Do I get a penalty for my caddie's breach of the Rules?

Yes, you get the penalty. Under Rule 1.3c(1), you're responsible for your caddie's actions during the round exactly as if you'd done them yourself — so any breach by your caddie becomes your penalty.

How the rule works

Your caddie is effectively an extension of you on the course. If they touch your ball in play, improve your lie, test the sand in a bunker, or do anything else that breaks a Rule, the penalty attaches to you. It doesn't matter whether you told them to do it or not — the Rule says you're responsible for their actions during the round, period. The penalty is whatever the specific Rule calls for: one stroke, two strokes, loss of hole, or disqualification.

Shared caddies and multiple players

If you share a caddie with another player, you're each responsible for that caddie's actions during your own round. If the caddie breaches a Rule while carrying for you, you get the penalty. If they breach it while carrying for your partner, your partner gets it. The caddie's actions are attributed to whoever they're working for at that moment.

When you're not on the hook

You're only responsible for your caddie's actions during the round. If they do something before you tee off or after you hole out on the final hole, it's not your problem. Also, if someone else — a spectator, another player, a referee — does something that affects your ball without your knowledge or consent, that's covered by a different Rule (Rule 9.6) and you don't get penalized for their mistake.

Exceptions that change the answer

• The caddie's breach happens outside your round — before you start or after you finish → You don't get the penalty; the caddie's actions only count during your round
• Another person (not your caddie) breaches a Rule affecting your ball without your request or awareness → You don't get penalized — Rule 9.6 applies instead, and you replace the ball without penalty
• You're disqualified from a single round in a multi-round competition where not all rounds count → You're only disqualified from that round, not the entire competition (Interpretation 1.3c/1)

Frequently asked questions

My caddie accidentally moved my ball in the fairway — is that on me?

Yes. Your caddie moved your ball in play, which breaches Rule 9.4b. You take a one-stroke penalty and replace the ball, just as if you'd moved it yourself.

Can I avoid the penalty if I didn't tell my caddie to do it?

No. Rule 1.3c(1) makes you responsible for your caddie's actions during the round regardless of whether you authorized them. The penalty is yours either way.

What if my caddie gives me wrong advice that costs me a penalty?

Advice from your caddie is allowed, but if they physically do something that breaches a Rule — like touching sand in a bunker before your stroke — you get the penalty for their action under Rule 12.2b.

We share a caddie. He breaches a Rule while carrying for my partner. Do I get penalized?

No. You're only responsible for the caddie's actions during your own round. Your partner gets the penalty for breaches that happen while the caddie is working for them.

Does this apply in match play and stroke play the same way?

Yes. Rule 1.3c(1) applies in both formats. The penalty you receive matches what the specific Rule prescribes — loss of hole in match play, stroke penalty in stroke play.