly and present, but don’t force a conversation. After a bad hole, a little bit of silence is often the best medicine.

Be a Source of Positive Energy

Golf is a frustrating game. Your attitude can have a real impact. Stay positive and encouraging, even when things are going badly. Simple phrases like "Shake it off, we'll get it back on the next one" or "That was a great effort" can make a huge difference. Never show negative body language after a poor shot. Be the calm, steady presence your player needs.

How to Get Your First Caddying Job

Getting your foot in the door can seem intimidating, but a professional and persistent approach will get you noticed.

1. Target the Right Courses: Start by researching private country clubs and high-end public or resort courses in your area. These are the facilities most likely to have active caddie programs.
2. Find the Caddie Master: The Caddie Master is the person who runs the caddie program. This is the person you need to contact. Call the club's pro shop and ask for the Caddie Master's name and contact information.
3. Make a Professional Approach: Draft a simple, professional email introducing yourself. Mention that you are eager to learn, hard-working, and have a good knowledge of golf. Politeness and professionalism go a long way. If you don't hear back, a respectful follow-up call a week later is appropriate.
4. Ace the Training Program: Most clubs have a mandatory training process for new hires. They’ll teach you their specific course policies, on-course procedures, and what they expect from their caddies. Pay close attention, ask smart questions, and show you're serious about the a good job. In addition to this it's your place to learn the golf course as well as you possible can so once you get tested you can read the course as close as you would do with yours
5. Impress on Your Trial Loop: Your first few rounds, often with a senior caddie or a club member, are a tryout. Show up early. Have your towel, ball mark repairer, and a positive attitude ready. Hustle, stay attentive, and do all the little things right. Your work ethic is what will set you apart.

Final Thoughts

Becoming a great golf caddie is an incredibly rewarding experience that weaves together physical effort, strategic thinking, and strong interpersonal skills. It’s a role that demands discipline and a deep respect for the game, offering an unmatched perspective on how golfers of all levels navigate the course and themselves.

Building that strategic layer of knowledge takes time, but new tools can help an aspiring caddie accelerate the learning curve. One of my contributions to the game of golf has always been my philosophy for individualised aelite instruction to be enjoyed by all kind fo golfers, independently of their skills. By using Caddie AI you will get instant, on-demand answers to the kind of complex questions that might pop up during a round - from “what’s the play from this tricky lie?” to deeper strategy about course management or the rules - you will be able to answer any question for your player with confidence and speed right to when it most matters