Questions about Sponsors and Levels on tour

[Ironman_32]

Looking for some random insight on sponsorships on Tour if anyone knows. Mainly two questions:

 

1. Obviously, when you look at a leaderboard online and it says "Titleist" next to a player's name, it means they're sponsored by them. I would think, it isn't the same sponsorship for everyone. For example, do players on PGA Tour Americas have the same access/level as someone on Korn Ferry or the PGA Tour. And what is that difference? Does someone on the PGA Tour Americas get like 6 dozen balls and they say go at, vs someone like say Max Homa or gets fresh balls each week, is that even how it works?

 

2. Take a company like Nike for example. They sponsor a player and that player wears the clothes. I'm assuming Nike also gives them other stuff, like street sneakers or gym clothes so they don't wear other products when they are say in the gym or out and about. Would Nike also give apparel to the players family? For example, when Scottie wins i see his parents were all wearing Nike, I'm assuming Nike doesn't want their basically top guy's parents wearing another brand, but does Nike do that for everyone? I'm assuming Tom Kim's dad or mom can get a shirt, but does Nike ship that to them? Could someone like Rory essentially get a bunch of pairs of say, Jordan sneakers, where as someone like Chris Gotterup may have a limit? (I know it's essentially pennies for Nike on their end, just wondering)

[WristySwing]

I have no first-hand knowledge on this, so hopefully someone else may be able to answer your question better. I know through one of my dad's friends a player on the LPGA Tour. She has never won anything yet but was able to keep her card for over 10 or 15 years through the money list. She is sponsored by Titleist and apparently, according to her dad, was given 6 dozen balls a week. One for each round of golf and the two practice rounds. Of course, a pro is never going to lose a dozen balls in a round, but they often rotate them out after 3 or 4 holes due to wedge shots and hand the "scuffed" ball off to a kid/fan. She gets new clubs as needed. She also gets a couple new hats and I want to say 12 gloves a week but I cannot remember the glove number correctly so don't quote me on that. 

 

On the other hand, I have heard player's like Tiger, your really big name guys, are scripted each week, where their clothing is sent to them pre-packaged and all they have to do is open them and wear them. It helps with colour coordination for bigger tournaments and making sure they are wearing the newest designs. I would assume Tiger and Rory probably get a new pair of shoes each week (since the shoes are built off of casts of their feet), several dozen balls, as many gloves as they want, and so on. The more visible you become I would guess the better the package becomes.

[Ironman_32]

8 minutes ago, WristySwing said:

I have no first-hand knowledge on this, so hopefully someone else may be able to answer your question better. I know through one of my dad's friends a player on the LPGA Tour. She has never won anything yet but was able to keep her card for over 10 or 15 years through the money list. She is sponsored by Titleist and apparently, according to her dad, was given 6 dozen balls a week. One for each round of golf and the two practice rounds. Of course, a pro is never going to lose a dozen balls in a round, but they often rotate them out after 3 or 4 holes due to wedge shots and hand the "scuffed" ball off to a kid/fan. She gets new clubs as needed. She also gets a couple new hats and I want to say 12 gloves a week but I cannot remember the glove number correctly so don't quote me on that. 

 

On the other hand, I have heard player's like Tiger, your really big name guys, are scripted each week, where their clothing is sent to them pre-packaged and all they have to do is open them and wear them. It helps with colour coordination for bigger tournaments and making sure they are wearing the newest designs. I would assume Tiger and Rory probably get a new pair of shoes each week (since the shoes are built off of casts of their feet), several dozen balls, as many gloves as they want, and so on. The more visible you become I would guess the better the package becomes.

Thanks this is good insight. 

 

I get the scripted/pre-packaged stuff. I also get giving someone on tour that many balls, balls aren't expensive as they are, we're more paying for marketing dollars. I know with shoes it can be funny, as much as we thing new shoes every week is a luxury, sometimes they take a while to be broken in, so I've heard sometimes they don't use new shoes every week because the shoe guy at the clubhouse can make them look new. 

[Creedo77]

8 hours ago, Ironman_32 said:

Looking for some random insight on sponsorships on Tour if anyone knows. Mainly two questions:

 

1. Obviously, when you look at a leaderboard online and it says "Titleist" next to a player's name, it means they're sponsored by them. I would think, it isn't the same sponsorship for everyone. For example, do players on PGA Tour Americas have the same access/level as someone on Korn Ferry or the PGA Tour. And what is that difference? Does someone on the PGA Tour Americas get like 6 dozen balls and they say go at, vs someone like say Max Homa or gets fresh balls each week, is that even how it works?

 

2. Take a company like Nike for example. They sponsor a player and that player wears the clothes. I'm assuming Nike also gives them other stuff, like street sneakers or gym clothes so they don't wear other products when they are say in the gym or out and about. Would Nike also give apparel to the players family? For example, when Scottie wins i see his parents were all wearing Nike, I'm assuming Nike doesn't want their basically top guy's parents wearing another brand, but does Nike do that for everyone? I'm assuming Tom Kim's dad or mom can get a shirt, but does Nike ship that to them? Could someone like Rory essentially get a bunch of pairs of say, Jordan sneakers, where as someone like Chris Gotterup may have a limit? (I know it's essentially pennies for Nike on their end, just wondering)

1. when it states “Titleist” it means they play the golf ball, not necessarily sponsored by them.

 

pga tour players who have a shoe ball and glove deal with Titleist get 3 dozen balls a week. KFT players get 2 dozen and I’m not sure about America’s Tour but it’s probably the same 2 dozen 

 

KFT has most trailers on site each week but some wait a week or so when it’s convenient based on where the PGA Tour just played. Those companies are Mizuno, PXG, Taylormade. Titleist, callaway, Srixon all have trucks on site every week. The other companies work out of one trailer 

 

Not sure about the Americas Tour but if a player has a contract with a company they get whatever they want, to an extent. PGA/KFT is unlimited 

 

2. Using Nike for example, those guys get whatever they want. The family gets whatever they want, the caddie gets whatever they want. Giving away product for company like Nike is nothing.

 

Gotterup was the best collegiate golfer 2 years ago, he gets whatever he wants from Nike and has a huge contact with Bridgestone to play their ball.

 

3. clubhouse guy cleans shoes every week, players aren’t wearing new shoes every week out there 

Edited June 27 by Creedo77

[Ironman_32]

14 hours ago, Creedo77 said:

1. when it states “Titleist” it means they play the golf ball, not necessarily sponsored by them.

 

pga tour players who have a shoe ball and glove deal with Titleist get 3 dozen balls a week. KFT players get 2 dozen and I’m not sure about America’s Tour but it’s probably the same 2 dozen 

 

KFT has most trailers on site each week but some wait a week or so when it’s convenient based on where the PGA Tour just played. Those companies are Mizuno, PXG, Taylormade. Titleist, callaway, Srixon all have trucks on site every week. The other companies work out of one trailer 

 

Not sure about the Americas Tour but if a player has a contract with a company they get whatever they want, to an extent. PGA/KFT is unlimited 

 

2. Using Nike for example, those guys get whatever they want. The family gets whatever they want, the caddie gets whatever they want. Giving away product for company like Nike is nothing.

 

Gotterup was the best collegiate golfer 2 years ago, he gets whatever he wants from Nike and has a huge contact with Bridgestone to play their ball.

 

3. clubhouse guy cleans shoes every week, players aren’t wearing new shoes every week out there 

awesome, thanks this is good insight

[KirkNo-yes]

On 6/27/2024 at 8:52 AM, Ironman_32 said:

Looking for some random insight on sponsorships on Tour if anyone knows. Mainly two questions:

 

1. Obviously, when you look at a leaderboard online and it says "Titleist" next to a player's name, it means they're sponsored by them. I would think, it isn't the same sponsorship for everyone. For example, do players on PGA Tour Americas have the same access/level as someone on Korn Ferry or the PGA Tour. And what is that difference? Does someone on the PGA Tour Americas get like 6 dozen balls and they say go at, vs someone like say Max Homa or gets fresh balls each week, is that even how it works?

 

2. Take a company like Nike for example. They sponsor a player and that player wears the clothes. I'm assuming Nike also gives them other stuff, like street sneakers or gym clothes so they don't wear other products when they are say in the gym or out and about. Would Nike also give apparel to the players family? For example, when Scottie wins i see his parents were all wearing Nike, I'm assuming Nike doesn't want their basically top guy's parents wearing another brand, but does Nike do that for everyone? I'm assuming Tom Kim's dad or mom can get a shirt, but does Nike ship that to them? Could someone like Rory essentially get a bunch of pairs of say, Jordan sneakers, where as someone like Chris Gotterup may have a limit? (I know it's essentially pennies for Nike on their end, just wondering)

Buckle up this may be long

 

1.  First let's talk about some sponsors we have seen over the years.  Netjets, Waste Management, Amino Vital, Nature Valley to name a few. These sponsors all have a what is called a "pooled" sponsorship. Meaning if the player wears the logo then they are paid for that week. Now, before anyone jumps in and says they aren't all the same. Correct.  Someone like Charley Hoffman wearing Waste Management is different than Jason Kokrak.  If a caddy wears the Nature Valley logo and uses (or used) the Amino Vital towel then the Caddy is paid. Netjets they get a "credit" toward the use of a private jet. There are others as well but generally when you see these guys all wearing the same logo you can bet that the company has a deal with the tour to mass seed their brand and guys get like $500-$1000 a week for them plus bonuses for TV time, winning, etc. 

1.  Titleist- While Titleist to me has consistently made the most reliable ball in the history of golf, they achieved this by making sure that every player that plays on a recognizable tour has access to their stuff.  Someone on the leaderboard that has Titleist next to their name that means they put the ball in play that week. THAT is what matters most.  Use to be if you played the ball it pretty much guaranteed you would make about $150k a year from them.  When I played Hooters, Gateway, Tightlies, etc tours I would get 12 dozen balls a month and about 30 gloves. One set of irons a year and a pro discount on anything else I wanted to purchase.  No clue if my stuff came from the "tour dept". To me Titleist always had the tightest standards in their players equipment. When Taylormade started to make their resurgence in the early 2000's they went about this by saturating the pro market ( any on TV) with the Driver and paying for players to use it. If you played the driver you got between $500-$1000 a week to play it. People like Justin Thomas, Max Homa, etc are Titleist "Ambassadors".  These guys get roughly four dozen balls each week in the locker when they arrive to the event. couple of boxes of gloves. Any clubs they asked for as well as any other swag Titleist wants them to wear.  For a long time the PGA tour guys got balls that were literally ONLY for the PGA Tour, not even Korn Ferry like the left dot Pro v. (best ball ever made in my mind). 

2. Nike - Depending what level you are at it's still treated very much the same albeit some caveats and slight modifications.  When they had the clubs it was different but now that it's all apparel it's the same.  PGA tour players do not choose what they wear. When they get to the tournament they will find outfits (shirt pant combo and hat possibly) labeled and what day they want them to wear what.  period.  The big boys like Rory and a few others get paid well and have some say in design but regular players no.  They all have what's called a Pro Account where they have a yearly credit they can and need to spend. Let's say I'm a mini tour guy. I may get 10 shirts and 10 pants, shoes, shorts and other items to wear but then I will have $5000 in my pro account that I can "buy" any Nike item at a deep discount for family, friends, whatever.  I'm sure Rory and the likes wives are given outfits but for regular guys that is how it works. 

3.  Most players that have odd names or companies you scratch your head at and wonder what do they do? well, so do a lot of pros. Most of these deals are handled by agents and presented to them before the year.  logo size, placement, etc is all in the negotiations.  

 

They say having your tour card alone without earnings it's worth about $500K every year for the avg tour guy. Awesome...however

 

$500K x 35% = $175k to the tax man

$325k left 

$500k x 10% = $50 K to your agent/marketing team

$275K left 

- $50k to caddie

$225k left

- $50k for travel 

$175k left

-$25k for unseen stuff

$125k left

-$15k for insurance

$110k left

 

So roughly $100k left to live off of OFF course.  Now if you are 26 and not married, who gives a $hit. you will be ok.  If you are 35 and married and two kids?  pucker factor gets HIGH to perform. 

[Pepperturbo]

There are NO exact numbers for what the OP asks; it's all stipulated in their contract, presuming they have one and varies depending on the OEM sponsor.

 

Titleist Ambassadors and Titleist sponsored players typically get balls delivered to their homes on a pallet.  They get prototype clubs and clothes in a somewhat similar manner, delivered to their home.  If someone on tour just plays a Titleist ball, what they get depends on his notoriety.  

 

The sponsored players I am familiar with request items for their caddy... and might get items for notable family members, payment depends on contract.  

[knifeyspooney]

This may be a little off topic, but do the PGA Tour players get to hit their own balls off the range? Many of them are using Trackmans and the like, and it seems like they would need to use their own ball as well for accurate readings. Of course the logistics of this would be challenging, but you would think that the bigger players would have the resources to make this happen.

[Creedo77]

3 hours ago, knifeyspooney said:

This may be a little off topic, but do the PGA Tour players get to hit their own balls off the range? Many of them are using Trackmans and the like, and it seems like they would need to use their own ball as well for accurate readings. Of course the logistics of this would be challenging, but you would think that the bigger players would have the resources to make this happen.

They use the balls supplied for the week, not their own 

 

Titleist, Taylormade, Srixon, Callaway, and Bridgestone are in bags 

 

Players who play a variance of the pro v like the dash, dot, cross, etc don’t hit those balls on the range. If someone wants to test those balls the reps usually allow it but I’ve hardly seen that over the years 

[pga43]

5 hours ago, Pepperturbo said:

There are NO exact numbers for what the OP asks; it's all stipulated in their contract, presuming they have one and varies depending on the OEM sponsor.

 

Titleist Ambassadors and Titleist sponsored players typically get balls delivered to their homes on a pallet.  They get prototype clubs and clothes in a somewhat similar manner, delivered to their home.  If someone on tour just plays a Titleist ball, what they get depends on his notoriety.  

 

The sponsored players I am familiar with request items for their caddy... and might get items for notable family members, payment depends on contract.  

 

 

Not sure where you got the info about a pallet of golf balls delivered to their house, but PGA TOUR players get golf balls each week at the tournament that they play.  Also, when new clubs come out Titleist has boxes of irons (or woods) for each player delivered to the tournament that the new clubs will be first played on Tour.  Then the techs double check all the clubs to make sure the specs are correct to what the player uses with the older model.  The player is then given the new clubs and the Titleist Tour Reps work the player, their coach and TrackMan.

 

 

Greg

[hacker101]

Friends with a former top 50 player from 15 years ago. While inside the top 50, shirt collar was worth $300k, sleeve and shirt pocket area were worth $200-250k each. As his ranking dropped so did the value. 

[Soloman1]

creedo’s answer is the most up-to-date and accurate based on the pros i know.

 

not all balls are created equal. the best, most consistent after inspection are the ones in lockers every week. sometimes they’re in an plain white box.

 

an agent can work out some kind of clothing deal for new cardholders. they get an account with the maker with whatever amount was agreed to for free, then a deep discount after that.

 

i know one guy went to an outlet mall and filled his car with as much as he could, then sent it to his sister to sell. 🙂

 

ain’t no pallets, but i assume it was hyperbole.

 

it all started with amana hats back in the 60’s. players got $50/week to wear the hat back when $50 was something. now it’s a cheeseburger and a beer after tax and tip.

[mshills]

1 hour ago, Soloman1 said:

creedo’s answer is the most up-to-date and accurate based on the pros i know.

 

not all balls are created equal. the best, most consistent after inspection are the ones in lockers every week. sometimes they’re in an plain white box.

 

an agent can work out some kind of clothing deal for new cardholders. they get an account with the maker with whatever amount was agreed to for free, then a deep discount after that.

 

i know one guy went to an outlet mall and filled his car with as much as he could, then sent it to his sister to sell. 🙂

 

ain’t no pallets, but i assume it was hyperbole.

 

it all started with amana hats back in the 60’s. players got $50/week to wear the hat back when $50 was something. now it’s a cheeseburger and a beer after tax and tip.

This agrees with my knowledge, which is admittedly several years removed from being first hand.

 

Two points in the above. First, no player gets bespoke shoes. No one is wearing shoes made off of casts of his feet unless he travels to Budapest and has Vass make them. Nike or Adidas or FJ? No way. Second, I can’t begin to think what a player would do with a pallet of balls drop-shipped to his house. That is a honking helluva lot of balls, so I’m guessing that was exaggeration for effect. 

[Pepperturbo]

14 hours ago, pga43 said:

 

 

Not sure where you got the info about a pallet of golf balls delivered to their house, but PGA TOUR players get golf balls each week at the tournament that they play.  Also, when new clubs come out Titleist has boxes of irons (or woods) for each player delivered to the tournament that the new clubs will be first played on Tour.  Then the techs double check all the clubs to make sure the specs are correct to what the player uses with the older model.  The player is then given the new clubs and the Titleist Tour Reps work the player, their coach and TrackMan.

 

 

Greg

It's been awhile, so maybe some have changed the process.  A few of my old neighbors played on the PGA Tour...also played with a two Champions tour players and one LPGA player when they were home.  So, saw it first hand.

[Soloman1]

the only guy who get pallets delivered might be tiger woods.

 

[Bad9]

On 6/27/2024 at 10:52 AM, Ironman_32 said:

1. Obviously, when you look at a leaderboard online and it says "Titleist" next to a player's name, it means they're sponsored by them.

 

It also undoubtedly means Titleist is sponsoring that particular broadcast. or website.

[LeoLeo99]

8 hours ago, mshills said:

This agrees with my knowledge, which is admittedly several years removed from being first hand.

 

Two points in the above. First, no player gets bespoke shoes. No one is wearing shoes made off of casts of his feet unless he travels to Budapest and has Vass make them. Nike or Adidas or FJ? No way. Second, I can’t begin to think what a player would do with a pallet of balls drop-shipped to his house. That is a honking helluva lot of balls, so I’m guessing that was exaggeration for effect. 

Maybe the player is playing an obsolete ball.  Like they play the 2019 ProV1 and asked Titleist to send them a lifetime supply and Titleist is more than happy to get rid of old stock. 

[KirkNo-yes]

11 hours ago, Pepperturbo said:

It's been awhile, so maybe some have changed the process.  A few of my old neighbors played on the PGA Tour...also played with a two Champions tour players and one LPGA player when they were home.  So, saw it first hand.

Sorry,  I have played, currently play with and hang around a LOT of PGA Tour players, Korn Ferry. I have never in my life seen or heard of players getting pallets of balls shipped to their homes. Especially LPGA tour players.  Sorry, not sure what year this could have been but that's not how it works. The ONLY possibility could be if they requested the company to send a pallet of balls for his local club to put out for him if he didn't want to shag balls. Hell I use to hit balls all the time with Jeff Maggert and Titleist would send him a box ( maybe a couple hundred balls) and this is when he was competing at a high level.  Sorry, Pallets of balls is not conceivable.