How Pro Golf winnings have progressed

[Nick at Noon]

In 1963 the median income for an American man was $4,511 That year Jack Nicklaus won his first Masters. He received $20,000,

After his final Masters victory in 1986 Nicklaus won $144,000. The median income for an American man was $17,114

In 2008, when the median income for an American man was about $33,000, Trevor Immelman won the Masters and $1,350,000.

That is when I decided I had nothing in common with a pro golfer -- and quit watching it on TV.

[Burma Jones]

1. A fitting analog of the entire fouled up mess we're in

[spanone]

2. i don't think about 500 professional golfers are the problem with the economy

[Nick at Noon]

5. I don't think pro golfers have hurt the economy

But it has been that philosophy of "get rich quick -- by doing less" that has hurt us all. How does it differ from the attitude on Wall Street ?

Maybe if we paid people less for what in essence if an enjoyable way to spend a weekend -- we'd all be better off.

[MadHound]

3. You're making the same mistake a lot of people make,

You're looking at one man, winning one game.

If you look behind that winning player, you're going to find a small company in action. In addition to the player, those winnings have to pay a caddy, a trainer/coach, some sort of secretary/accountant combination, and as the years take their toll, a doctor or three. Not to mention transportation, equipment fees, greens fees, room and board, etc. etc. None of this is cheap.

Very few people can make a decent living playing golf, and even fewer strike it rich. Tiger Woods is one of the very few (Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus are the other two) who is a guaranteed advertising draw. The rest, pffft, they're lucky if they get a print spot hocking Ping in Golf Digest or Champion on a tournament spot.

And after you get past the top ten players, the rest really have to struggle to make a living. Sure, if you're not making it in the majors, you can play in the second tier tournaments, some of which are televised, some not. But you're still faced with the same expenses.

So I really have no beef with golf players. That 1.35 million that Immelman won, well that might be the last real payday he sees for a long while, what with Tiger coming back. And he probably walked home with only a few hundred thousand after paying off all his people, debts, etc. Sure, a nice haul, but like I said, it's probably going to have to last him awhile.

[MadBadger]

4. Ooookkkk...?