PGA caddie salary: This is what PGA Tour Caddies Make
What’s PGA caddie salaries look like? How much do they make?
Well, caddies on the PGA Tour make an average of about $1,750 per week, which adds up to more than $90,000 per year. On top of that, professional tour caddies will take around 5-10% of their golfer’s winnings. And that can quickly stack up to make a very healthy yearly rate.
Aspiring PGA golfers might be surprised to learn just how much money tour caddies can make.
In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the average PGA caddie salary and what factors influence pay. We also cover how to become a PGA caddie and what perks come with this job.
Read on to learn everything you need to know about PGA caddie salaries!
What are PGA Tour Caddies and What Exactly Do They Do?
Caddies are golfers’ assistants who help them during a PGA tour tournament by carrying their clubs and giving them advice on shot selection.
A caddy’s job is more than just lugging around a golf bag. They must also know the course well and be able to give accurate yardage information to their golfer.
Caddies will have to think quickly on their feet and make decisions in high-pressure situations, deciding what the weather conditions are like, what type of club could work best, what spot to choose as a target etc. So they need to have a cool head, good people skills and be physically fit enough to walk 18 holes carrying a heavy bag of clubs.
The best caddies are able to develop a close relationship with their golfer. This will include getting to know their strengths and weaknesses, as well as their personality. For that, caddies need to be able to read their golfer’s body language and know when they need encouragement or a pep talk to boost their confidence.
Now that we know a little more about what caddies do, let’s look at how much they get paid.
How much do PGA golf caddies make?
As we mentioned earlier, the estimated average PGA caddie salary is around $2,250 per week.
Caddies typically receive a base rate of around $200-300 per day, plus any tips they might earn from their golfer.
Tour caddies also receive a percentage of their golfer’s winnings, which is typically around 5-10%. So, for example, if a golfer wins a tournament with a prize purse of $1 million, their caddy would take home between $50,000 – $100,000.
While the average PGA caddie salary might not sound like much, it can quickly add up when you factor in tips and percentage of winnings.
In fact, the top-earning caddies can make well over $350,000 per year!
Which caddies earn the most?
As you might expect, the caddies who are making the most money are those working for the golfers that win the most consistently as tournament prizes will usually be split between the golfer and their caddie.
Some of the highest-paid caddies include Michael Greller (working for Jordan Spieth), , and Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay (on
Here are some of the richest caddies in professional golf:
Steve Williams – Tiger Woods’ former caddy, is thought to be the wealthiest caddies of all time. Williams is reported to, eventually, have earned a base salary of $1 million per year, plus 10% of Woods’ winnings. This puts Williams at the top of caddies’ lifetime earnings, with an estimate of $12M during his career.
Michael Greller – Jordan Spieth’s caddy, Michael Greller, is thought to be one of the highest-paid caddies in golf. Greller is reported to earn a base salary of $200,000 per year. We should combine his salary plus 10% of Spieth’s winnings and performance bonuses. Thanks to Spieth’s successful career, Greller is thought to have earned over $1.8 million back in 2015 alone. Not too bad. Hi career earnings rise to $10M
J.P. Fitzgerald – Rory McIlroy’s caddy, is another one of the wealthiest caddies in golf. Fitzgerald is reported to earn a base salary of $150,000 per year, plus 10% of McIlroy’s winnings and performance bonuses. Thanks to McIlroy’s successful career, Fitzgerald is thought to have earned over $1.1 million in both 2013 and 2014 and $7.5M since he joined forces with Rory.
More examples are John Wood (caddy for Phil Mickelson) and Daisuke Shindo (caddy for Hideki Matsuyama) are also thought to be among the richest caddies, both earning over $1 million in 2020.
As more humble examples we also have Justin Thomas’ former caddie Jimmy Johnson and Collin Morikawa’s caddie Jonathan Jakovac, who were the top earning caddies in 2021, both exceeding $500,000 for that year.
As you can see, how much pga tour caddies make can vary a lot but later on we’ll see the factors that determine these ups and downs.
This is how much PGA caddies are making in 2022
Scottie Scheffler’s caddie, Ted Scott is probably the highest earner in 2022 so far, just in line with his golfer’s wins. Ted Scott is reported to have earned over $1.3 million in the first few months of the year, thanks to Scheffler’s victories at Phoenix Open, Arnold Palmer Invitational, WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play and even got the green jacket at the Masters after shooting a brilliant 10 under for that event.
Sam Pinfold is currently caddying one of the greatest professional golfers, Cameron Smith. Winning the British Open split the prize to a juicy $250,000 for Sam Pinfold.
Billy Foster, caddie for Matt Fitzpatrick, the impressive winner of the US Open 2022. The prize pool was a record high of $17.5 million this year, with the winner’s share increasing to $3.15 million, sharing $315,000 for Billy Foster for one single tournament, a major though.
Breaking down a professional, PGA Tour Golf Caddy Salary
As you can see, the caddy life can be a pretty lucrative one if you manage to get on the bag of one of the world’s top golfers.
While the average PGA caddie salary might not sound like wealth, it can quickly add up when factoring in tips and percentage of winnings. Here winning majors throughout the year really boosts a caddy’s earnings.
The top golf caddies can easily earn over $1 million per year, while the average PGA pro caddy salary is closer to $100,000.
What Factors Influence PGA Caddie Pay?
There are a few factors that can influence how much money a PGA caddie makes.
The first is experience. A more experienced caddy will likely have worked with more golfers and been a part of more tournaments. This means they’ll better understand the game and be able to provide more valuable inputs to their golfer. That will clearly strengthen the golfer’s confidence during tournaments. As a result, these caddies can command a higher salary.
The second factor is the tournament. Some tournaments offer larger prize pools than others. This means that the caddy’s percentage of winnings will be higher at these events. The four majors (The Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open, and The Open Championship) offer the largest prize pools on the PGA Tour, so caddies will typically earn more money when their golfer does well at one of these events, especially if they make the cut.
The third factor is the golfer. Obviously, the more successful the golfer is, the more money their caddy will make. This is because the caddy typically receives a percentage of the golfer’s winnings. So, if a golfer wins a tournament, their caddy will receive a percentage of that prize money.
The fourth factor is tips. Caddies also receive tips from their golfer (and sometimes from other players in the field). These tips can vary greatly, depending on how well the golfer does and how generous they are.
Finally, some caddies also receive endorsement deals. This is typically reserved for the very top caddies, the ones with the most TV time and the most name recognition. These deals can add a significant amount of money to a caddy’s earnings.
Why Do They Earn So Much?
There are a few reasons why PGA caddies make as much as they do.
First, caddies provide a valuable service. They carry the golf bag (which can weigh up to 40 pounds), help the golfer select the right clubs, read greens, and give advice on strategy. This frees up the golfer to gain focus on their game and play to the best of their ability.
Also, caddies have a lot of responsibility as they need to be able to think on their feet and make split-second decisions. If they make the wrong call, it could cost their golfer a tournament.
As we can imagine, they must feel huge pressure at specific moments when a tournament is on the line. They know that their golfer is relying on them to perform at a high level.
Finally, caddies often have to put in long hours. Great caddies will typically arrive at the course early in the morning and don’t leave until late in the evening. This can be a demanding schedule, especially if they’re traveling to different tournaments each week. But it is required in order to study, analyze and plan the upcoming competition.
How Much Do Amateur Caddies Make at a Private Country Club?
Many country clubs include caddies for their members and these aren’t part of the PGA Tour, although they can make decent money for their gigs, especially to cover travel expenses.
Amateur caddies are paid $18-27 an hour. For an 18-hole round that would translate into $100-145 considering the whole round might take 5 or 5.5 hours.
Caddies make a base salary for their time, but they will usually receive tips from the golfers.
Of course, depending on the country club, these rates can increase or shrink. So for more exclusive resorts, amateur caddies can make between $150 to $300 for an 18-round (depending if they carry one bag or 2).
Salary Range for Women Pro Caddies
While caddies on the PGA Tour make great salaries, female caddies on the LPGA Tour make significantly less. In fact, the average salary for an LPGA caddy is just $1,200 per week. Compare that to $2,250 on the male league.
There are a few reasons for this discrepancy. First, the LPGA Tour doesn’t have as much prize money up for grabs as the PGA Tour. This means that both caddies and golfers earn a smaller percentage for each win.
Second, the LPGA Tour doesn’t receive the same amount of media coverage as the PGA Tour. This translates in fewer opportunities for caddies to land endorsement deals.
Finally, there are fewer women’s professional tournaments than men’s. This limits the amount of work available for female caddies.
Despite all of these factors, being an LPGA caddy can still be a very lucrative career. The top 10% of earners make over $5,000 per week. And the top caddies can make even more than that including prizes and endorsement deals.
We’re confident the LPGA will gain more exposure and coverage in the next years. A trend that shows in many other sports that cascades into higher prize pools and opportunities.
How to Become a Professional PGA Caddie?
PGA caddies typically come from a background of playing golf themselves. They might have competed in amateur tournaments or even played professionally for a short time.
Many caddies start working as an apprentice, carrying bags for other caddies or working at driving ranges and golf courses. This gives them the opportunity to learn about the game and network with other caddies and pro golfers.
To become a professional PGA caddie, you’ll need to be sponsored by a tour player. Tour players are only allowed to have one caddie, so there’s a lot of competition for these positions. Excelling at reading the greens, giving great advice, and being in good physical shape are all attributes that will help caddies stand out.
The best way to become a professional caddie is to be persistent and build a good reputation.
Pro Caddie Education Requirements
What does it take to become a professional caddie on the PGA Tour?
There is no formal education required, but most caddies have at least a high school diploma. Caddies must be 18 years of age or older and pass a physical examination that tests for cardiovascular disease and joint problems.
PGA Tour caddies must also complete a background check and drug test.
Conclusion
As we saw PGA caddies make great salaries and can earn even more through prizes and endorsement deals. Female caddies on the LPGA Tour make significantly less than their male counterparts, but this is changing as the sport gains more exposure.
To become a professional PGA caddie, a caddy will clearly need to be sponsored by a tour player. The best way to become a professional caddie is to be persistent and build a good reputation.
Caddying can be a very demanding but lucrative career for those who are passionate about the sport of golf, people who really live and breathe the game. Hopefully, this article has given you some insights into what it’s like to be a professional caddy and how much they make.
Are you thinking of becoming a professional caddy? Perhaps this boosted your dream 😉
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