Thinking about getting a job as a caddy

[XMScott]

I played with three fulltime caddies today. Cool guys. We talked about the job but i never asked how to approach the job.

When i was 17-18 i caddied at the local private course. I know what to do, and how to do it.

Anyone caddy for extra cash?

Edit. And is it too late to start? In the season im talking about.

[golfcourseasart]

For an object guide on how NOT to go about it, should you reach Tour standard, read Bud, Sweat and Tees by Alan Shipnuck.

The caddie referred to, the late Steve Duplantis, was unquestionably good at his job but I got palpitations just reading about his frantic lifestyle.

[clearwaterms]

I played with three fulltime caddies today. Cool guys. We talked about the job but i never asked how to approach the job.

there is a big difference between the local private course caddy and a full time professional tour caddy. Its alot more then just carrying a persons golf bag for 18 holes. Good Caddies are also usually good golfers. In that they understand the game, the course management, shot strategy, the break of a green, how to attack a sand trap, etc. Anybody with resonable health can carry a golf bag around a golf course. A caddy is somebody who can coach his player, and is really the only resource a player has when he is out on the tour.

I believe that a standard fee for a caddy is 10% of the players winnings. Short of making the tour, it is probably very difficult to make a decent living as a caddy. I would also imagine that most tour caddies are college golfers first, and end up assuming the role when they can't make it to the pros.

[wrx_junki]

I disagree with the post above on the part about making a decent living as a caddy. I know of a few full time caddies that make a decent living. Usually they do about 2 loops 5-6 days a week and thats equivalent to about $1600-2400 a week. They only work from March/April to about November as well.

To the OP, no its not too late in the season. I caddy at a local country club and I have not started caddying yet. Will start in order to pay for lessons, equipment, and rounds.

[clearwaterms]

I disagree with the post above on the part about making a decent living as a caddy. I know of a few full time caddies that make a decent living. Usually they do about 2 loops 5-6 days a week and thats equivalent to about $1600-2400 a week. They only work from March/April to about November as well.

By my math that is $50k a year, and the people that have been doing that didnt' start out making that kind of money. They earn that much because they have been doing it for quite a while.

$50k a year with no benefits, no vacations, no sick time, no retirement, etc. Its good money, but I wouldn't want to raise a family on it.

[XMScott]

To the OP, no its not too late in the season. I caddy at a local country club and I have not started caddying yet. Will start in order to pay for lessons, equipment, and rounds.

Thanks. To the first few posters im talking about local courses. Not on tour. And just for some extra cash. I work nights and dont go back to school till late September.

[clearwaterms]

Thanks. To the first few posters im talking about local courses. Not on tour. And just for some extra cash. I work nights and dont go back to school till late September.

being a caddy is a great way to offset your income, you can easily pull down $100 a day carrying two bags. It will get you in great shape, and in most cases you can play the course for free on the one day a week it is closed.

[XMScott]

being a caddy is a great way to offset your income, you can easily pull down $100 a day carrying two bags. It will get you in great shape, and in most cases you can play the course for free on the one day a week it is closed.

Can i carry two bags? I walk and carry my own bag, but its a stand bag. Im sure i can do one bag and putters. Not so sure about two.

Working as a caddy and being able to play free golf is how i got into the game all those years ago. That course is still here but nobody ever plays it. I walk my dog right next to it. Beautiful saturday morning and nobody will be around. Its crazy. But the course those guys work at (Manhattan Woods) still has members. Im going to try and get down there one day this week.

[RCF]

My late uncle started out as a caddie and went on to become one of the original pros at Myrtle Beach.

[clearwaterms]

Can i carry two bags? I walk and carry my own bag, but its a stand bag. Im sure i can do one bag and putters. Not so sure about two.

different courses have different rules. When I was a caddy, I caddied at Butler National in Oak Brook, IL. Each player got his own caddy. If the players choose to ride, then they got one caddy per two golfers, and the caddy was expected to run behind the cart for the duration of the round (not as hard as it sounds) Butler also required a caddy for the round. Other courses in the area do not require caddies. Some courses have one caddy for two bags. Others let the player choose a cart or a caddy. I have never had the privelage of playing golf with a caddy, just been on the other side of the bag.

[wrx_junki]

When I'm lucky I get two bags and two putters which is around $180. What I like best is 3 putters and one bag which is $150. I'll take $30 less for carrying one less bag.

I hate bags with like 8 headcovers and no stands...

[RemyM]

But the course those guys work at (Manhattan Woods) still has members. Im going to try and get down there one day this week.

There are quite a few NBA players, current and former, that are members at Manhattan Woods, so the tips are probably good.

[clearwaterms]

When I'm lucky I get two bags and two putters which is around $180. What I like best is 3 putters and one bag which is $150. I'll take $30 less for carrying one less bag.

what do you mean by 2 putters and two bags vs. 3 putters / 1 bag?

WHen I was a caddy every golfer got his own bag and his own caddy. If you wanted to carry for two golfers, you carried two bags.

[wrx_junki]

If two people rode carts and two others walked then I can carry two bags and carry the other two's putters.

[clearwaterms]

If two people rode carts and two others walked then I can carry two bags and carry the other two's putters.

ahh got it.

When I cadied, it was one bag or two putters. The only time you got to double up was when the staff was shorthanded.

[judgesmails1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by clearwaterms

None

different courses have different rules. When I was a caddy, I caddied at Butler National in Oak Brook, IL. Each player got his own caddy. If the players choose to ride, then they got one caddy per two golfers, and the caddy was expected to run behind the cart for the duration of the round (not as hard as it sounds) Butler also required a caddy for the round. Other courses in the area do not require caddies. Some courses have one caddy for two bags. Others let the player choose a cart or a caddy. I have never had the privelage of playing golf with a caddy, just been on the other side of the bag.

When you caddied at Butler National, what was the caddie play policy (in other words, could you play the course) ? And was it a caddyshack (first come, first serve) or were you called in advance about loops?

[Mr. Desmond]

4 yr old post - maybe you ought to PM the guy?

[clearwaterms]

Originally Posted by judgesmails1

When you caddied at Butler National, what was the caddie play policy (in other words, could you play the course) ? And was it a caddyshack (first come, first serve) or were you called in advance about loops?

It was YEARS ago.  The policy at the time when I was a caddy was on Monday the course was closed.  A caddy could play after 4PM walking and could play as many holes as you wanted.  To be able to play on Monday you had to have shown up at least 2 days during the prior week.

As for the loops in advance.  I am sure it is different because the caddy master is different.  When I was there, it was a lottery.  You showed up and at 7AM you threw your name badge in a bucket.  The first names to be pulled were the first ones to go out.  If you showed up to loop on a day after not getting out the prior day, your name got put on the top of the list so you didn't have to go into the lottery.

Now even in a true lottery, it wasn't always strictly top to bottom on the list.  Regular members would prefer certain caddies.  The Caddy Master would always be sure to assemble caddy groups so that at least 2 experienced caddies were in the group and no more than 1 "B" caddy was in the group.  A "B" caddy was typically somebody who had just started and was still learning the game.

I had a great experience as a caddy, but would be amiss if I didn't tell you that, even in the best of circumstances, the caddy master still would show favoritism to certain experienced caddies.

If you showed up and waited until 2PM and didn't have a loop by that point, you got something like $10 for your trouble for the day.  A "B" caddy got $10 for a round, A caddy (first year caddy) got $15 and Honor got $20.  The expected tip was to match the cost of the round.  So unless you were terrible, $20 was what you made as a B caddy, $30 for an A and $40 for an Honor.  Again this was in 94 when minimum wage was $4.50 an hour.

It wasn't unheard of to get a $50 tip, and the Caddy master would typically slip you $10 or $20 if the guest totally stiffed you on the tip.  Members were generally cool and would only not tip if they thought you did a bad job.

Because the course requires caddies, they usually had plenty of work to go around, and by the middle of july, you could sometimes get 2 loops a day if you wanted it, and if the caddy master was short that day, he would give you a few extra bucks for helping him out to ensure everybody got a caddy.