Anyone have experience as a country club caddy?

I might be in between summer jobs at the moment. I love my current golf course job but unfortunately the owners made some budget cuts and got rid of the head pro (my boss, great guy). One of the assistant pros is going to follow his brother who just qualified for the Asian tour, and the other assistant is leaving because the other two guys are gone. Don't know if I want to stick around with all three of them gone

Anyway, I'm seriously considering becoming a caddy at one of the most upscale country clubs in the state (Host of past US Opens, past and future PGA championships, etc...) and was wondering what to expect. I'm considering the job mainly for the experience of being a caddy and being involved with a course of this caliber. I am 19, and will be between my sophomore and junior years in college this summer. Years are running out for summer jobs and this is something I want to do.

To the past caddies: What's it like? How was the pay? Did you get any sort of playing time (mondays or some set day)?

I don't live near it (use to), but my grandparents live right down the road from it so I'm set there.

The pay for "looping" can be pretty good. More valuable is the contacts you can make as many are business executives. For the standard 2 bag loop...you can make upwards of $120, but depends on the club. The club I worked at years ago it was $50 per bag...plus maybe $20 if you carried 2 putters off a cart (forecaddy). But you need to be good...don't lose balls...rake traps...replace divots..clean clubs after each shot. At times give some course managment advice. But again...make contacts! I knew a number of caddies that formed relationships with memebrs that laned them interviews..jobs ect. Look the part...be respectful....show the member you are working for them to make the day a more enjoyable experience. Beats bagging groceries.

not exactly the kind of experience you are probably looking to gleam info from but I was a caddy at one of Canada's best Country Clubs and among the highest ranked course in the country.

The difference: I was 12. I knew nothing about the game at all but wanted some extra money. By the end of the first sunmmer, I bought a used set of clubs from a member and have been playing every since (I caddied for 2 summers). That was a long time ago.

We got paid about $10 plus tips and hopefully a hot dog and coke at the turn (11th tee for us). No, we were not experts and these were seasoned members and so 99% of them knew the course extremely well so did not need course management tips (well, not to say they managed the course well but no need for me to tell them where to hit it). We got to play Mondays.

I learned the game. I learned respect. I learned what is good and bad manners on the course along with a few anger management ideas.

What a pair of summers. They changed my life.

not exactly the kind of experience you are probably looking to gleam info from but I was a caddy at one of Canada's best Country Clubs and among the highest ranked course in the country.

 

The difference: I was 12. I knew nothing about the game at all but wanted some extra money. By the end of the first sunmmer, I bought a used set of clubs from a member and have been playing every since (I caddied for 2 summers). That was a long time ago.

 

We got paid about $10 plus tips and hopefully a hot dog and coke at the turn (11th tee for us). No, we were not experts and these were seasoned members and so 99% of them knew the course extremely well so did not need course management tips (well, not to say they managed the course well but no need for me to tell them where to hit it). We got to play Mondays.

 

I learned the game. I learned respect. I learned what is good and bad manners on the course along with a few anger management ideas.

 

What a pair of summers. They changed my life.

No thats good. I told my parents this is a kind of life experience that I'm after.

I work at an upscale semi-private course now, which means we have about 50 members. We don't have caddies, but outside of carrying their clubs I make sure they don't have to lift so much as a finger to get what they want. I make sure their clubs are cleaned and on their carts (if they have a certain number cart they like), I make sure they've got wet and dry towels (and any other extra nick-nacks they like), and of course always greet them/strike up friendly conversation. These are things the rest of my co-workers fail to do, and the members realize that whenever I'm gone.

I feel like I know what level of respect members desire depending on their age level. With a club like the one I'm looking at though I think I will be seeing a different definition of "member" than I'm use to. But I feel like I've already got a good starting point.

The contacts thing is a very good point, but I don't want to talk business on the course nor do I want to go for that. It might be a great side benefit after they see how hard I am willing to work.

Caddies at good country clubs get somewhere between 40 and 60 dollars a bag. Do two bags and you do ok. You have to work like 5 days a week and do two loops on the weekend each day to really make some bank.

It's not a resume builder, but it will pay well if you want it too. And, you will be in super shape by the end of the summer. I think I know which clubs you might be referring to and I'd say you will have a good experience.

My advice to you is to do your homework to find out what the real earnings potential is, that is if you really need the money as opposed to working for fun. It would suck to go in and get crapped on for a summer for almost no pay and occasional free twilight golf. The summer between junior and senior years is usually internship time so it would probably be just one season.

I had some very bad experiences caddying when I was 13. The club I worked at had caddy tiers, and it took forever to get into the upper one where you got paid more for loops and got desirable members. Close to 70% of the rounds went to the "A" caddies. The "B" caddies got stuck with the cheap, horrible members. Also, there was no caddy schedule. You showed up as early as possible to even hope to go out. You could get in at 6 am, get a loop about 11 or 12 with a cheapskate, and leave at 5 with $20-25 in your pocket, a sunburn, and a permanent indentation in your shoulder from a skinny leather strap on their staff bag that you swear is full of lead weights (even with a towel). The only good thing was that most members didn't store their clubs. I could get there at 6 and claim the bag drop and make good money (about $50-60 in 7-8 hours). After a few weeks, I didn't even put my name on the loop sheet. Just wasn't worth it. I didn't care at all about business contacts being 13, and you could play for free on Monday afternoons.

*Disclaimer... I worked at a low/mid country club, not some high end, organized (hopefully) PGA tour stop club and the dollars reflected are from 1991 with no inflation taken into consideration. Candy bars were still 50 cents and you could pay $1 for a 20 oz soda and get a few cents change.

this past summer i worked part time as a caddy at a very upscale club in the new york city area. Pay is between 80 and 120 a bag. with 20 being from the course and the rest gratuity. I enjoyed the work, and we were able to play mondays when there werent outings which was awesome. If you would like PM me and I can let you know what I know about the reputations of some of the area clubs.

i caddied for a few summers (10 years or so ago) at maybe the most upscale course in indianapolis. the pay was pretty bad. two bags might get you 50, which is only like 10 bucks an hour, and it was hard work. a single bag just wasn't worth it. i know a lot of caddies from chicago, and there you could make good money, close to double what i made. for that much, i'd say it was a great job.

the other thing is that you have to caddie EARLY in the morning, which for me in those days was tough.

i was a good player and a good caddie and i knew the course well, and i didn't bother the player, i was low impact, but took great care of my player. some of the members were great guys and were great to caddie for. others, were classist xxxxxs, and it just simply wasn't worth it. trouble is, at the begining you don't know who's who and you take what you can get. but, once you get the lie of the land, you can caddie for good guys who pay well, and it's not bad.

i'd say the work is hard. but, i'd also say that you're outside and what not, which is a lot better than a lot of other options... and i really enjoy caddying when it's serious. i'd caddy for other caddy's in tournaments (for free). i knew their games, and they knew i knew what i was talking about, and it was great. i really enjoyed it, and i knew that i helped them play well. the country club loops were usually a lot more like just carrying clubs and pulling flags, etc.

at my course caddies could play, but it was hit or miss when, and was generally a pain. i worked in the bag room as well, and because of that, i could play as much as i wanted, whenever i wanted, other than weekend mornings and special events. the track is great, and i played a ton. easy to get a game with the other caddie's/employees which is great. but i wouldn't play with my friends that didn't work there because i didn't want to pay to play a crap course when i could play a great one for free.

some of the caddies were great guys, that i was/am glad to know.