How much do you tip a caddy?

[Bpuumike]

Trolling posts have been removed.

Hope that wasn't me. Was only trying to make a topical joke.

[thaijett]

I almost always tip 500 baht. If the caddy is particularly bad or annoying, maybe 300.

I also always split any winnings with the caddy... we usually play a 100 baht near-pin contest on all par 3's, carrying over if no one wins a given hole. When I win that, I give half to the caddy.

Note... sometimes we also play the Par 3 near-pin game and let the caddy of the winner have all the cash. We explain it to them up front... it's amazing how interested and serious they get when they know they stand to win some cash! It's fun.

As to giving them extra for winning a bet with your partner, you can guarantee that your caddies are also betting amongst themselves. They may be just betting on the value of your winnings but most caddies spend their spare time gambling dominoes and cards in the caddy shack, so they'll be having side bets and showing real interest in your performance - not a bad thing really.

What club is that at ??

"you can guarantee that your caddies are also betting amongst themselves." I have been playing here >10 years at numerous local clubs, with several different groups & I would say that statement is INcorrect !!

"guarantee" a strong word that is so far off the mark, it is bordering on ridiculous !!

[scubascuba3]

Chaps, a caddy nicked 100 baht out of my golf bag earlier this week, yes its not much but it shows some are looking for the opportunity to take something. I now only have the minimum in my bag, tip plus money for drinks/food so I know if a hundred goes missing

[scubascuba3]

And another thing...

I don't think you should be tipping too much, it means it will only go up and I think we already pay too much for a caddy plus tip when most would be happy without a caddy anyway. If prices keep going up, it will be cheaper to play in other countries like Spain or Turkey

[JAS21]

Yes, caddies do bet amongst themselves. On many occasions, when my wife and I played they bet ... I always felt sorry for my caddie. On one occasion I did help her out as I played really really badly and felt somewhat guilty as she probably lost most of her fee and tip. My wife said that I shouldn't have ... but she did caddie for me quite often ... she should have known better and bet against me.

Edited January 3, 2014 by JAS21

[chuckd]

I have played golf in Thailand since 1978 and I would venture that many of the times the caddies had bets amoung themselves.

I won't "guarantee" it since that might bring down the wrath of our new friend upon me and that is something to be feared.

[jimmybcool]

I've only been aware of caddy gambling on one course. My regular 4some had regular caddies. My caddy was a good caddy but not too clever about betting.

One of my friends and I are about equal handicap. But our games are far different. He is down the middle grinds it out and putts well.

I am longer and get more birdies but my short game isn't up to his. So if the caddies had simply been betting on overall outcome it would have been a fair bet. But his caddy was clever. She had bets on 3 putts (I am not his equal putting) sand traps hit, water hit, and I forget what. But all stuff that favored HIS game. I had a long talk with my caddy and told her it wasn't a good bet but I don't know if she ever listened. Some of them love to gamble.

[Maestro]

Removed a flame and the replies to it.

[Robroona]

I live with an ex caddie. She worked at a course in Bangkok and very rarely got golfers who used carts. Most of the people at that course were Korean golf package holidaymakers and young trainee professional. She very seldom got a tip,( just ask the caddies at Green Valley about Korean tips.) Her worst day was when she walked 18 holes and the caddy master called her back to carry for another Korean latecomer. Her wages for that day was 360 baht.

2 fees of 200 baht, but the caddy master had his own 10% levy.

[Forethat]

I live with an ex caddie. She worked at a course in Bangkok and very rarely got golfers who used carts. Most of the people at that course were Korean golf package holidaymakers and young trainee professional. She very seldom got a tip,( just ask the caddies at Green Valley about Korean tips.) Her worst day was when she walked 18 holes and the caddy master called her back to carry for another Korean latecomer. Her wages for that day was 360 baht.

2 fees of 200 baht, but the caddy master had his own 10% levy.

I hear you, Robroona. I'd like to add that not all caddies get a "round". I know several caddies personally and I know exactly how difficult their working conditions can be. Some days they end up waiting in the holding area for 8 hours only having to go home empty handed. I had a regular caddie at Bangkok Golf Club who was a night caddie. If I played in the morning she felt like she hit the jackpot - she got one round in the morning and could go back and get a round in the evening as a regular night caddie.

Edited February 2, 2014 by Forethat

[lorus59]

I live with an ex caddie. She worked at a course in Bangkok and very rarely got golfers who used carts. Most of the people at that course were Korean golf package holidaymakers and young trainee professional. She very seldom got a tip,( just ask the caddies at Green Valley about Korean tips.) Her worst day was when she walked 18 holes and the caddy master called her back to carry for another Korean latecomer. Her wages for that day was 360 baht.

2 fees of 200 baht, but the caddy master had his own 10% levy.

I hear you, Robroona. I'd like to add that not all caddies get a "round". I know several caddies personally and I know exactly how difficult their working conditions can be. Some days they end up waiting in the holding area for 8 hours only having to go home empty handed. I had a regular caddie at Bangkok Golf Club who was a night caddie. If I played in the morning she felt like she hit the jackpot - she got one round in the morning and could go back and get a round in the evening as a regular night caddie.

I don't know how you could possibly feel sorry for a caddie whose golfer doesn't use a cart. If a golfer uses a cart there is really no need for a caddie at all.

[Forethat]

I live with an ex caddie. She worked at a course in Bangkok and very rarely got golfers who used carts. Most of the people at that course were Korean golf package holidaymakers and young trainee professional. She very seldom got a tip,( just ask the caddies at Green Valley about Korean tips.) Her worst day was when she walked 18 holes and the caddy master called her back to carry for another Korean latecomer. Her wages for that day was 360 baht.

2 fees of 200 baht, but the caddy master had his own 10% levy.

I hear you, Robroona. I'd like to add that not all caddies get a "round". I know several caddies personally and I know exactly how difficult their working conditions can be. Some days they end up waiting in the holding area for 8 hours only having to go home empty handed. I had a regular caddie at Bangkok Golf Club who was a night caddie. If I played in the morning she felt like she hit the jackpot - she got one round in the morning and could go back and get a round in the evening as a regular night caddie.

I don't know how you could possibly feel sorry for a caddie whose golfer doesn't use a cart. If a golfer uses a cart there is really no need for a caddie at all.

I have no clue how you got the impression I felt sorry for anyone. In case you thought that the cart thing is just being "lazy"; it's not that simple. At many golf courses where carts are optional, caddies get paid a percentage of the cart fee (which explains why caddies sometimes tries to persuade you to pay for a cart). So they lose out if you walk. Myself; I prefer walking. In addition, the trolley they use when they pull your bag around the course comes at a fee - which comes out of the caddie's pocket. I guess you didn't know that?

Just saying.

Edited February 8, 2014 by Forethat

[arunsakda]

Is it possible to pay the tip at the first hole drive and let them take the morning off?

[GBHK]

Is it possible to pay the tip at the first hole drive and let them take the morning off?

If only things were that simple... The answer is no for a variety of reasons. One of them is to make sure that you are not doing anything too silly, they also make sure(or should) that bunkers are raked, greens are repaired and divots filled which often doesn't get done by golfers. They hold off golfers trying to hit a little too early if there's a group in front and can act as mediator if a group is to be passed. Finally, optics or face is a big concept in Asia and sending the caddy away can have the effect of making it look like her work was so bad that you couldn't stand her for the duration.

[larsjohnsson]

The simple answer is that a standard tip is the same as the caddie fee.

I don't agree with your " Variations up or down should be minimal if you feel the caddie was either very good or very bad"

I prefer that the very good caddie get 400-450 and a very bad get 100-150. Why give a bad nearly the same? When the god caddies see that they will not put so much effort in the next time. And why should they if the get the same tip as a bad and lazy caddie.

Would you give the same tip in a restaurant with bad food as one with great food?

Edited April 30, 2014 by larsjohnsson

[GBHK]

It really depends how one defines what a bad caddie is... In my opinion, if she carries the clubs, repairs the green and rakes the sand, that warrants a standard tip. Anything else is gravy for me. Nickel and diming people that work for a pittance is not cool to say the least.

[larsjohnsson]

But another caddie also do those things. And then read the greens for me. Pick the right club and tell me where to aim because of the slopes before and on the green. Tell me where the bunkers and water hazards are, that I can't see from the tee. Bring me water and a towel when needing it. And clean my golf clubs and shoes when finished the round.

I know which one that I give at least twice as much.

Nickel and diming the good hard working caddies is not cool.

Edited May 1, 2014 by larsjohnsson

[GBHK]

But another caddie also do those things. And then read the greens for me. Pick the right club and tell me where to aim because of the slopes before and on the green. Tell me where the the bunkers and water hazards are that I can't see from the tee. Bring me water and a towel when needing it. And clean my golf clubs and shoes when finished the round.

I know which one that I give at least twice as much.

Nickel and diming the good hard working caddies is not cool.

Nothing prevents you from giving those caddies as much as you want. I just think taking away a little amount that means little to most foreigner and a lot more to caddies is very petty. Many golfers pay more for a cart than they do for caddies. That's pretty screwed up in my opinion and the cheapskates that are opposed to high tipper can go on living their selfish lifestyle hoping that all developing countries keep the poor down so that they can benefit from it.

Edited May 1, 2014 by GBHK

[larsjohnsson]

The difference between us is that you give all 300. I prefer to give 150, 300 or 450. The same amount together. But I like to show the good caddies that they get extra for good work. And the bad caddies that they will get less if working less

Edited May 1, 2014 by larsjohnsson

[GBHK]

First, you have no idea what I give caddies... I don't believe in that sort of "education" where the great father tells the poor native how to behave by punishing and depriving them of their livelihood. If I'm really not satisfied, I give them the money, tell them I haven't enjoyed their service and will not require their services anymore. If I see there's potential then I tell them what I would like them to do and see what happens.

Everyone is certainly free to do what they want but I will never respect or agree with the kind of behaviour you propose. It works for me in a country where the service industry employee make a decent living but that is certainly not the case in Thailand and I think it's massively cheap to behave that way. I guess we are different people living in different worlds.

[larsjohnsson]

We are all different. And I will never respect the behaviour you have either. I think you are cheap against the good ones

[Subpar]

My range is 200 for any caddy who can barely be bothered to go through the motions and actually detracts from the enjoyment of playing a round, 300 for any caddy that would rate a 5 to 8 out of 10, 400 for a very good caddy, and 500 for the rare one who's so good a note of her/his number is made for future games at that course.

[bangkoklasse]

A have a similar scale as you.

a bad caddy 150

a rather good caddie 300

a excellent caddie 400-450

[Subpar]

Sounds about right Bangkoklasse, you and I and pretty much every golfer I know in Pattaya (which is a lot of people) are all on the same page. The important part of this is we all believe a bigger tip for an above average caddy is well deserved, as is giving a minimum tip to the slackers. When the caddys sit around comparing tips, as they do every day, hopefully the message gets through that they're either not doing a good job, are middle of the road, or that their extra efforts to do their job well are being rewarded. What should not happen though is everyone just paying 300 Baht or whatever for a caddy no matter what sort of a job they did, this will make the useless ones stay that way and the good ones think "why should I bother"?. And this happens!.

Edited May 3, 2014 by Subpar

[larsjohnsson]

Sounds about right Bangkoklasse, you and I and pretty much every golfer I know in Pattaya (which is a lot of people) are all on the same page. The important part of this is we all believe a bigger tip for an above average caddy is well deserved, as is giving a minimum tip to the slackers. When the caddys sit around comparing tips, as they do every day, hopefully the message gets through that they're either not doing a good job, are middle of the road, or that their extra efforts to do their job well are being rewarded. What should not happen though is everyone just paying 300 Baht or whatever for a caddy no matter what sort of a job they did, this will make the useless ones stay that way and the good ones think "why should I bother"?. And this happens!.[/quote

Exactly, agree 100%

[Bassosa]

Caddies are the reason why I've almost stopped playing golf in Thailand.

 

Totally useless and annoying. They dictate pace of play (ie. slow it down), constantly position you and the cart in the wrong spot (sometimes dangerously so),  hand you the wrong club and generally have nothing to add other than: "LEPT O.B."

 

This is my opinion on many rounds of golf in the Kingdom, at great courses and not-so-great courses.

 

Then there's the lame attempts at 'sanuk'.

 

What I'd give to play a round without them...

 

By the way, when I do play I tip them standard rate, irrespective of service levels.