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Unpacking Tiger Woods Caddy Salary: What Golf's Top Looper Really Earns

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Jul 31, 2025
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Have you ever wondered about the people behind the golf greats, the ones who walk every step with their player, offering advice and carrying the bag? It's a rather interesting role, to be honest, and when we talk about someone as iconic as Tiger Woods, the curiosity about his caddie's earnings, the tiger woods caddy salary, naturally spikes. This isn't just about carrying clubs; it's a partnership, a very close one, that can bring in quite a bit of money, or so it seems.

The financial side of being a caddie on the professional golf circuit, especially for a superstar like Tiger, is often a topic of much discussion. It's more complex than simply getting a weekly paycheck, you know. There are base salaries, sure, but the real financial rewards, that, is that, truly come from a share of the golfer's winnings, which can be absolutely massive for someone who wins as much as Tiger Woods has.

Over the years, Tiger has had a few different caddies, each with their own story and, frankly, their own impressive earnings. From long-standing partnerships to brief stints, the money involved can vary quite a bit, depending on the golfer's performance and, well, the specific arrangements made. It's a fascinating look into the financial ecosystem of professional golf, in a way.

Table of Contents

Who is Tiger Woods?

Tiger Woods, in fact, is widely recognized as one of the most accomplished golfers in the entire history of the sport. His career has been truly remarkable, marked by an impressive number of victories, including, obviously, 15 major championships. His impact on golf, both on and off the course, has been simply immense, shaping the game for generations.

Tiger Woods: Key Details

CategoryDetail
Full NameEldrick Tont Woods
NicknameTiger
NationalityAmerican
Professional Debut1996
Major Championships15
Current CaddieJoe LaCava
Notable Former CaddieSteve Williams

The Caddie's Role and Earnings on the PGA Tour

The job of a professional golf caddie is, quite honestly, much more than just carrying a heavy bag around the course. They are, in a way, strategists, motivators, and sometimes even therapists for their players. They read greens, offer club suggestions, track yardages, and provide emotional support, which can be pretty vital during a tough round. So, their earnings structure reflects this deep involvement, too it's almost.

General PGA Tour Caddie Pay Structure

For most caddies on the PGA Tour, there's a base salary, which helps cover their travel and living expenses while on the road. From our information, most of these individuals made a base amount of around $120,000 per year. This figure, you know, provides a degree of stability, ensuring they have enough to get by, but it's not the primary source of their significant income, not really.

The Big Money: Winnings Percentage

This is where the truly big bucks are, apparently. On top of their regular pay, a caddie generally earns a share of the golfer's winnings. According to reports, a professional golfer's caddie typically receives an additional five to ten percent of the prize money won. This percentage can vary a bit based on how well the golfer performs; for instance, a higher percentage might be paid for a victory compared to a top-10 finish. This arrangement, therefore, makes a caddie's earnings directly proportional to their golfer's success, which is a rather strong incentive.

Weekly Earnings During Tournaments

During golf tournaments, the caddie reportedly earns a weekly fee, which is pretty standard. This amount, as we understand it, typically falls somewhere between $1,500 to $2,500 per week. This weekly payment, you see, may vary slightly based on the specific event, the caddie’s experience level, and any other agreed-upon terms between the player and their caddie. It's a consistent part of their income, anyway.

Tiger Woods' Caddies and Their Pay

Tiger Woods, being the dominant force he was and still is, has had caddies whose earnings soared far beyond the typical PGA Tour figures. His success directly translated into remarkable financial rewards for the individuals who were on his bag, which is quite something, really.

Steve Williams: The Million-Dollar Era

Overall, in the history of the sport, Tiger Woods' former caddie, Steve Williams, stands out as one of the most financially successful. It was reported, for instance, in 2007 that Steve Williams, Tiger's caddie at the time, earned more than $1 million in that single year. Furthermore, Woods’ former caddie Steve Williams was reported to make more than $1 million per year when Woods was playing at his peak form, which truly highlights the immense earning potential when working with a top-tier player. This kind of income, frankly, places him among the highest-paid caddies ever, and it's basically due to Tiger's unparalleled performance.

Joe LaCava: The Current Partnership

Woods’ current caddie is Joe LaCava, who took on the position back in 2011, after Steve Williams moved on. LaCava, in fact, had a distinguished career before joining Tiger, having previously worked for Fred Couples in the 1990s and 2000s, and was present for 12 victories with Couples. While specific figures for LaCava's earnings with Tiger aren't always publicly detailed, we can, you know, make some educated assumptions. For example, in 2018, Woods made an earning of around $5.4 million. Given the standard caddie percentage, it can be assumed that Joe LaCava's earnings during a successful year like that would be very substantial, likely well into the hundreds of thousands, if not more, depending on the agreed-upon share, and so on.

Bobby Knight: A Brief But Profitable Stint

An interesting, rather, detail from Tiger's career involves Bobby Knight, who was paid a salary of $100,000 when he worked as Tiger Woods' caddie in 2000. That year, Tiger won three tournaments and earned over $9 million. While the $100,000 was his base, his share of those winnings would have made that year incredibly profitable for Knight, demonstrating just how lucrative even a short period with Tiger could be, to be honest.

Lance Bennett: A Newer Collaboration

More recently, Tiger Woods has partnered with Lance Bennett as his caddie for certain events. This shows, you know, that even a player with a long-standing caddie like Joe LaCava might sometimes bring in another veteran caddie for specific situations. While details on Bennett's earnings with Tiger aren't readily available, the principle remains: working with Tiger Woods, even for a short while, offers a significant financial opportunity for any caddie, obviously.

What Shapes a Caddie's Income?

A caddie's income, especially for someone working with a top player, is truly dynamic. It's not a fixed salary in the traditional sense; rather, it's a fluctuating amount that hinges on several key elements. This makes the job both potentially very rewarding and, perhaps, a little unpredictable, at the end of the day.

The most significant factor, arguably, is the golfer's performance. As we've seen, the big earnings come from a percentage of the winnings. If a golfer is consistently finishing high in tournaments or winning them, their caddie's income will reflect that success directly. Conversely, a slump in performance means a significant drop in the caddie's take-home pay, too it's almost. It's a direct reflection of the team's success, really.

Experience and reputation also play a part. Veteran caddies, like Joe LaCava, who have a proven track record of working with top players and contributing to victories, can command better base salaries and potentially negotiate more favorable percentage deals. Their expertise is a valuable asset, you know, and golfers are willing to pay for it.

Finally, the specific event's prize money, or "purse," matters a lot. Major championships and lucrative PGA Tour events have much larger prize pools, meaning that a 10% share from a victory at one of these events will be far greater than from a smaller tournament. This is why caddies for players who regularly compete in and perform well at big events tend to earn significantly more, as a matter of fact. Learn more about golf finances on our site, and link to this page to learn more about the role of a golf caddie.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Tiger Woods' caddie make per year?

While the exact annual figure for Tiger Woods' current caddie, Joe LaCava, isn't always publicly disclosed, it's generally understood to be quite substantial. Based on the standard caddie compensation model—a base salary plus a percentage of winnings—and considering Tiger's occasional high earnings, a caddie working with him could potentially earn well into the hundreds of thousands of dollars in a good year, possibly even over a million during Tiger's peak winning periods, like Steve Williams did, obviously.

Do golf caddies get a base salary?

Yes, typically, professional golf caddies do receive a base salary. This base pay, which for many caddies is around $120,000 annually, helps to cover their travel expenses, accommodations, and general living costs while they are on the road for tournaments. It's a consistent income stream, you know, regardless of how their player performs, though it's usually not the largest part of their total earnings.

What percentage of winnings does a caddie get?

A caddie usually earns a percentage of their golfer's winnings, which is often the most significant part of their income. This percentage typically ranges from 5% to 10% of the prize money. For example, a caddie might get 5% for a regular finish, 7% for a top-10 finish, and up to 10% for a victory. This system means their earnings are directly tied to the success of the golfer they are working with, which is pretty much how it works.

The financial world of a professional golf caddie, especially for someone like Tiger Woods, is a truly unique setup. It's a blend of steady weekly pay and the exciting potential for massive bonuses tied directly to performance. The tiger woods caddy salary figures we've discussed clearly show that when a golfer reaches the pinnacle of the sport, their caddie can also achieve significant financial success. It’s a testament to the valuable partnership between player and caddie on the course, and it really highlights how much a winning team can achieve, both in terms of trophies and, well, earnings. For more details on PGA Tour caddie earnings, you might find information on sites like PGATour.com.

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