Caddy Jobs

Breaking In

• Becoming a caddy at a local country club is not difficult. A mild interest in the game can be enough to land you a summer job at a local country club. Local caddies are randomly assigned to golfers, unless a particular golfer specifically requests your services. Caddies at this level generally just carry a bag, rake traps and tend the flag. Professional caddies usually find their first job by hooking up with a golfer who trusts their knowledge of the game. Professional golfers typically use the same caddy in every event they play.
  
  

During a Round

• A professional caddy's duties include familiarizing himself and his golfer with the course layout, yardage markers, bunker locations and pin locations. A professional caddy also must know the rules of golf and any local rules that govern play at a particular course. A professional caddy also must know his player's game and be able to provide expert advice on club selection -- when asked.
  
  

Tournament Play

• During play, a professional caddy takes the club from the player after he has hit a shot, cleans it off and puts it back into the bag. He may be called upon to assist in finding lost balls. A caddy must also be able to tell his golfer exactly how far his shot is from the pin. He also is responsible for repairing divots or ball marks and for raking bunkers when necessary.
  
  

Salary

• Local country club caddies make a decent part-time wage. The job pays a low hourly rate, but players often tip their caddies for a job well done. On the professional level, caddies receive a percentage of their player's winnings. Professional caddies also usually get 3 months off in the winter when their player is not competing. According to the "Forbes" magazine website, pro caddies make an average weekly salary of $1,000, plus 5 percent of their player's tournament winnings. The percentage rises to 7 percent with a top 10 finish and 10 percent if their player wins an event. Caddy salaries between $50,000 and $100,000 per year are not unusual in pro golf. Tiger Woods' caddy made more than $1 million in 2006.