Caddies at the world-renowned golf courses, now employed by CaddieMaster, say employer upended their livelihoods overnight; caddies are working more but earning less while fees for golfers increase

An NLRB election will be held on June 18; if workers vote “yes,” they would join UNITE HERE Local 19 alongside other Pebble Beach Resort employees 

Pebble Beach – More than 250 caddies at Pebble Beach Golf Links, the most famous golf course in the country, are organizing a union. It is a first for caddies in the modern era.

Caddies across Pebble Beach Company’s golf courses – Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill Golf Course, The Links at Spanish Bay, and Del Monte Golf Course – are fighting to maintain their autonomy and protect their livelihoods. They are demanding respect as professionals who shape the golfer experience at some of the most celebrated, and most expensive, public golf courses in the world.

“When golfers come to Pebble Beach, we are the face of the resort. Whether I’m with a tech billionaire or a teacher from Iowa who saved up for years for the experience of playing here, my job is building relationships and facilitating memories. You can’t corporatize that,” said Jack Hoenes, a CaddieMasters caddie who has been at Pebble Beach for 24 years. “These changes to our jobs are happening because of greed at the top and a gross underestimation of the value of caddies. We organized to protect our careers.”

Caddies say they are part of more than a century of tradition at Pebble Beach – one they felt changed overnight when CaddieMaster became their employer on May 1. For decades, caddies had elected a board to directly discuss the terms of their pay and schedule; that structure was eliminated under CaddieMaster. Caddies were moved to hourly pay, starting as low as minimum wage, and additional hours were added onto the workday. Meanwhile, costs for golfers at Pebble Beach have increased to a $695 green fee, $175 and $250 for single bag and double bag caddie fees, respectively.

“I’ve always said this is one of the best jobs in the world, but I can’t afford my rent here if I’m suddenly making 30% less,” says Mat DeCristo, a caddie at Pebble Beach since 2002, now employed by CaddieMaster.

“Planning for retirement just got a whole lot trickier,” said CaddieMaster caddie Troy Bumgardner. “For years, this job has come with a tradeoff. We may not have had a 401(k), but we had flexibility and the ability to build a life around this work. Now it feels like that’s being taken away too. I’ve worked hard for 21 years to create a schedule that allowed me to support my family and even help care for our 80-year-old neighbor every afternoon. I shouldn’t have to work longer hours or completely change my life just to make the same income.”

Instead of losing their voice on the job, caddies quickly came together and formed a union.

In early May, workers delivered a petition to management with overwhelming majority support, calling on CaddieMaster to recognize their union with UNITE HERE Local 19 and negotiate a union contract. Workers have filed for an NLRB election, which will be held on June 18.

“I was able to build a great life around this job and I want other caddies to be able to do the same. I organized because I want this to be a good job going forward,” said Tony Malokas, who has caddied at the golf courses for 26 years.

“We’re simply asking for a seat at the table,” Bumgardner added. “Caddies deserve a voice in decisions that directly affect our livelihoods, our families, and our futures.”

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UNITE HERE Local 19 represents more than 8,500 workers in hotels – including at the Lodge at Pebble Beach – restaurants, tech company and university cafeterias, airports, sports arenas, state and national parks, convention centers, and casinos throughout Northern California.