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Tips For Caddies

I used one in Ireland at Lahinch and TPC Scottsdale (it was a few days before the Waste Management Open and they required it.)

We tipped both $100

The tips the guy in Ireland gave really made the course much more enjoyable.
 
Generally I'm a very good tipper but I've never played a course that had caddies. Thanks for sharing.
 
Ok here is the deal with caddies, I work as a caddy at a private club. We do get players who aren't members playing fairly often. The players who are not members do get charged a minimal caddie fee by the club for,their round, however we are independent contractors so we do not get this money. What we get is essentially the players "tip". The recomended fee is 75$ per bag per round. Many times I double bag the round. If you think A caddy did a very good job, then give the caddy 100 per bag. If you want to look lame or you think the caddy was terrible. 75 per bag sounds about right almost anywhere. btw it's a great job. Excercise, fresh air, watching people hit golf shots, good and bad, the game reveals people's character it's a trip sometimes to watch.
 
I've only used a caddy twice in the last decade and both times I tipped $100. The caddy I had at Harbour Town was hilarious and worth every penny.
 
Bump.

This year is the first time I’ve used caddies.

In Jamaica I tipped $100 because it just seemed right... apparently that’s way too much for down there. It’s okay though because I was playing alone and they were all very very fun.

At pebble beach they gave us guidance of $40 to $60/bag on top of the caddie fee that pebble charges. We paid $60 each bag for each of the three rounds.

Im playing at a private course next week (baltusrol, Marion, pine valley, winged foot level club) and I told the host I’ll pay for the caddies lunch and everything as a thank you.

I am figuring $100 a bag is good. $150 seems like too much?

I dont want to be “that guy” who over or under tips... the extra $50 a bag is what it is.

any guidance?
 
BanjoSaysWoof;n8898913 said:
Bump.

This year is the first time I’ve used caddies.

In Jamaica I tipped $100 because it just seemed right... apparently that’s way too much for down there. It’s okay though because I was playing alone and they were all very very fun.

At pebble beach they gave us guidance of $40 to $60/bag on top of the caddie fee that pebble charges. We paid $60 each bag for each of the three rounds.

Im playing at a private course next week (baltusrol, Marion, pine valley, winged foot level club) and I told the host I’ll pay for the caddies lunch and everything as a thank you.

I am figuring $100 a bag is good. $150 seems like too much?

I dont want to be “that guy” who over or under tips... the extra $50 a bag is what it is.

any guidance?
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$100 a bag is a good number, and close to the average for a course like you describe. You definitely would not be under-tipping at that rate. $150 is slightly above average, but not a number I would consider being worried about being "that guy" that over tips. I'd say most tips nowadays range from $80-$200 a bag, with that top range being those with 8/9 figure bank accounts and generous personalities.
 
BanjoSaysWoof;n8898913 said:
Bump.

This year is the first time I’ve used caddies.

In Jamaica I tipped $100 because it just seemed right... apparently that’s way too much for down there. It’s okay though because I was playing alone and they were all very very fun.

At pebble beach they gave us guidance of $40 to $60/bag on top of the caddie fee that pebble charges. We paid $60 each bag for each of the three rounds.

Im playing at a private course next week (baltusrol, Marion, pine valley, winged foot level club) and I told the host I’ll pay for the caddies lunch and everything as a thank you.

I am figuring $100 a bag is good. $150 seems like too much?

I dont want to be “that guy” who over or under tips... the extra $50 a bag is what it is.

any guidance?
Click to expand...

Holy crap, Baltusrol, Marion, Pine Valley and Winged foot?
 
mancest;n8898944 said:
Holy crap, Baltusrol, Marion, Pine Valley and Winged foot?
Click to expand...

Haha that level course, not all of those clubs. I thought the same thing as you when I first read it though.
 
BuckNasty;n8898947 said:
Haha that level course, not all of those clubs. I thought the same thing as you when I first read it though.
Click to expand...

Just reread, but still, that level of a club? you are talking a top 10 in the USA course. Pine Valley is routinely rated as the #1 course in the country, or right next to Cypress.
 
If they are fantastic (as contemplated by the first post), I’ll give a real healthy number on top of the caddy rate. In the abstract it wouldn’t be out of the question for $50-$60 tip.

I rarely use one one but those few courses that have them are fantastic and it’s just once or twice a year so it doesn’t break the bank.
 
MWard;n5932415 said:
The caddie fee up front is usually split someway among the course and the caddie. The tip is all caddie.

One of my best friends used to caddie over at TPC Sawgrass, I'll bug him if I can remember the next time I see him. His wife just had their second baby so he's a little preoccupied at the moment. I remember him saying though that on a good day, he'd walk out with a couple hundred if the weather was good and he could squeeze in two rounds.
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I’d love to know the result of this discussion. I’ve either felt like I over tipped or under tipped. Never felt confident in the amount.
 
mancest;n8898949 said:
Just reread, but still, that level of a club? you are talking a top 10 in the USA course. Pine Valley is routinely rated as the #1 course in the country, or right next to Cypress.
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I’m very blessed to have friends who like me.

When i I was at pebble I called my old boss’s brother (who likes me for some unknown reason) and asked if he could get me on cypress. He said if he wasn’t travelling for business he’d love to. He told me to call him next time I’m in Monterey. I am thinking of staying there for a month until he comes back lol. (While I know it’s bad form to ask, our relationship is good enough. When he said he was away I said “you have enough money. Blow it off and come golf.”... he said “why, so I can watch your dumba** shoot 125 and make excuses?”)

I know it’s one of the best courses in the country, which is why I want to make sure I’m being Roman in Rome or something.
 
I've had a caddie exactly once. It was almost 20 years ago and I'm guessing I tipped 1,000PHP (roughly $20-$25 then).
 
Molten;n8898953 said:
I’d love to know the result of this discussion. I’ve either felt like I over tipped or under tipped. Never felt confident in the amount.
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Caddie fee goes to the house, tip goes to the caddies.
 
Played Oak Hill CC this year and tipped the fore caddy $20 (as did all my other playing partners). If it was a caddy that carried my bag etc. I'd probably tip between $60-$100 depending on how good/bad they were.
 
Molten;n8898953 said:
I’d love to know the result of this discussion. I’ve either felt like I over tipped or under tipped. Never felt confident in the amount.
Click to expand...

I've looped at a few places in NJ, and none of the courses I worked at gave any money from the house, it all came from tips. The only exception to that rule was during outings.
 
BuckNasty;n8899053 said:
I've looped at a few places in NJ, and none of the courses I worked at gave any money from the house, it all came from tips. The only exception to that rule was during outings.
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Absolute lunacy. There has to be an hourly pay too, right?!
 
Molten;n8899062 said:
Absolute lunacy. There has to be an hourly pay too, right?!
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Haha at the places I've worked the caddies were independent contractors and not employees of the course (and they usually make it known to the caddies that's the case). So hourly rate/pay from club is usually not an option.
 
Molten;n8899062 said:
Absolute lunacy. There has to be an hourly pay too, right?!
Click to expand...

I'd guess they're treated as volunteers.
 
Kuch would know, ask him :banana:
 
Guy was great today, $50 seemed cheap but he was happy with it. Said $40 is normal.

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FWIW, I gave the caddy $150 a bag. He was awesome and made the whole experience not intimidating.

I paid for my hosts caddy tip too so I was out $300.

Well worth it.
 
I'd start with something simple, like be clean and well-groomed. A smile goes a long way. Treat the players like you would like to be treated. These are also applicable to non-caddies.
 
To those who think that they're not good enough to play with a caddie: don't worry about it! They have seen the best and the worst and you will never be the worst!

I've played with a caddie three times and it's a lot of fun. Take care of your caddies at the halfway house too!

Baltusrol: my first time with a caddie and the guy couldn't read greens for $#^%. We had won the round at a charity auction and I think that we tipped the guys $100 each.
Trump Bedminster: outing for the 2017 US Women's Open volunteers - $80 caddie fee and I tipped Christian $40 in addition to getting snacks and Gatorade at the turn (I would have given him more, but that was all that I had at the end of the round after the halfway house). I'd hang out and/or play with Christian any time so he gets my recommendation if you're going there.
Green Valley Ranch: caddies from the First Tee were available for no extra fee when I was in Denver in August so I went for it - they recommended $10-20, but I gave Kevin $40 because I had a really good time
 
I’ll give you 150 to carry your bag on those courses!


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