背包的职业球童
由于球车的出现， 和各种测距仪的发明， 高尔夫球场的球童已经不那么重要了。 美国和欧洲除了一些高端的私人俱乐部， 已经很少有球童服务。 不过， 中国球场基本都提供球童服务， 而且，一个球童服务一个人， 这太奢侈了。 从另一个方面也说明中国的劳动力便宜。
那么， 那些提供球童服务的俱乐部， 球童挣多少钱？ 美国高尔夫文摘2011年，有一篇文章做过调查。 在夏天， 一个球童一周服务5-6场， 工资加上小费大约能挣3000-4000美元。 文中提到的Diamond Creek G.C, 一个球童服务3人， 一场每人是25美元， 加上小费， 球童赚160美元。
冬天， 他们就跑到佛罗里达球场去工作， 挣的多一些， 那边小费也高。 基本上他们每年能赚 35000 – 40000 美元/年。 也有挣的多的， 可以达到60000美元。 7-8月高峰期， 两个月就能挣20000美元。
美巡赛的职业球童收入怎么样？
按照惯例，球童的收入是跟球员的表现挂钩。球员如果打两轮之后晋级，则抽取奖金的5%，进入前十则分得7%，获胜则获得10%。除此之外，因为球员不能保证在每一场比赛中都能获得奖金，美巡撒的中级赛事Nationwide 的球童大概每周基本工资700美元。PGA球童差不多1200美元/周。
但是这些球童的工作很不稳定， 工作个几星期就被解雇的不在少数， 而且他们每周都跑不同的城市， 很辛苦。
还有一些球员没有稳定的球童， 他们每到一地比赛， 都临时雇佣当地的球童， 这样球童的收入就看两人开始的时候怎么签的合同。
有报道说， 老虎伍兹的球童跟随他12年， 从1999-2011， 这段时间正是老虎的黄金时期， 他拿下13个大满贯冠军。 粗略估算， 他的球童这12年的收入大约有800万美元。
Caddies traditionally were paid via a 5%, 7%, 10% formula based on whether the player made the cut, finished top 10 or won the event. But today, most established players pay their caddies 8% of total winnings and 10% for a win, according to golf insiders, although the actual terms of a contract can vary. We applied this formula as a basis for caddie earnings between June 2016 and June 2017 for the top players on the Tour.
In addition to a cut of prize money, most caddies receive $1,500 to $2,500 per event, which typically covers expenses for the tournament. If the player misses the cut, the caddie is likely to net very little for the week. Caddies also have a chance to ink their own endorsement deals with their hats prime territory for sponsors. Caddies for upper-echelon players like Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy who get lots of camera time can make six-figures from endorsements. Other players in the top 25 can earn up to $50,000. Our estimates include caddies’ cut of winnings, weekly pay and sponsorship income.
The FedEx Cup, golf’s version of a playoff, has been a boon to players and their caddies. The total payout for the 2016 version was $35 million spread across 150 players with the top five players all earning at least a $1 million bonus.
Caddying for a top PGA player is lucrative with 10 caddies earning at least $500,00, but it is a tough way to make a living for a player outside the top 100 on the money list with expenses eating up much of your earnings and no benefits as an independent contractor.
Caddies attempted to help their financial standing through a class-action lawsuit filed in 2015 to seek compensation from the PGA Tour for forcing caddies to wear logos of the tournaments’ corporate sponsors on their bibs, which the caddies estimated was worth $50 million a year. A federal judge in California dismissed the lawsuit last year, although the caddies are appealing the ruling.
