Vietnam Caddie and Tipping Guide

How caddies work in Vietnam

If you have only played in Australia, the caddie setup here will be new. At the large majority of Vietnamese courses a caddie is compulsory and one caddie is assigned to each golfer in your group. It is not an optional extra for the affluent; it is simply how golf is staffed and paced in this country.

A good Vietnamese caddie does far more than carry your bag. During a round you can expect your caddie to:

• Give yardages to the flag and to the front and back of each green.
• Read putts, including the subtle borrow that visitors consistently miss on newly surfaced greens.
• Advise on club selection, particularly into the wind on exposed coastal holes.
• Spot balls, rake bunkers, repair pitch marks, tend the flag and keep the group moving.
• Manage the buggy, your drinks and your clubs between shots.

Most caddies are women, often from villages near the course, and many take real pride in their work. English ability varies. At the international-standard resorts around Da Nang, Hoi An and Nha Trang you can generally hold a conversation; at more local courses, communication may be mostly gestures and a shared love of the game.

Caddie fees, and what they actually cover

The course sets a caddie fee, which at most clubs sits around VND 300,000–400,000 (roughly AUD 18–25) per round. At some clubs this is bundled into the green fee; at others it appears as a separate line on your starting sheet. Either way, the fee goes to the course, not to the caddie.

The buggy is a separate question. Many courses expect golfers to ride, with one buggy shared between two players and a surcharge if you want to ride alone. Confirm how your group will be paired when you book, because buggy arrangements affect both cost and pace of play.

How much should you tip?

Tipping is customary rather than compulsory, but in practice almost every visiting golfer tips. The commonly quoted range for a standard round is VND 300,000–500,000 (about AUD 18–30) per golfer, paid directly to your own caddie in cash at the end of the round. Hand it over with a thank you as they return your clubs, rather than leaving it on a table or folding it into a course payment.

A few practical points:

• Tip in Vietnamese dong, in notes rather than coins. Small change handed over as a tip can read as dismissive.
• Each golfer tips their own caddie individually. If your caddie was outstanding: reading greens well, keeping you dry in a shower, finding two lost balls: round up with confidence.
• Wet-weather rounds deserve a little more. A caddie who has stood in monsoon rain for four hours has earned it.
• If the service genuinely was poor, it is acceptable to tip at the lower end rather than not at all, and to raise it with the starter or course manager.

Agree on a group approach before the first tee

The smoothest groups decide their tipping policy before they leave home. On an ASEAN LINKS trip we brief every group on current local expectations, suggest a per-round figure, and remind everyone to carry small-denomination dong. If one organised member of the group keeps a float of notes and settles everyone at the end of each round, nothing is left to an awkward scramble on the 18th green.

Requesting a particular caddie

Some courses allow you to request a caddie by name or number, and at premium resorts it is worth doing if you had a great pairing on an earlier visit. Requests usually need to be made at booking, and a requested caddie may expect the upper end of the tipping range. Ask us when we secure your tee times and we will note it with the course.

Common questions

Can I play without a caddie?

At very few Vietnamese courses. Walking off the caddie service is not normally offered, so budget for the fee and treat the caddie as part of the experience. Most visiting golfers end up rating their caddie among the highlights of the trip.

Should I buy my caddie a drink?

Offering water or a soft drink during the round is a kind gesture, especially in the hotter months, but the cash tip at the end is what counts.

Do caddies at every course read greens well?

Quality varies with the tier of the course. At top resorts, caddies train on green reading and line calling; elsewhere, trust but verify on short putts until you know your caddie's eye.