Golf Caddies Explained: What They Do, Rules, Etiquette & Tipping

For many golfers, playing with a caddie is one of the great experiences of the game. A good caddie carries your bag, gives you yardages, reads greens, suggests clubs, finds your ball, keeps you calm — and often tells wonderful stories about the course. On famous and complex courses, a caddie can save several strokes and transform your round.

But if you have never played with a caddie, it can feel unfamiliar. What exactly do they do? How should you work with them? What are the rules? How much should you tip? This guide answers all of those questions.

What does a caddie do?

Basic duties

• Carry the bag — or manage the trolley or cart.
• Clean clubs and balls between shots.
• Provide yardages to the flag, hazards and landing areas.
• Rake bunkers after you play.
• Replace or repair divots and pitch marks.
• Tend or remove the flagstick.
• Keep track of your ball and help find it.

Advanced duties

Experienced caddies offer much more:

• Club selection advice, taking account of wind, elevation, temperature and lie.
• Course strategy — where to aim, where to miss and which risks are worth taking.
• Green reading — line and speed on putts.
• Local knowledge — hidden hazards, how the ball reacts on landing, which slopes to use.
• Encouragement and calm under pressure.
• Pace of play — keeping your group moving efficiently.

When should you hire a caddie?

• On an unfamiliar course, especially a famous or complex one.
• On links courses, where wind and hidden bounces make local knowledge invaluable. See our guide to golf in Ireland and golf in Scotland.
• On a special occasion or bucket-list round.
• When you want to walk but would rather not carry.
• For business golf, to keep the round flowing smoothly. See business golf.

Many resorts and championship courses offer caddies, and some require or strongly encourage them at certain times. Book in advance, especially in peak season.

Types of caddie

• Single caddie — carries one golfer's bag and offers full advice.
• Double caddie — carries two bags. Less individual attention but cheaper.
• Forecaddie — walks ahead of a group to spot balls, give yardages and read greens, but does not carry bags. Common where golfers use carts.
• Trainee or junior caddies — many clubs run caddie programmes for young people; they may be less experienced but are enthusiastic and learning.

How to work with a caddie

At the start

• Introduce yourself and learn your caddie's name.
• Share your typical distances for each club (or a rough guide) and your usual miss.
• Tell them how much help you want. Some golfers want full advice on every shot; others just want yardages and a bag carrier.
• Explain your goals — breaking a score, enjoying the views, learning the course.

During the round

• Trust their advice, especially on club selection in the wind and green reading. They see these conditions every day.
• Make the final decision yourself. It is your round; a good caddie respects that.
• Communicate. If something feels wrong — a club, a target — say so.
• Do not blame the caddie for bad shots. The swing is yours.
• Let them do their job — carrying, cleaning and raking.
• Enjoy the conversation and stories; they are part of the experience.

At the end

• Thank your caddie personally.
• Pay the caddie fee (if not paid in advance) and tip.

The Rules of Golf and caddies

Caddies are part of the game, and the Rules of Golf set out what they can and cannot do. Key points:

• One caddie at a time. You may have only one caddie at any one time during a round.
• You are responsible for your caddie. If your caddie breaches a rule, you get the penalty.
• Advice: you may ask your own caddie (and your partner in team formats) for advice, but you may not ask other players or their caddies.
• Alignment: once you begin taking your stance for a stroke, your caddie must not deliberately stand on or close to an extension of the line of play behind the ball. This prevents caddies helping with aim at the moment of the stroke.
• Marking and lifting on the green: your caddie may lift your ball on the putting green without your specific authorisation. Other actions, such as lifting your ball elsewhere, may require your authorisation.
• Touching the line of putt: caddies may point to a target, but must not touch the green to indicate the line of play in a way that creates a mark.
• Shared caddies: a caddie shared by two players acts for the player whose ball is involved in the situation.

Rules are updated periodically, so consult the current Rules of Golf for full details.

Tipping your caddie

Caddie fees and tipping customs vary by country, course and the standard of service.

• Check with the pro shop when booking — many courses publish the caddie fee and a recommended tip.
• Tips are customary at most courses and are often a significant part of a caddie's income.
• Tip in cash at the end of the round, handed over personally with thanks.
• Tip more for exceptional service — for example, a caddie who read every putt well or kept you out of trouble on a difficult course.
• For forecaddies, each golfer in the group usually tips individually.

Caddie etiquette for golfers

• Be on time. Caddies often have more than one loop in a day.
• Be respectful and treat your caddie as a valued member of the team.
• Provide water and snacks at the turn where appropriate, or offer to buy them something.
• Keep your bag a sensible weight. Remove unnecessary items — a caddie carries it for miles. See golf bags and carts.
• Use their name and say thank you.

Should you caddie for a friend?

Caddying for a friend in a club competition can be fun and helpful:

• Learn the basic rules about caddies before you start.
• Focus on the essentials: carrying, yardages, raking, the flagstick and finding balls.
• Offer advice only if your friend wants it.
• Keep the mood positive.

Caddying as a job

Caddying can be a rewarding job, especially for young people who love golf.

Benefits

• Working outdoors on beautiful courses.
• Earning fees and tips.
• Learning the game deeply — strategy, rules, course management.
• Meeting golfers from around the world.
• In some regions, caddie programmes offer scholarships or other support for young caddies.

Skills you need

• Good physical fitness — walking several miles with a heavy bag.
• Knowledge of the rules and etiquette.
• Reliability and punctuality.
• Good communication and a positive attitude.
• Course knowledge, built up over time.

Many caddies go on to other careers in golf. See careers in the golf industry.

Caddies vs carts vs trolleys

What a round with a caddie looks like

To help first-timers know what to expect, here is how a typical round unfolds:

1. Meeting on the first tee. Your caddie introduces themselves, takes your bag and asks about your game.
2. Opening holes. The caddie watches your swing and ball flight, learning your distances and tendencies.
3. Tee shots. Your caddie points out targets, hazards and the best side of the fairway.
4. Approach shots. They give you the yardage, factor in wind and elevation, and suggest a club.
5. On the green. Your caddie cleans your ball, reads the putt with you if you wish and tends the flagstick.
6. Between shots. They rake bunkers, replace divots and share stories about the course.
7. The final hole. A handshake, a thank-you, the fee and a tip.

Questions to ask when booking a caddie

• Is a caddie required, recommended or optional at this course?
• What is the caddie fee, and is the tip included or separate?
• How should I pay — in advance, at the pro shop or directly to the caddie?
• Are single and double caddies available?
• Do caddies need to be booked in advance?
• Are forecaddies available if we use carts?

Caddie vocabulary

• Loop: one round of golf carried by a caddie.
• Bag: the golfer a caddie is working for ("I've got a good bag today").
• Yardage book: a booklet with distances and hole diagrams.
• Tending the pin: holding the flagstick while a player putts, then removing it.
• Reading the green: judging break and speed.
• Forecaddie: a caddie who walks ahead of the group rather than carrying bags.

Frequently asked questions

Do caddies help read putts?

Yes — experienced caddies are often excellent green readers and will give line and speed advice if you want it.

Can my caddie hold an umbrella over me while I play?

Yes, a caddie may protect you from the sun or rain while you make a stroke, as long as they do not breach the rules on standing behind you on your line of play.

Is it rude to decline a caddie's advice?

No. You make the final decision. A polite "Thanks — I'm going to try this instead" is fine.

What happens if my caddie breaks a rule?

You receive the penalty. Under the Rules of Golf, a player is responsible for their caddie's actions during the round. That is why it is worth having a short conversation before you start, especially if your caddie is a friend unfamiliar with the rules.

Do I need to know my exact yardages to work with a caddie?

It helps, but it is not essential. A rough idea of how far you hit a few key clubs — your driver, a 7-iron and a pitching wedge — is enough for an experienced caddie to start. They will refine their recommendations after watching a few shots.

Can I have a caddie in a club competition?

Usually, yes. Most competitions allow caddies unless the terms of the competition say otherwise. Check with the committee before your round, particularly for junior or team events where special conditions may apply.

The bottom line

A good caddie carries your bag, gives you yardages and advice, reads greens and shares the history and character of the course — and on unfamiliar or famous courses, they can be worth several strokes. Share your distances and goals, trust their local knowledge, remember that you are responsible for their actions under the Rules, and always thank and tip them properly. Do that, and playing with a caddie may become one of your favourite golf experiences.