Top Earners and Annual Pay
The highest paid caddies earn between $1 million and $2 million per year through a combination of base salary and a percentage of their player's winnings. A standard caddie contract includes a weekly base salary ranging from $1,500 to $3,000 and a performance bonus of 5% to 10% of the player's winnings, with elite caddies negotiating higher percentages when their player wins major championships. The most lucrative deals are reserved for caddies working with top-ranked players who consistently contend in PGA Tour events and major tournaments, where a single victory can trigger a six- or seven-figure bonus payout. For a detailed breakdown of PGA Tour caddie compensation structures, see the official PGA Tour rules and regulations on caddie agreements PGA Tour official site.
Recent public disclosures and media reports identify caddies such as Joe LaCava, Ted Scott, and Andrew "Chubbs" Johnston among the highest paid caddies in the sport, with LaCava's long partnership with Tiger Woods and subsequent move to Scottie Scheffler placing him at the top of the earnings list. These caddies often supplement their PGA Tour income with appearance fees, corporate event invitations, and equipment sponsorship deals that add tens of thousands of dollars to their annual compensation. The exact annual earnings of individual caddies are rarely disclosed in full, but player and caddie pairings that win multiple events in a season can generate total compensation packages well above $2 million, including bonuses and ancillary income streams.
How Caddie Pay Works and What Drives the Highest Earnings
Base Salary, Win Percentage, and Tournament Bonuses
A caddie's contract typically specifies a base salary per tournament week, a win percentage that increases with the player's finishing position, and additional bonuses for major championship victories and world number one rankings. The win percentage is the primary driver of high earnings, with top caddies negotiating 7% to 10% of the player's official winnings, a rate that rises further when the player wins a major or a Players Championship event. For example, a caddie whose player wins a tournament with a $20 million purse and a 10% win percentage earns $2 million from that single event, excluding the base salary and any additional bonuses for finishing position or tournament performance.
Beyond the win percentage, the highest paid caddies earn additional income through performance bonuses tied to specific milestones, such as a player's first career victory, a runner-up finish in a major, or a top-10 finish in the FedEx Cup playoffs. These bonus structures are negotiated upfront and can add significant value to a caddie's compensation, especially when the player maintains a consistent top-10 finish rate across multiple tournaments in a season. The combination of a strong base salary, a high win percentage, and milestone bonuses allows elite caddies to earn more in a single season than many players on the PGA Tour, particularly those outside the top 30 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Equipment Deals, Sponsorships, and Off-Course Income
Top caddies often secure their own equipment and apparel sponsorship deals with companies such as Titleist, Callaway, and Ping, receiving free bags, gloves, and gear in exchange for wearing branded items during tournaments and appearing in promotional materials. These sponsorships can be worth $50,000 to $100,000 annually, depending on the caddie's visibility and the brand's marketing budget, and they often include performance incentives tied to the player's tournament results. In addition, caddies may earn appearance fees for corporate exhibitions, charity events, and golf clinics, which can range from a few thousand dollars to over $50,