How coming from money helps guys reach the tour..

[kg92lefty]

Sam Saunders is only on tour because of Arnold. There are lots of guys that if you gave 10-12 starts a year would be able to keep a card. Problem is getting that chance.

[kg92lefty]

By no means am I implying that money is the blueprint to success . I'm just thinking about a guy like Uihlein who to his credit was the #1 amateur in the world . However ...he spent quite a few years spinning his wheels a bit over in Europe . He didn't have the pressure of " if I miss another cut , that's it i can't afford to do this anymore" That is a MASSIVE advantage mentally , over the guy low on the money list who is trying to figure out if he can afford to keep going .

 

You do realize why he was in Europe right ? Because he had his tour card there and didn't want to get to the pga tour on any sponsor exemptions for who he was and not his world ranking. http://www.owgr.com/...?playerID=11357

 

I'd hardly call this spinning your tires.

 

But to your point money definility helps, it's all about who can survive the longest and patiently wait for their shot.

 

He earned his way there. Props to him.

[Aaronwilson_95]

By no means am I implying that money is the blueprint to success . I'm just thinking about a guy like Uihlein who to his credit was the #1 amateur in the world . However ...he spent quite a few years spinning his wheels a bit over in Europe . He didn't have the pressure of " if I miss another cut , that's it i can't afford to do this anymore" That is a MASSIVE advantage mentally , over the guy low on the money list who is trying to figure out if he can afford to keep going .

 

You do realize why he was in Europe right ? Because he had his tour card there and didn't want to get to the pga tour on any sponsor exemptions for who he was and not his world ranking. http://www.owgr.com/...?playerID=11357

 

I'd hardly call this spinning your tires.

 

But to your point money definility helps, it's all about who can survive the longest and patiently wait for their shot.

 

He earned his way there. Props to him.

Cutting your teeth ain’t pretty in any way.

 

Also would tend to assume theirs a huge difference in how the kids are raised when the parents are founders & owners compared to say someone who’s got a plush Wall Street job to a nice salary every year. The McNealy family likely know what being straight broke is, for his first few years and that’s not lost on his kids

[smashdn]

Who is getting better at golf, the kid who spends his summer at the club playing rounds, chipping and putting on the practice green and hitting balls at the range or the kid hauling hay for spending money?

 

 

I'd say money is pretty critical for success at Polo as well. You don't read many bootstrap stories about great Polo players. (Horse polo not water polo.)

[gioguy21]

after fitting for a few different companies at various levels of country club here in NJ/NY, and playing competitive events in the tri-state -- i see a lot of the same kids at the country clubs showing up on the top of leaderboards and more often than not - have very expensive setups and darn-near-perfect golf swings.

 

you're darn right having money helps.

[manku]

money may not necessarily help, but it has never hurt ... in any situation ... ever ...

 

Ask anyone who has had their child kidnapped how they feel about that statement...

[IVM]

Money may help but it does not beat talent.

[gioguy21]

Money may help but it does not beat talent.

 

talent cannot be realized without a medium in which to present it.

 

money helps provide the medium -- rarely can someone coming from nothing have enough range time or disposable income to get to facilities or support in which their talents can be honed.

[lowheel]

It does make it easier. Maverick McNealy's parents only helped him during his first season on the Web.com Tour, then he had to pay for everything himself. Tiger didn't come from money. Who knows what would have happened in Tiger's junior days had IMG not paid Early $50k a year as an advisor - money that helped Tiger get around on the junior circuits. Tiger's lack of money did fuel his intensity. He wanted to crush Trip Kuehne in the US Amateur finals because Trip came from money and Tiger wanted to show the world that a guy from average means could compete at the highest level. So money can definitely help, but lack of money can also fuel the desire to win that might not be there for someone who has all the money in the world.

 

you think Tiger wanted to beat Kuehne because his family had money?? it seems you dont know tiger.He wanted to beat anyone and everyone because he wanted to be the best not just for a week or month but forever.Guy was and is driven/obsessed with success in golf. Wants all the records always has always will.

 

Yes, Tiger wanted to beat everyone. But there was extra incentive to beat Trip because Tiger and Earl felt insulted during a visit to Trip's practice facilities before the tournament. According to Benedict and Keteyian's book, Tiger thought of Trip more as an enemy than an opponent.

 

He did this with everyone. Hated Steve Scott equally because of his girlfriend/wife.A very self motivated individual who would say anything to himself to fire himself up. make no misatke this incarnation of tiger is different because hes not the same player and hasnt been for well over 10 years.He knows this and realizes he cant be a dick now 24/7. That attitude drove him to those heights make no mistake.Just like like Michael jordan before him he was always me against the world.Do anything and everything to win. Scott and Kuehne gave him everything he can handle in both finals FYI but Tiger outlasted them mentally

Low did Tiger really think of Trip as an "actual" enemy? Tiger was supposed to have been friends with the Kuehne family back then. Enough of friends that Tiger and Kelli were partners in the old JCPenney Classic when Tiger turned pro in 1996.

 

On the course sure but not outside the ropes.he was good friends will all 3.Tiger actually encouraged Trip to try pro golf and mentored hank at times even getting him a prime time spot in those battle at bighorn events in prime time. On the course he was a loner and ruthless. Thats not a bad thing per say just reality

[cardoustie]

Some gents are quoting low numbers for cost of golf

 

The cost is significantly higher in larger metropolitan areas

 

Youth sports have become quite a catch 22.

 

Any rep sport as a parent and that is YOUR life for their teenage years ... and in so many sports there is no pro arena to graduate to and have any opportunity to make money

 

Girls reps soccer up here, you'd be traveling every weekend to games and tournaments. Good grief

[QuigleyDU]

It takes a lot more funds to get good at golf than it does basketball. I think you will find the majority of tour players come from well enough to do families. Equipment, greens fees, practice, coaches, balls, shoes, shiny belt buckles, it ALL adds up to to either a parent with money, or a parent that works at a golf course.

 

Lots of country club kids on tour. it is not a guarantee, but it is the inside track. Sure you have the Sevy's, the Trevino's, the Choi's etc. But! they are the exception, not the norm.

[Hawkeye77]

Sam Saunders is only on tour because of Arnold. There are lots of guys that if you gave 10-12 starts a year would be able to keep a card. Problem is getting that chance.

 

He earned his card last year and this year.

[ChronicSlicer]

Hitting balls at the range isn't cheap for kids

 

Say a kid wants to hit balls every day that's gotta be 300 a month, that's a lot of money for a non wealthy family

 

This is spot on. People also seem to forget golf isn`t really a sport where you can out in the backyard for some driving practice, maybe some short game if you`re lucky. Therefore the range is basically a must have.

[Shawn Paul]

I always wanted to play golf as a kid, but golf was expensive. Neither my father or mother played golf. I played football, basketball, baseball and ran track. All of these sports were not expensive to play. Eventually my Dad's boss gave him some old hand me down snake killers and a 5 gallon bucket of balls. It helped me to get started but it wasn't until I was 21 that I played golf on an actual course.

 

From there I didn't start golfing for real until I was 32 years old because in my circle of friends, nobody played golf. In my experience, money can certainly make the difference to get started in golf. I wanted to play my entire life but couldn't until I had not only the means but the pipeline of friends and contacts to do so.

 

My son's been playing since he was 6, now 12. He has the head start I never had!

[Ferguson]

Chicks like money.

[lumberman2462]

Chicks like money.

 

And there is no better aphrodisiac than....jet fuel. Gets ‘em every time.

[deadsolid...shank]

Sam Saunders is only on tour because of Arnold. There are lots of guys that if you gave 10-12 starts a year would be able to keep a card. Problem is getting that chance.

 

He earned his card last year and this year.

 

Little envy rearing it’s head there?

[Christosterone]

Money helps in every aspect of life without exception...

 

As it was and it should ever be...

 

This is the way of things...

 

Welcome to earth...

 

-Chris

[kg92lefty]

Sam Saunders is only on tour because of Arnold. There are lots of guys that if you gave 10-12 starts a year would be able to keep a card. Problem is getting that chance.

 

He earned his card last year and this year.

 

Little envy rearing it’s head there?

 

Isn't that this whole thread?

[deadsolid...shank]

Sam Saunders is only on tour because of Arnold. There are lots of guys that if you gave 10-12 starts a year would be able to keep a card. Problem is getting that chance.

 

He earned his card last year and this year.

 

Little envy rearing it’s head there?

 

Isn't that this whole thread?

 

I guess it could be. I know I’m jealous.

[iteachgolf]

Sam Saunders is only on tour because of Arnold. There are lots of guys that if you gave 10-12 starts a year would be able to keep a card. Problem is getting that chance.

There’s not a lot of guys who if given 10-12 starts would keep a card. And the ones who would are top 150 in the OWGR and at the top of the money list on a different tour.

 

Sam earned his card with his play. He earned his Web.com card through Q School and his PGA Tour card through Web.com Tour twice.

[Pent08]

If you ran enough regressions, you'd probably find that the kids who came from money were just more capable to begin with, regardless of what advantages they had financially.

[Teetoogrn]

Think of golf, hockey or shady entrance to ivy league schools, cash is king. Your kid’s going to need a little help. Where did you put that checkbook again?

[MtlJeff]

If you ran enough regressions, you'd probably find that the kids who came from money were just more capable to begin with, regardless of what advantages they had financially.

 

You just read stories like Zach Johnson, who had to sell shares in himself early on to pay to compete....I just wonder how many other Zach Johnson's just said screw it, and became stockbrokers or something.

 

I mean he won a masters and probably came close to never being on tour at some point

[iteachgolf]

If you ran enough regressions, you'd probably find that the kids who came from money were just more capable to begin with, regardless of what advantages they had financially.

 

You just read stories like Zach Johnson, who had to sell shares in himself early on to pay to compete....I just wonder how many other Zach Johnson's just said screw it, and became stockbrokers or something.

 

I mean he won a masters and probably came close to never being on tour at some point

 

He started playing Web.com Tour events only a year after turning pro. Won multiple Hooters Tour events, including 3 in a row early on. Even if he hadn’t sold shares he was making money from essentially day one and showed promise very early in his pro career.

[MtlJeff]

If you ran enough regressions, you'd probably find that the kids who came from money were just more capable to begin with, regardless of what advantages they had financially.

 

You just read stories like Zach Johnson, who had to sell shares in himself early on to pay to compete....I just wonder how many other Zach Johnson's just said screw it, and became stockbrokers or something.

 

I mean he won a masters and probably came close to never being on tour at some point

 

He started playing Web.com Tour events only a year after turning pro. Won multiple Hooters Tour events, including 3 in a row early on. Even if he hadn’t sold shares he was making money from essentially day one and showed promise very early in his pro career.

 

Maybe not the best example but came to mind, gotta be a lot of guys like that though where money is a concern before they decide to go pro or not. I'm sure they don't always go for it if they are educated guys who can get decent jobs elsewhere

[straightshot7]

Think of golf, hockey or shady entrance to ivy league schools, cash is king. Your kid’s going to need a little help. Where did you put that checkbook again?

 

Golf is very good at filtering it down to performance though. You will be exposed very quickly if you're not good enough to compete. Money can't buy under par rounds.

 

Money might give someone more opportunities and coaching, but they still have to have the game to perform. It's the performance that moves you forward or backward in golf, whether you're rich or poor. The scorecard doesn't care what your net worth is or what your parents' net worth is!

[lowheel]

Sam Saunders is only on tour because of Arnold. There are lots of guys that if you gave 10-12 starts a year would be able to keep a card. Problem is getting that chance.

 

Wow this reeks of jealousy... I didnt know him qualifying for the web.com then graduating a few years ago to the big tour after finishing 2nd at the web tour championship was solely because the king made a call. Mr Palmer giving his grandson a start every year at bayhill is what anyone here would do for their own kid/grand kid if their dream was to play pro golf on tour. No different than Justin Thomas and his dad. Same advantages.the rest is up to the player. Tiger financed his nieces career as well, getting her a nike deal. the rest is up to her.Tiger cant keep her on the LPGA

[lowheel]

If you ran enough regressions, you'd probably find that the kids who came from money were just more capable to begin with, regardless of what advantages they had financially.

 

You just read stories like Zach Johnson, who had to sell shares in himself early on to pay to compete....I just wonder how many other Zach Johnson's just said screw it, and became stockbrokers or something.

 

I mean he won a masters and probably came close to never being on tour at some point

 

He started playing Web.com Tour events only a year after turning pro. Won multiple Hooters Tour events, including 3 in a row early on. Even if he hadn't sold shares he was making money from essentially day one and showed promise very early in his pro career.

 

I played with him on the hooters tour and he dominated quick. Insane wedge player. He didnt have alot of money to start but made some very quickly.Always admired him. He was trying to mondayqualify at a few events on and got in i think at the bellsouth. Never turned back

[Skhacker]

Sam Saunders is only on tour because of Arnold. There are lots of guys that if you gave 10-12 starts a year would be able to keep a card. Problem is getting that chance.

Sam is a grinder. Don't let his good fortune fool you.