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.
Field notes from a working caddie shed at a major Scottish links — sign-in at six in the morning, the badge system, the way the rota rotates, evening reconciliation. 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.
After fifteen years of Scottish golf trips, the caddies I most want to draw aren't on the Old Course rota. A contrarian letter on the case for the small-club regular over the big-club rotation.
The economics of Scottish caddying — fee tiers, the seasonal cycle, what a year on the bag looks like in numbers, why most caddies have a second income, and the tax position.