How much do caddies make at the Masters? Here's how their pay works.

Being a caddie astatine nan Masters is an wholly different acquisition than doing nan occupation anyplace else, conscionable inquire Ken Martin.

"Caddies are treated really awesome astatine Augusta," said Martin, who caddied for Scottish golfer Sandy Lyle astatine nan awesome tourney past year. "We had our ain locker room. They provender america conscionable awesome nutrient — nan champion nutrient I've ever had really. But it's a agelong week. You person to beryllium fresh to get astir that hilly course."

Some of nan biggest names successful master golf, including Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, will converge connected nan famously hilly people Thursday to compete successful nan 2024 Masters Tournament astatine Augusta National Golf Club successful Georgia. Golfers are playing for a multimillion dollar rate prize and nan chance to don nan coveted greenish overgarment for a year.

• How to livestream PGA Tour golf: Your options, explained (plus 2024 schedule)
• Caddie's misstep costs master golfer six-figure prize
• Pittsburgh Central Catholic graduates teaming up arsenic subordinate and caddie duo astatine Masters tournament
• Evans Scholarships sending 70 precocious schoolhouse caddies to assemblage for free

Much of this year's attraction will beryllium connected nan rate prize nan winning golfer will person astatine this year's tournament. The purse for nan 2023 Masters totaled $18 million, which was $3 cardinal much than nan purse nan twelvemonth earlier — nan largest year-over-year summation successful tourney history. Of that total, 2023 victor Jon Rahm took location $3.24 million.

But players aren't nan only ones successful statement for a large payout. The winner's caddie tin easy spell location pinch a six-figure paycheck aft 4 days of work. But snagging nan four-day gig is nan culmination of years spent moving one-on-one pinch nan aforesaid master golfer, Martin said. 

Caddies create a beardown relationship pinch a golfer agelong earlier it's clip for an elite title for illustration nan Masters, Martin said. Fans seated successful nan stands, arsenic good those watching astatine home, tin only spot nan caddie handing nan subordinate a club, but successful reality, there's a changeless back-and-forth connection taking spot betwixt golfer and caddie during commercialized breaks and while nan 2 are stepping to nan adjacent hole, he explained. Martin, who played professionally from 1982 to 2015, now teaches nan athletics astatine Keiser University successful Florida. 

Aside from carrying nan dense bag, nan caddie besides provides input connected which nine to use, arsenic good arsenic plaything technique, Martin said. That's because astir caddies moving PGA Tour games are erstwhile master players pinch a wealthiness of knowledge connected nan game. 

But method is only a mini portion of nan exchange, he added. With a beardown camaraderie forged complete nan years, it's very apt nan 2 walk astir of clip chatting for illustration aged friends, he said. 

"It's boring to talk astir only play for 4 to 6 hours," Martin said. "You're retired location for a agelong clip together truthful nan relationship portion of it plays a larger role." 

How overmuch do caddies make astatine nan Masters?

Caddies for illustration Martin gain a net from 2 sources during nan Masters. One portion is simply a play costs betwixt $2,000 and $4,000 depending connected nan caddie's experience, nan Association of Professional Caddies and nan Caddies Network told CBS MoneyWatch. The play costs helps caddies recoup financially because they're required to salary their ain recreation to Georgia, on pinch edifice and nutrient while moving nan tournament. 

Caddies besides get a percent of immoderate their subordinate earns aft nan tourney ends. The caddie of nan Master's victor will get 10% of nan prize money. For context, Jon Rahm won nan Masters' past twelvemonth and sewage $3.24 million. 

The caddie for nan runner up astatine nan Masters will get 7% of that player's prize winnings; each caddie aft that will get 5%. 

Caddies Network CEO John von Stade told CBS MoneyWatch location are uncommon occasions erstwhile a caddie has a backstage statement pinch nan player, successful which lawsuit that person's net will not travel nan accepted setup. 

Over nan past 5 years, caddie person seen immoderate affirmative changes. PGA Tour officials person accrued caddies' play wages and players' prize money has besides climbed — perchance giving caddies a chance to bring location six figures aft a tournament.

"But what hasn't changed is, if your subordinate doesn't make nan cut, location is nary different root of money different than nan play fee," von Stade said.