Behind the scenes of the glamorous professional golf circuit, be it the PGA Tour or otherwise, lies an intricate web of major financial expenses that every player must independently manage.

Tour professional Ben Griffin recently shed essential light on how player earnings directly impact the financial livelihoods of their bagmen.

During an appearance on a Golf Digest Q&A video on YouTube, Griffin explained the baseline costs, stating, "So caddies get paid a salary, can range anywhere from a couple thousand dollars to maybe upwards of 5,000 as a base and then a percentage on top."

He further elaborated on standard weekly performance rates, noting, "So I know majority players pay their caddies somewhere between 7 and 8% per week."

The ultimate financial bonus occurs during a victory, as Griffin added, "And then a 10% has always been kind of the standard for a win for a caddy."

These performance percentages mean that a lucrative season for a professional golfer automatically secures massive financial windfalls for their hard-working looper.

The baseline salary serves as a crucial cushion, covering travel expenses and ensuring caddies survive even during weeks when players miss cuts.

Staggering Realities of Elite Tour Earnings 

If the marquee player has a lead in the tour standings, the loyal bagman always receives much more money than the vast majority of fully exempt tour pros.

For instance, the faithful bagman of Scottie Scheffler, Ted Scott, reportedly earned around $5.3 million in performance bonuses throughout the historic 2024 season, when Scheffler earned around $55 million.

Indeed, that amazing figure exceeded the playing winnings of some highly renowned, world-class PGA Tour pros in that particular year.

Similarly, Tommy Fleetwood’s veteran loop assistant Ian Finnis secured a highly lucrative payout in 2025, banking an estimated $1.59 million as his player consistently excelled.

On the other hand, it is a completely different story when it comes to loopers working for golfers having difficulties making the weekly cut. Sharing a realistic look on X in 2025, pro caddie Bryan Kopsick revealed a total of $149,007 in on-course earnings during the 2024 season, while supporting player Ben Silverman.

Kopsick simultaneously detailed the intense financial pressures behind the scenes, highlighting that his total travel and professional expenses for the year reached approximately $50,000, which was $2000 more than his base salary of $48,000.

However, with tournament purses increasing to astronomical sums, there could be a possibility of a dispute arising between the two parties concerning their performance percentages. However, that is something to talk about as and when the situation arises, and hopefully, it doesn't.

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Written by

Abhishek Sharma

Edited by

Yask Kotak