A Journal for the Thrifty Gowfer
Using a caddie in Scotland
A letter on the Scottish caddie tradition — who they are, what they do, what to pay, and the small etiquette of a relationship that is older than the modern game.
How a working caddie shed at a major Scottish links runs its day — the early sign-in, the badge system, the way the rota rotates, the settling up. The bit visitors never see.
Yes — the tip is expected and is a meaningful part of a caddie's income. The customary rate, what affects it, and the etiquette of the moment.
The mechanics of hiring a Scottish caddie — when to book, what to pay, the tip, the etiquette of the relationship. For visitors who would like to know the answers before they tee off.
The caddies most worth drawing in Scotland often aren't on the Old Course rota. A contrarian letter on the case for the small-club regular over the big-club rotation.
What Scottish clubs actually publish about caddie pay — the per-bag fee at seven clubs, how it is paid, the gratuity on top — what they don't publish, and the self-employment tax position from gov.uk.