Uganda caddies plead for better pay
AT the height of golfer Tiger Woods career, his caddie Steve Williams was earning up to $100,000 (sh280m) a week. That’s about sh40m a day assuming that he had a round of golf per day.
By JAMES BAKAMA
AT the height of golfer Tiger Woods career, his caddie Steve Williams was earning up to $100,000 (sh280m) a week. That’s about sh40m a day assuming that he had a round of golf per day.
Compare that to sh10, 000 a day that Ugandan caddies are paid to carry bags for 18 holes. Of course, it might be unrealistic to compare the two cases.
Woods is in the top end of the sport where the money involved in
sponsorships, endorsements, prizes and appearance fees is hefty. Golf is to the contrary largely amateur in Uganda. Though the sport also attracts the country’s high and mighty, the money that runs it here is still nowhere close to Woods’ orbit.
But despite the gulf, Ugandan caddies still feel they are getting a raw deal. Matters have also not been helped by the tough economic trends the country is currently facing.
“The money can only buy one meal. Most of us end up walking because we can’t pay for transport,†complained a caddie at the ongoing Uganda Open. Conditions were until recently even worse with a sh8000 daily pay.
The caddie, who preferred anonymity for fear of being sacked, complained that it is time those who manage the sport in Uganda matched other countries in the region. A caddie in Kenya is paid an equivalent of at least 35,000 Uganda shillings.
“If they can’t increase our pay, then, they should at least consider raising the money at major events like the Uganda Open,†he said.
At most clubs, caddies are paid at the end of the round by cash. The player can tip the caddy based on their performance during the round, with extra money given for good work.
Most US club caddies earn between $35 and $100 (sh280,000) per bag. More experienced caddies or caddies working during a tournament, high-stakes match, or 4-Day member-guest will often earn significantly more, upwards of $100 per round, per bag. In a professional tour, a player often pays their caddy a percentage of their winnings, which can be as high as 10%.
A common pay scale is 5% for making the cut, 7% for a top 10, and 10% for a win. The caddy also usually receives a salary, as the player is not guaranteed to win money at every tournament.
AT the height of golfer Tiger Woods career, his caddie Steve Williams was earning up to $100,000 (sh280m) a week. That’s about sh40m a day assuming that he had a round of golf per day.
Compare that to sh10, 000 a day that Ugandan caddies are paid to carry bags for 18 holes. Of course, it might be unrealistic to compare the two cases.
Woods is in the top end of the sport where the money involved in
sponsorships, endorsements, prizes and appearance fees is hefty. Golf is to the contrary largely amateur in Uganda. Though the sport also attracts the country’s high and mighty, the money that runs it here is still nowhere close to Woods’ orbit.
But despite the gulf, Ugandan caddies still feel they are getting a raw deal. Matters have also not been helped by the tough economic trends the country is currently facing.
“The money can only buy one meal. Most of us end up walking because we can’t pay for transport,†complained a caddie at the ongoing Uganda Open. Conditions were until recently even worse with a sh8000 daily pay.
The caddie, who preferred anonymity for fear of being sacked, complained that it is time those who manage the sport in Uganda matched other countries in the region. A caddie in Kenya is paid an equivalent of at least 35,000 Uganda shillings.
“If they can’t increase our pay, then, they should at least consider raising the money at major events like the Uganda Open,†he said.
At most clubs, caddies are paid at the end of the round by cash. The player can tip the caddy based on their performance during the round, with extra money given for good work.
Most US club caddies earn between $35 and $100 (sh280,000) per bag. More experienced caddies or caddies working during a tournament, high-stakes match, or 4-Day member-guest will often earn significantly more, upwards of $100 per round, per bag. In a professional tour, a player often pays their caddy a percentage of their winnings, which can be as high as 10%.
A common pay scale is 5% for making the cut, 7% for a top 10, and 10% for a win. The caddy also usually receives a salary, as the player is not guaranteed to win money at every tournament.