Before the LIV Golf Team Championship in Miami, Dustin Johnson spoke about how he thinks players and caddies alike are feeling about the new tour. He thinks both players and caddies have enjoyed their time on the new tour saying, “It’s been fun to see a lot more smiles on people’s faces. I think everyone’s genuinely happy.” He has long been a supporter of the LIV Golf, but this was a direct shot at how the PGA Tour treats its players and caddies.

For a caddy on the PGA Tour, his or her player decides the cut of the money that has been won after an event. Traditionally, if the player wins the event, the caddie receives ten percent of the overall player earnings, for a top ten finish a caddie gets seven percent, and for anything else it’s five percent. Caddies also have a base salary, which is typically around three thousand dollars per tournament. However, these figures are all base numbers though, and the caddies do negotiate their contracts with their players.

Although they make great money, PGA caddies have to pay for their travel, food, and hotel rooms. In contrast, LIV Golf caddies do not; all expenses are paid as a LIV Golf caddy. Overall, it is basically like the caddie is a player. “You feel more included. The little stuff, like just being able to go into the player dining and eat, and my wife can go in there and hang out and they let her go in all the club and get some air conditioning and get a snack, stuff like that,” said Austin Johnson, brother and caddie for LIV Golf’s season-long champion, Dustin Johnson. This disparity is great, and it is not highlighted as it should be.

Another big incentive of being a player and a caddie for LIV Golf is that there are no cuts; this means that every player makes the field for the duration of the event and does not get eliminated. This is a sharp contrast to the PGA Tour’s rule, which is taxing on both the players and caddies.

The LIV Golf tour’s no cut policy means one thing: guaranteed money. As a PGA and LPGA Tour player, he or she is constantly working to make that cut in order to make money. This constant pressure increases stress. Long-time caddy Chris Rice, who now handles the bag for Harold Varner, commented on this by saying, “There’s obviously no cut, which helps. That’s why everyone’s got a smile on their face because, on the PGA Tour, you’re playing for your livelihood, and if you miss the cut — for the guys that are lower down and fighting to keep their cards and pay for their family and stuff like that, I think everyone’s just a little bit more relaxed [at the LIV Golf tour].”

Now don’t get me wrong, I am definitely a supporter of the PGA Tour, but in the previously stated matter, I have to say I am on the side of the LIV Golf tour. LIV Golf has a fun atmosphere for sure, and with the no-cut policy, players are more relaxed, which can be good. Overall, I don’t think it’s a bad thing that the PGA Tour has cuts, for I think it increases pressure and nerves, which a player needs.

The problem with pressure is that it is not just on the players. for it is on the caddies as well. For caddies, I believe they deserve to be treated better and have more security. The LIV Golf tour is definitely succeeding in this realm. LIV Golf makes it much easier for the caddies to live without constant pressure and provides them with the opportunity to have control over their own lives on and off the course. In my opinion, the question pertaining to are LIV Golf caddies happier and treated better has been answered: definitely yes.