Popularity of Professional and General Caddies as New Job Categories
Billion-Won Salary Caddies Emerge, Salary-Based Contracts Become Trend
"Partnerships Are Essential for Longevity"
You get what you work for. This is a story about caddies. They are helpers for golfers. Professional caddies play the role of assistants to players on tour. General caddies help customers make their best shots. Being a caddy is a tough job. However, it is also a profession where rewards come in proportion to the effort. We explored everything about professional and general caddies.
Since 2019, caddie Shin Kyung-hoon, who has been working with Lim Hee-jung, advised, "Building trust with the player is important. You need a partnership to last long." [Photo by Voice Caddie]
There are no qualification restrictions for professional caddies. In the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour, you just need to notify that you will be a specific player’s caddy before the tournament. For good performance, a healthy body and knowledge about golf are essential. Caddie bags are still heavy. Although lightweight bags have appeared, they still weigh about 17 to 18 kg. To complete 18 holes, physical strength is necessary. On the course, caddies provide advice on distances, subtle slopes, and various situations. They must also have a solid understanding of golf rules to prevent players from receiving penalties due to mistakes.
Income for professional caddies varies widely. In the past, they were paid weekly. They used to receive about 1.5 million KRW per tournament. Now, the system is shifting to an annual salary. This reflects a change in how caddies are evaluated. Top-tier caddies sign annual contracts. They are contracted by the year, not by the number of tournaments. This is a measure to secure caddies preferred by players. The basic annual salary for top-tier caddies on the KLPGA Tour is between 60 million and 70 million KRW. Caddies with less experience earn around 40 million to 50 million KRW.
Mr. Park Ki-young, who carries Lee Ye-won's caddy bag, is a top assistant who collaborated on three wins this year. After working together for a year and six months, they recently chose their own paths. [Photo by KLPGA]
Shin Kyunghoon, caddy for Lim Heejeong, who has won five KLPGA Tour titles (including two majors), said, "The annual salary system has been the trend for the past two years. About 40% of KLPGA Tour caddies receive an annual salary." He added, "Even with an annual salary, the contract is not guaranteed for a full year. If the relationship doesn’t work out, the contract can be terminated after six months."
Basic pay is similar, but fortunes vary depending on players’ performance. When a player wins, the caddy receives a 10% incentive. From 2nd to 10th place, it is 5%, and from 10th to 20th place, 3%. Some caddies even receive incentives for passing the qualifiers. For example, if the winner’s prize money is 200 million KRW, the caddy’s bonus would be 20 million KRW. Last year, Lee Yewon won three tournaments and earned 576 million KRW in prize money alone. Her caddy received a 57.6 million KRW bonus. This is why top-tier caddies can easily earn over 100 million KRW annually. However, the caddy’s position is still somewhat unstable. It is common for caddies to part ways with players mid-season.
Interest in professional caddies is also increasing. The promotional effect of caddies has been proven, and companies have started sponsoring them. Representative sponsors include the distance measuring device brand Voice Caddie, Jangsu Dosirak, and CN Motors. When caddies wear the sponsor’s cap at tournaments, they receive support funds. The annual contract amount is between 5 million and 6 million KRW. Kim Jungseon, CEO of Jangsu Dosirak, said, "I wanted to help caddies who quietly support players without much attention. The promotional effect is also good."
Jiyoung Park and caddy Youngcheol Song have been 'dream partners' who have trusted and relied on each other for a long time.
Mr. Shin is the captain of the Voice Caddie golf team. He is a veteran who started caddying in 2008. At first, he carried bags for male players such as Hong Sunsang and Choi Jinho. Later, he worked with Kim Boa, Baek Gyujeong, and Kim Jayoung, and since 2019, he has been working with Lim Heejeong. He did not hesitate to offer advice to juniors who want to become professional caddies. "Trust between the player and the caddy is important. You need to build a relationship where you can support each other. Making money comes after that."
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