What Is the Average Salary of a Professional Golf Caddy?

Ever watch a PGA Tour event and see a caddy hand their player a club before a pivotal shot? You're not just watching someone carry a bag - you're seeing a strategist, a psychologist, and a vital partner in action. And it often leads to the big question: just how much does that partner get paid? A professional caddy's earnings are not a simple annual salary, it's a dynamic, performance-based income that can range from a modest living to a multi-million dollar haul. This guide will break down exactly how professional caddies get paid, from their base pay to the percentages that can make them millionaires.

The Caddy Pay Structure: More Than a Simple Salary

Unlike a typical job, a professional golf caddy's income isn't a fixed weekly or annual figure. It’s a unique model built on a blend of guaranteed income and performance bonuses. Think of it as part-retainer, part-commission. This structure aligns the caddy’s success directly with their player’s performance on the course. There are three primary components that make up a Tour caddy's earnings.

1. The Weekly Base Salary (The Retainer)

First and foremost, a caddy receives a weekly base salary, often called a retainer or a stipend. This is the guaranteed money they receive for every week they work a tournament, regardless of whether their player makes the cut, misses it by one, or finishes dead last. This base pay is intended to cover all the caddy's travel expenses for the week, including flights, hotels, rental cars, and food.

The amount is negotiated directly between the player and the caddy and can vary based on the player’s status and the caddy’s experience. Generally, a weekly base salary on the PGA Tour falls in this range:

• For an average Tour player: $2,000 to $2,500 per week.
• For a Top-50 player: $3,000 to $4,500 per week.

If a caddy works 30 tournaments a year at an average of $3,000 per week, their guaranteed base income is around $90,000 before a single bonus check is cut. This is the foundation of their income, providing stability in a sport where paychecks can be unpredictable.

2. The Cut of the Winnings (The Performance Bonus)

This is where a good year becomes a great year. The real money in caddying comes from earning a percentage of the player's prize money. This commission is based on an unwritten, but widely accepted, industry standard known as the "5, 7, and 10" rule.

• 10% for a Win: If the player wins the tournament, the caddy typically receives a 10% cut of the first-place prize.
• 7% for a Top-10 Finish: If the player finishes in the top 10 (but doesn't win), the caddy generally earns 7% of the winnings.
• 5% for Any Other 'Made Cut': If the player makes the cut and finishes outside the top 10, the caddy receives 5% of the prize money.

If a player misses the cut, the caddy gets no percentage - only their weekly base salary. This system is the ultimate motivator. When a player is standing over a 10-foot putt on the 18th hole Sunday that could mean the difference between 11th place and 8th place, both the player and the caddy have a significant financial stake in the outcome.

3. Endorsements and Bonuses

For the caddies looping for the superstars of the game, there’s a third income stream. Just like the players they work for, high-profile caddies can land their own endorsement deals. You might see them wearing a hat or shirt with a logo that isn't their player's sponsor. Caddies like Joe LaCava (formerly with Tiger Woods, now with Patrick Cantlay) and Jim "Bones" Mackay (Justin Thomas) have become recognizable figures in their own right, making them valuable to brands.

Furthermore, many star players give their caddies generous year-end bonuses, especially after highly successful seasons. This isn't a requirement, but it’s a common gesture to reward loyalty and phenomenal work throughout the year.

Doing the Math: From a Solid Living to a Seven-Figure Income

Now, let's put these numbers into context to see how dramatically the earnings can vary. We'll look at a few hypothetical scenarios.

Scenario 1: Caddy for a Journeyman Pro (Ranked ~100th on Money List)

Imagine a caddy working for a solid Tour player who has a decent year, making a living but not consistently contending for wins. Here’s a potential breakdown:

• Player's Annual Winnings: $1,500,000
• Base Salary: $2,500/week x 28 tournaments = $70,000
• Performance Pay: The player makes 18 cuts and has two top-10 finishes.
  • Two Top 10s (earning $400,000 total): 7% of $400,000 = $28,000
  • 16 Other Made Cuts (earning $700,000 total): 5% of $700,000 = $35,000
• Caddy’s Percentage Total: $28,000 + $35,000 = $63,000
• Overall Caddy Salary: $70,000 (base) + $63,000 (percentage) = $133,000

This is a solid, respectable income, reflecting the hard work and travel that goes into a full season on Tour.

Scenario 2: Caddy for a Top-20 Player

Now let's look at a caddy for a player who is consistently in the mix, wins a tournament, and racks up multiple high finishes. Jordan Spieth's caddy, Michael Greller, is a prime example of someone in this position.

• Player's Annual Winnings: $9,000,000
• Base Salary: $4,000/week x 25 tournaments = $100,000
• Performance Pay: The player has one big win, six other top-10s, and makes almost every cut.
  • One Win ($3.6M Prize): 10% of $3,600,000 = $360,000
  • Six Top 10s (earning $4,000,000 total): 7% of $4,000,000 = $280,000
  • Other Cuts (earning $1,400,000 total): 5% of $1,400,000 = $70,000
• Caddy’s Percentage Total: $360,000 + $280,000 + $70,000 = $710,000
• Overall Caddy Salary: $100,000 (base) + $710,000 (percentage) = $810,000

Suddenly, the numbers become life-changing. With a great year, a top caddy can easily out-earn most doctors and lawyers.

Scenario 3: The Superstar’s Caddy

When you're carrying the bag for someone like Scottie Scheffler, the sky is the limit. In 2023, Scheffler won over $21 million. His caddy, Ted Scott, earned a percentage of every dollar. A single win at a signature event can net the caddy upwards of $360,000. For his 2024 Masters victory, Ted Scott's 10% cut was a reported $360,000 for that week's work alone. Over a year like Scheffler had, it’s estimated that Ted Scott’s earnings were between $1.5 and $2.5 million.

What About Caddies Outside the PGA Tour?

Not every professional caddy works on the main tour. Let's look at other levels of the game.

• Korn Ferry Tour Caddies: This is a much tougher grind. The purses are significantly smaller, and the base salaries are lower, typically in the $1,000-$1,500 per week range. Total annual income might be between $40,000 to $80,000, placing a lot of economic pressure on both the player and the caddy.
• LPGA Tour Caddies: The payment structure (base + percentage) is very similar to the PGA Tour. However, with smaller tournament purses, the total earnings are lower. A top caddy on the LPGA Tour can earn a very good living, often in the $150,000 to $250,000 range.
• Resort & Private Club Caddies: This is a completely different world. These caddies are typically independent contractors, not salaried employees. Their income comes from a "loop fee," which is the base charge for carrying a bag, plus a gratuity (tip). At a high-end course like Pebble Beach or Pinehurst, a loop fee might be $125 per bag, and a generous tip could be another $150 or more. A good caddy doing two loops a day, five days a week during peak season, can earn over $100,000 annually.

The Job Is More Than Just Carrying the Bag

So, why would a player pay someone over a million dollars? Because a good caddy is far more than just "muscle." I’ve coached for years, and I can tell you that the caddy's role is one of the most misunderstood in sports. They are:

• The Course Manager: They map out the course, calculate precise yardages considering wind, elevation, and humidity, and provide strategic input on every single shot. They know where to miss and when to be aggressive.
• The Psychologist: They know their player’s personality inside and out. They are there to provide encouragement after a bad shot and to keep them grounded and focused after a great one.
• The Swing Monitor: They can't coach the swing mid-round, but they can spot subtle changes under pressure. A simple reminder like "stay patient" or "good tempo" can save a swing from going off the rails.

A great caddy directly saves a player strokes over the course of a tournament and a season. When millions of dollars are on the line, that contribution is worth every penny.

Final Thoughts

To sum it up, there’s no single "average" salary for a professional golf caddy. It is a commission-based job where earnings depend on a blend of a weekly retainer and a percentage of their player's success, making the financial outcomes incredibly diverse across the different levels of professional golf.

While most of us won’t have a PGA Tour-level caddy on our bag anytime soon, getting that same strategic advice and on-course confidence is now more accessible than ever. Drawing on that professional-grade knowledge is precisely what we built Caddie AI to do. We offer on-demand guidance that acts as your personal caddy, helping you think through every shot, get smart club recommendations, or analyze a tricky lie right from your phone. Our goal is to give you that supportive, expert voice so you can play with more confidence and make the smart decisions that lead to lower scores.