How to Be a Good Caddie in Golf

Being a good caddie is about so much more than just carrying a golf bag. It's about being a supportive partner, a quiet strategist, a motivator, and an on-course expert all rolled into one package. This guide will walk you through the essential duties that every caddie must master, as well as the advanced skills that separate the good caddies from the great ones.

The Golden Rule of Caddieing: Be Prepared, Keep Pace, and Know When to Be Quiet

There's an old-school saying in the caddie yard that encapsulates the core of the job: "Show up, keep up, and shut up." While the "shut up" part needs a little more context, this simple mantra is the foundation of great caddieing. Let's break down what it really means.

Show Up: Preparation is Everything

A great caddie's work begins long before the first tee shot is hit. Showing up prepared means arriving at the course early, ready to go, and armed with the essentials. Your player shouldn't have to ask you for anything, you should already have it.

• Arrive Early: At least 30-45 minutes before your player's tee time is standard. This gives you time to locate their bag, introduce yourself, and get organized.
• Check the Bag: Quickly inventory their clubs to make sure they have all 14. Give every club a wipe-down. Organize them in a way that makes sense to you so you can grab the right one quickly.
• Equip Yourself: A great caddie has their own gear. This includes a large, clean towel (one you don't mind getting dirty), a ball marker, a divot repair tool, and perhaps a small pouch for tees. Check if the player has these items, and be ready to supply them if they don’t.
• Know the Conditions: Check the weather forecast. Is rain coming? Where is the wind coming from and how strong is it? This knowledge is your first piece of strategic advice.

Being prepared instills immediate confidence. When your player sees that you're organized and ready, they can relax and focus on their own warm-up.

Keep Up: The Rhythm of the Game

Pace is a huge part of golf, both for your group and for the entire course. A caddie plays a massive role in maintaining a good rhythm. The key is to always be one step ahead of your player.

• Walk Ahead: After your player hits their shot, move briskly to their ball. The goal is to be there waiting for them, not lagging behind. Being at the ball first gives you a moment to assess the lie and figure out the yardage.
• Anticipate the Next Shot: As you approach the ball, already be thinking about the next shot. What’s the yardage? What's the wind doing? Based on their last shot, what club might they need? You want to have a yardage and a club suggestion (if they ask for one) ready by the time they arrive.
• Manage the Bag: This sounds simple, but it has a real art to it. Never place the bag on the green or in a bunker. When on the fairway, place the bag between your player's ball and the green. Around the green, position it on the side closest to the next tee box for a quick exit.

Shut Up: The Art of Knowing When to Speak

This is the most misunderstood part of the mantra. It doesn't mean you should be completely silent for four hours. It means choosing your words carefully and understanding the power of quiet support. It’s more about saying the right thing at the right time.

• Respect the Preshot Routine: Once the player pulls a club and starts to address the ball, your time for talking is over. Be still and silent. The preshot routine is a sacred space for a golfer, your job is to guard it.
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• Don’t Volunteer Unsolicited Swing Advice: You are not their swing coach. Unless you are specifically asked for your opinion on their swing, do not offer it. Even a well-intentioned "you lifted your head on that one" can do more harm than good.
• Listen: Pay attention to what the golfer says. Their own commentary will give you clues about their confidence, their thought process, and what kind of support they need.

Mastering the On-Course Essentials

Once you nail the golden rule, you can focus on the physical duties that define the job. Performing these tasks flawlessly and proactively makes the round smoother and more enjoyable for your player.

Cleaning Gear and Tending the Flagstick

A clean club and a clean ball are a golfer's best friend. This is your domain. After every single shot - no exceptions - wipe the clubface clean before putting it back in the bag. When you get to the green, always take the ball and give it a thorough wipe down with your towel. This small gesture demonstrates attentiveness.

Tending the pin is another important responsibility. Stand in a spot where your shadow doesn't cross the player's putting line. Hold the flag at arm's length so it doesn't flap in the wind. The moment impact is made, pull the flagstick and step away from the hole, being careful not to step in anyone's line.

Raking Bunkers Flawlessly

Leaving a bunker better than you found it is a point of pride. Rake every single footprint, your player's and your own. The goal is to leave a perfectly smooth surface for the next unfortunate player. Always enter and exit the bunker from the low side to avoid damaging the tall front lip of the bunker. Place the rake back outside the bunker, parallel to the line of play, unless course rules specify otherwise.

Watching Every Shot Like a Hawk

Never take your eyes off the ball after it's hit. This is one of your most valuable functions. Trying to find a lost ball ruins the pace of play and frustrates the golfer. As soon as the ball is in flight, pick a reference point near where it landed - a specific tree, a bunker edge, a different colored patch of grass. This makes finding the ball infinitely easier, especially in the deep rough.

Moving Beyond the Basics: Adding Real Value

Carrying the bag and raking bunkers is the baseline. To be a truly great caddie, you need to provide insights that help the player score better. This is where you transition from a bag carrier to a strategic partner.

Becoming a Human Rangefinder

Providing accurate yardages is arguably your most important strategic contribution. If you’re not using a rangefinder, you'll need to learn to walk off distances from sprinkler heads, which are usually marked with numbers indicating the distance to the center of the green. Learn to provide three key numbers:

• Distance to Cover the Front: The yardage needed to carry any trouble in front of the green (like a bunker or water).
• Distance to the Pin: The precise number to the flagstick.
• Distance to the Back Edge: The number to the very back of the putting surface, so the player knows how much room they have past the pin.

Knowing your player's club distances is also helpful here. If you know they hit their 8-iron 150 yards, you can factor that into your communication.

The Delicate Art of Reading Greens

Green reading should often be done on an "as-needed" basis. Some players prefer to read their own putts, and you must respect that. Start by offering general information, such as, "This putt will definitely move from right to left." As you build a rapport, you can get more specific if they ask for more detail. Walk the opposite side of the line to get a different view, and pay attention to the surrounding landscape - greens almost always break away from mountains and towards water.

Understanding Your Player’s Mentality

Every golfer is wired differently. Learning your player's on-course personality is the mark of an elite caddie. Some players need constant encouragement and positive reinforcement. After a bad shot, they need to hear, "Don't worry, we've got plenty of holes left to get that back."

Other players prefer analytical "just the facts" support. They don't want encouragement, they want the wind direction and the number to the front edge. Some players like to chat to stay relaxed, while others need complete silence to focus. Your job is to adapt your style to what *they* need, not the other way around. Be an active listener in the first few holes to figure out which type of player you have.

The Intangibles: Attitude is Half the Battle

Finally, a great caddie's greatest asset is their attitude. You are the player’s single source of unwavering support on the course. Your energy can directly impact their state of mind.

Be Calm and Positive. Even if your player hits a terrible shot, your body language should remain unchanged. You are a steady, positive force. You are a team, and you don’t let a single bad shot fracture the team's morale.

Own Your Mistakes. If you give your player a wrong yardage and they airmail the green, own it immediately. A simple, "That's my fault, I gave you a bad number," is all that's needed. Accountability builds trust.

Stay Focused for Four Hours. A round of golf is a marathon. It’s easy to let your focus slip on the back nine. But that's often when your player needs you most. Stay hydrated, stay engaged, and give the 18th hole the same level of attention you gave the first.

Final Thoughts

Becoming an excellent caddie hinges on a mix of detailed-oriented service, sound course knowledge, and a profoundly supportive attitude. Handling the small things - like cleaning clubs and spotting balls - allows your player to clear their mind and focus on making their best possible swing.

While having that human element on the bag is a special part of the game, it's not a luxury most golfers have every round. It was with this in mind that we developed our app, to serve as that expert guide right in your pocket. We created Caddie AI to provide you with the same type of on-course intelligence that a top-tier caddie offers. From thinking through the best way to play a tricky Par 4 to getting help with a tough shot from a weird lie, you get on-demand strategic advice that helps you play with more confidence and make smarter decisions on the course.