Jack Nicklaus: today's golfers & prize money.

[RichF]

Links:
http://www.startribune.com/sports/25...on_refer=Error
http://golf.fanhouse.com/2008/07/18/...-golfers-soft/

Does Jack have valid points or is it just sour grapes?

[23Rounder]

I think Jack makes some great points and I don't think it is sour grapes. The reality is that Tiger is responsible for a large percentage of the prizemoney increases over the last 10 years and you certainly can't say he doesn't earn his money. I think todays players should just be thankful they are playing in such prosperous environment.

[nico002]

Jack is making absolutely no sense.

[hurley9192]

I think he's spot on...I guy can basically suck by tour standards and make over $500k/year. He may not stay around long, but he can have in one year the equivalent of what it would take him 5-10 years to make with a basic college degree.

[iQuest Golfer]

>> "When I started on tour, maybe one or two guys might have made enough money to make a living ... Now there's a couple of hundred guys who make a living playing golf. We had to really play well and scratch it out to be in a position to get endorsements. But we worked to try to build the tour so they didn't have to do that." -JN, Posted Jul 18th 2008 2:27PM by Ryan Wilson (author feed) Filed under: Golf, PGA, Fanhouse.com <<

Jack is spot on!

Endorsements take the pressure off playing. When you look at the average American paycheck and see the "golden" boys that are being snapped up by the companies each year (with a nice paycheck) to wear and play brand names, it's nothing like it was back in Jack's day.

Are there some great examples of good golf being played each week? Yes, this year's Opens attests to that. Is it easier to make a living out of playing golf? Yes! There are three times as many tours as there was during Jack's day. Has technology made the game easier?

I think Donald Ross said it best... "golfers used to be made on the course; now, they are made in machine shops." Look at all the golfers that can hit the ball a mile yet struggle with the short game and putting game.

>>"Is that producing better golfers?" Nicklaus said, pausing and shrugging his shoulders. "I don't know. The question was asked because you see all the older guys, all guys who have had to gut it out in tough conditions. The kids today play perfect conditions every week. If they don't like what's going on, they're finishing 10th or 15th and still make a check.

"I don't think it makes them as tough." -JN, Posted Jul 18th 2008 2:27PM by Ryan Wilson (author feed) Filed under: Golf, PGA, Fanhouse.com <<

Pat Perez at Birkdale this year is the perfect poster boy of what Jack is taking about.

>> I don't think it's golf at all, to be honest with you. I don't see it as golf. It's blowing 40 [mph]. My hands are so cold and everything is soaked. You can't hold on to the club. I don't see that as golf. They do here, but I don't. -Pat Perez, Gene Wojciechowski, ESPN.com <<

Pat also said, "It makes you look stupid out there. An 82? I don't shoot 82." Well, you did this year at Birkdale. It's was cold, windy, etc. ...whine, whine, whine... Said he couldn't wait to get home. Ahhh, Pat... Golf is about weather too. His complaining is the typical American response to how golf has been played for hundreds of years in land of golf... let him go back to the southwest and pitch and putt while working on his tan. Geeeesh!

The Ryder Cup is next. For the Americans, thank heaven it's being played on an American (perfect conditions) tract... maybe the advantage will shift. There are many Americans praying it does. Everyone together... Amen!

Hit'm straight!

[golf_junkie27]

Originally Posted by RichF

Links:
http://www.startribune.com/sports/25...on_refer=Error
http://golf.fanhouse.com/2008/07/18/...-golfers-soft/

Does Jack have valid points or is it just sour grapes?

It's both. Yes, the game has changed and some attitudes, too. However, most golfers want to win every week. If they can't, they'll do everything possible to finish, high.

This is not exclusive to golf. It's all sports. The media medium has changed drastically and there is more opportunity for money to be made. Is it crazy that a guy like Eric Byrnes, baseball, makes $10 million per season? Absolutely.

Thankfully, though, at least you have to earn your money in golf. You don't make the cut, goodbye paycheck. You don't play well, goodbye sponsorships. These things have a way of working themselves, out.

[RichF]

Top 30 (active) money-earners in golf (as of July 2008)
1 Tiger Woods $82,354,376.00
2 Vijay Singh $56,690,749.00
3 Phil Mickelson $49,369,011.00
4 Jim Furyk $37,628,609.00
5 Davis Love III $35,996,794.00
6 Ernie Els $32,815,576.00
7 David Toms $28,423,857.00
8 Justin Leonard $26,217,178.00
9 Kenny Perry $25,989,199.00
10 Stewart Cink $24,795,364.00
11 Mark Calcavecchia $22,969,846.00
12 Mike Weir $22,140,107.00
13 Stuart Appleby $22,121,945.00
14 Sergio Garcia $21,961,500.00
15 Scott Verplank $21,869,408.00
16 Tom Lehman $20,354,013.00
17 Fred Couples $20,029,922.00
18 Chris DiMarco $19,937,403.00
19 Retief Goosen $19,310,654.00
20 Adam Scott $18,298,830.00
21 Robert Allenby $18,141,826.00
22 Jeff Sluman $18,114,866.00
23 K.J. Choi $18,054,514.00
24 Jerry Kelly $17,777,980.00
25 Brad Faxon $17,656,554.00
26 Rory Sabbatini $17,246,700.00
27 David Duval $16,800,488.00
28 Steve Stricker $16,546,844.00
29 Charles Howell III $16,176,027.00
30 Geoff Ogilvy $16,171,980.00

[$2 Nassau]

I think he is off on this one. Sure the middle of the pack guy can make decent money but there is always more money dangling in front of them which gives them the motivation to play better.

Also, there are many more talented golfers on tour today than there was in his day. It's much more difficult to finish atop the leaderboard week in and week out. IMO.

[b-squared]

Originally Posted by $2 Nassau

Also, there are many more talented golfers on tour today than there was in his day. It's much more difficult to finish atop the leaderboard week in and week out. IMO.

Yeah.....I don't agree. Tiger today is so dominating since I believe no one is there to really challenge him. Tiger's on a different level, and he's the only one there. The closer one's to challenge him include Mickelson, Duval, Els? I can't include Garcia, Scott, and others since they haven't even won a major. Compared to all-time greats that include Arnold Palmer, Ben Crenshaw, Billy Casper, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Gary Player, Lee Trevino, Raymond Floyd, Seve Ballesteros, Tom Watson, Tom Lehman who were all in Jack's level. How is that not talented?

Back to the topic, it's true how players of today make more money, but that's how it goes. That's happened to nearly every sport, and I believe Mr. Nicklaus needs to accept this. However, I believe it's true when players of today are becoming soft. Player's have so many advantages today with all the different things being offered. You just didn't have those things many years ago. And that affects a lot of the competition today.