In golf, a caddy (or caddie) is the person who carries a player's bag and clubs, and gives insightful advice and moral support. A good caddy is aware of the challenges and obstacles of the golf course being played, along with the best strategy in playing it. This includes knowing overall yardage, pin placements and club selection. A caddy is not usually an employee of a private club or resort. They are classified as an "independent contractor," meaning that he or she is basically self-employed and does not receive any benefits or perks from his association with the club. Some clubs and resorts do have caddy programs, although benefits are rarely offered. Particularly in Europe, the vast majority of clubs do not offer caddies, and amateur players will commonly carry or pull their own bags.
Traditional caddying involves both the golfer and the caddy walking the course. The caddy is in charge of carrying the player’s bag, and walks ahead of the golfer to locate his ball and calculate the yardage to the pin and/or hazards. This is the most common method used in golf clubs and is the only method allowed in the PGA (Professional Golf Association) and LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association). The three "ups" of caddying are: show up, shut up, and keep up.
Fore-Caddying entails the caddy walking while the players ride in carts. The fore-caddy will give a hole description and then walk ahead to spot the players tee shots. The caddy then gets the players yardage (either with a GPS watch, laser, course knowledge, or sprinkler heads) while the players drive their carts from the tee to their shots. The caddy walks ahead again to spot the golfers next shots. This process is continued until the players reach the green. Once on the green the caddy will read greens (if asked per proper golf etiquette), clean golf balls (if asked), fix ball marks, and attend the flag. The caddy is also responsible for raking traps on the course. Caddies will help with club selection, reading greens, weather variables, and marking balls on the green but should do so only if asked by the player. More than anything else, the caddy is there to make the player's round enjoyable by taking care of menial tasks, speeding up play, and providing mental support if asked.