How Much Do Caddies Get Paid at The Masters? (Caddie Payouts)

You might be curious as to how much caddies make at a prestigious tournament such as The Masters.

Caddies can be part tacticians and part psychologists, especially when it comes to demanding championship tracks like Augusta National Golf Club.

Though PGA Tour players get most of the credit for big wins at The Masters, caddies are an integral part of a golfer’s success. Let’s look at how much caddies get paid at The Masters.

 

How Much Do Caddies Get Paid by The Masters

PGA Tour caddies negotiate a salary agreement with the professional golfer they are playing with on the course. Although the weekly rate is variable, most professional caddies earn between $1,500 and $3,000 per event. Some of the best caddies in the world earn a flat yearly salary in addition to performance bonuses.

Although it may seem like a lot, the caddie must still pay for his expenses, such as lodging, airfare, and meals. However, PGA Tour caddies also receive a share of their golfer’s prize money. The Masters caddies receive the same compensation.

The norm is that the overall winner of a tournament of golf will give 10% to the caddie. Golfers who finish in Top 10 will be rewarded with 7% of their prize money.

Last but not least, those who do not make the Top 10 will pay their caddies 5% of their prize money.

 

Are Caddies paid more if their player wins The Masters?

Yes – the caddie of The Masters winner is usually entitled to 10% of the overall purse. So, in the 2023 Masters Tournament, Scottie Scheffler’s caddie took home $270,000 in addition to his weekly paycheck.

It’s no wonder that the caddie of the winning golfer is so excited to see their man receive a green jacket!

 

Are Caddies Paid If Their Player Doesn’t Cut?

It depends on the caddie’s agreement with the professional golfer, but as a general rule, caddies will only receive their weekly salary when their player misses the cut.

This is because, at most PGA Tour tournaments, players don’t receive any prize money if they miss the cut. However, there are exceptions as most major tournaments pay all of the field.

All Augusta National golfers are eligible to play in The Masters. $10,000 even if they miss it. The same payout is available to golfers who play in the U.S. Open. Players can also receive payouts from the PGA Championship, even if they miss a cut, but the amount is lower at $3,100.

Most golfers will pay their caddie a standard 5% portion of these payouts.

 

Ted Scott is the most highly paid caddy in golf.

As you might have guessed by our conversation, Ted Scott is Scottie Scheffler’s most well-paid caddy.

Scheffler has won four times in 2023 on the PGA Tour, including wins at The Masters and The Arnold Palmer Invitational, The Waste Management Phoenix Open, The Waste Management Phoenix Open, The Waste Management Phoenix Open, the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play.

The meteoric rise of Scheffler’s performance has led to bonus Scott has earned over $800,000.He also receives a $135,000 yearly salary. That’s a pretty good chunk of change!

Scott is not a Johnny Comer lately on the PGA Tour. He was on the bag for both of Bubba Watson’s wins at The Masters and has been a professional golf caddie for over twenty years.

 

Other well-paid Caddies on the PGA Tour

Sam Pinfold

Pinfold is currently Cameron Smith’s caddie, who has won three times this Season on the PGA Tour.

Pinfold received enormous bonuses for Smith’s wins at The Open Championship, The Players Championship, and the Sentry Tournament of Champions. Pinfold’s largest payday was when he took home his 10% share of Smith’s $2.4 million earnings for winning The Open Championship.

Billy Foster

Foster is Matthew Fitzpatrick’s caddie, who recently won the 2023 US Open. Foster was awarded more $300,000 by Fitzpatrick for his contribution to this prestigious tournament. He also receives $115,000.

Jim “Bones” Mackay

Mackay is most well-known for his work on the Golf Channel’s TV, but he is now the bag carrier for Justin Thomas.

Mackay has enjoyed huge paydays working for JT, who is one of the top professionals in the entire world. Thomas won the 2023 PGA Championship, which was worth $270,000.

Gary Matthews

Matthews is a rising caddie on PGA Tour and is currently playing for Joaquin Niemann.

The 23-year old Chilean has won The Genesis Invitational, and has won more than $4.6 million in prize money. Matthews also receives caddie share bonuses and a base salary of $120,000 each year.

 

What are a caddie’s primary duties on the golf course?

Contrary to what some believe, a caddie does a whole lot more than just carry their golfer’s bag around the course. Caddies offer recommendations on which club the player should hit. They also keep all of the player’s equipment in pristine condition.

Caddies also study the course to inform their golfer about any nooks or crannies. This allows them to give the player an exact yardage for his approach shots to the green. Caddies are responsible to tend the pin, fix any type of ball marks, divots or rake the bunkers and sand traps.

However, the caddie’s most crucial duty is to always keep his player calm and in a good head space on the golf course. Golf is a demanding sport that can be mentally challenging. A good caddie can provide positive reinforcement and encouragement for his golfer.