Looking to Turn Pro? A Guide to Financial Aspects of Golfing

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As an avid golfer looking to go pro, your game must be in the red; otherwise, your bank account might be. The average pro golfer makes around $2 million a year, but it takes some considerable investments to get to that point. When you’re starting in the golfing world, you will have to fund yourself first before you can get to that pro status. Not only are there significant financial investments required, but also large time investments, which could pull you away from work, costing you even more.

If you’re looking to go pro, here is what to expect financially.

Equipment costs

If you’re serious about going pro, you’re going to need a good set of clubs. A good driver can run upwards of $600, not to mention $400 for a putter and $1,200 for a set of irons. You’re going to have to spend a couple thousand out of your own pocket off the bat just to get started. Not everyone has that lying around, so taking out a cash loan from CashLady might be essential.

Tournament fees

Competing in the PGA tour for those who are not yet pro is highly expensive, so having a sponsor is essential for more significant events. According to Golfweek, a small bank of pros that qualify will not need to pay any entry fees. That’s why you’ll have to start with smaller tournaments at first. You can either pay for them yourself or convince friends or family to invest in you. You can sometimes find people that will back you financially in exchange for a certain percentage of your future winnings.

You’ll need to play in quite a few tournaments to secure a corporate sponsor, and you need to be on your “A” game every time. Each tournament will typically cost anywhere between $250 and $850 to play in. So, you can see how those fees can add up quickly. If you play well, you will start to get that back in winnings, and hopefully get noticed by someone who will sponsor your future efforts.

Travel and lodging

When you first start out, you will have to cover all your travel and lodging expenses for every tournament. Flights, hotels and transportation will all come out of your pocket. Even once you go pro, you may still have to cover those expenses, although they will seem minor when you’re making millions. There will be sponsors that will cover travel and lodging, but only the best of the best will receive those perks. Who knows? That could be you next!

Coaching

You’re going to need some personal coaching if you want to play with the pros. Each session with a coach can cost up to $150, depending on who you’re working with. If you have the dedication to improve your craft, working with a coach is the best way to continually progress. Again, you will need to cover this fee yourself.

You’ll also need to cover the costs of hiring a caddy. In the beginning, you can carry your clubs yourself to cut the costs, but as you move up in the ranks, having a caddy will become necessary. Even the pros still pay for their caddies, which cost about $1,200 per week on the PGA Tour. They also take home a percentage of the winnings, which each pair negotiate.

Brian Weis

Publisher of GolfGuide.com.

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