How Does a Golfer Get Paid

Like many professional athletes, the top golf pros commonly earn more than $1 million a year. Their paychecks, though, vary considerably, making performance count for more than bragging rights in the clubhouse.

  1. History

    • The general public often views golf as a sport of the elite. After all, some of the most pricey homes in the United States abut golf courses. Golfers, though, were not always among the financial elite. No one earned $1 million in a single year until Curtis Strange achieved the mark on the PGA Tour in 1988.
      As recently as 1996, only nine Professional Golf Association competitors earned more than $1 million in winnings in a season. The No. 125 player earned just $170,000. That, though, was the same year that Tiger Woods arrived on the scene. Woods, now the world's most-famous and most-talented golfer, earned a whopping $23 million in winnings and bonuses in 2008 from his participation in both PGA events and overseas tournaments. Meanwhile, the No. 125 player earned $785,000.

    Features

    • Golfers earn money from two primary sources: competition and endorsements. Tournaments pay out money according to finishing place. Pay for major championships rates the highest of all golf competitions. South Korean golfer Y.E. Yang, for example, won $1.35 million for winning the prestigious PGA Championship on Aug. 16, 2009. It was more than he had won in all 61 of his other PGA events.
      Woods earned more than $7 million in the first half of 2009 from his performance on the golf course. Meanwhile, he raked in millions more endorsing products from companies such as Gatorade and Nike.

    Types

    • Pro golf features several tours, and golfers' earnings vary depending on which tour they play. PGA pros earn more than women golfers on the LPGA Tour, and some of the second-tier pro golf circuits, such as PGA's Nationwide Tour and Champions Tour, offer smaller winnings. On Aug. 18, 2009, Woods' season earnings totaled more than $7 million. Meanwhile, Michael Sim led the Nationwide Tour with $414,579.

    Considerations

    • Pro golfers generally pay out of their own pockets for tournament entry fees, travel, hotels, meals and other costs associated with their sport. Therefore, a portion of their income goes directly to pay these costs. A successful golfer, therefore, needs to earn considerably more than expenses at tournaments to make it a lucrative career.

    Benefits

    • Having two income sources provide golfers with a cushion in case they lose an endorsement deal or suffer a streak of poor play.

    Fun Fact

    • In 2007, Woods surpassed the $100-million mark for career winnings. With his endorsement deals, Woods is on pace to become the first billionaire athlete in 2010, when you consider his winnings and endorsements.