'You Shall Not Engage In Conduct Unbecoming A Professional Caddie' – The Long List Of Regulations Bagmen MUST Comply With On The PGA Tour

Caddies are governed by a strict set of regulations on the PGA Tour, as detailed in the official 2024 PGA Tour player handbook, and "players shall be responsible for the conduct and behaviour of their caddies during tournaments." 

One of the things caddies can't do on the PGA Tour is get fined, however. The players are responsible for their caddies, so any fine falls on them. For example, the PGA Tour rulebook states that “a caddie may enter the locker room during the week to assist the player with retrieving items from his locker. Caddies are not allowed in the locker room at any other time. Players whose caddies enter locker rooms initially (not for reason provided above) will be fined $100. Subsequent fines during a season will be $250 and $500, respectively.”

However caddies can, in effect, be sacked by the Tour as those who “do not comply” with the Tour’s Caddie Regulations will be “subject to losing the privilege to caddie on the PGA Tour. Also, for any violation of these regulations, disciplinary action may be taken against the player for whom the caddie is providing services.”

There have been some famous player-caddie partnerships and anyway caddies are not optional for players are required to employ caddies. The caddie is also required to carry the clubs as pull or push trolleys and carts are not allowed.

Caddies and players alike are required to “present a neat appearance in both clothing and personal grooming.” But whereas “clothing worn by players shall be consistent with currently accepted golf fashion,” the caddies have a more detailed list of clothing dos and don’ts.

Players cannot wear shorts, unlike caddies; but caddies can only wear “solid-colored khaki-style long pants, which touch the top of the shoe, or solid-colored, knee-length tailored shorts or skorts, and a collared shirt while on club property.” These have to be of “an acceptable colour.” As to what is acceptable colour, this is “determined at the discretion of the PGA Tour Chief Referee.”

More guidance is given on the colour of shoes, where “permissible colours are limited to white and earth tones such as navy, blue, black, brown, tan gray, dark green and the like. Bright colours that are intended to draw attention to a person’s footwear are not acceptable.” Nor are golf spikes, nor open-toed footwear.

However the Caddie Regulations are not always impositions on the caddies. Although they state that “Caddies shall not falsely register for accommodations or leave unpaid bills,” they also require that “caddies shall be paid promptly.”

Here are some other things caddies must adhere to on the PGA Tour:

– Caddies must conform to the Player Endorsement Policy

– Caddies may not walk on putting greens on any day, at any time, before or after a Pro-Am or official tournament round

– Caddies shall not be permitted on practice greens except to retrieve pitch and run shots or putts

– Caddies shall not hit shots or putts anywhere on the practice areas or course, except in specially approved competitions 

– Caddies shall not engage in any conduct that is prohibited for players under the PGA Tour Anti-Doping Programme

– Caddies shall not engage in any conduct that is prohibited under the PGA Tour's Integrity Programme

– Caddies shall not engage in conduct unbecoming a professional caddie, as determined in the sole discretion of the PGA Tour