Today’s Forum Thread of the Day comes from J2putts who opens the discussion asking just how important coming from money is to join the PGA Tour. Our members discuss how money, more than other sports, helps those achieve Tour status and whether or not superior talent loses out to players with decent ability and unlimited funds.

Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

• lumberman2462: “Deep pockets early will always have an advantage in golf.  Premium instruction at an early age means kids with means will win earlier and develop the game and confidence that will carry through to a successful career. Here’s the deal, I’ve been around golf for 40 of my 48 years…and I’ve seen it all.  Kids that grew up with not much money beating the ever living $@&” out of rich kids and seeing young players with some means at their disposal becoming good players- but not great.  The junior tours are full of the sons and daughters of Doctors, Dentists, Lawyers and whatever successful profession you can dream up… Some become ok players, and others flame out. I can’t condemn a kid because his Dad started a computer company…you still have to hit the shots and make the putts.
• Bye: “They still have to put a score together over four days, but it can’t be understated how big an advantage it is. It costs a lot to play full time let alone paying to live as well. Being able to travel to warmer places to play and compete all year round is one of the biggest advantages.”
• straightshot7: “Deep talent, desire and work ethic is waaaay more important. Look up all the stories of guys who hit balls in the backyard, garage into a mattress, etc.  If you have the game people will back you, too. I think you’d be really hard pressed to find a guy who had a world class game but didn’t make it because of lack of money. Unless he refused to be sponsored and quit. But that’s a choice that stopped him.  Those guys on YouTube you referenced aren’t firing 65’s on a routine basis in tournaments. Their game is what’s stopping them.  Show me someone who can consistently shoot 65-69 in tournaments, and I’ll show you 5000 guys who will sponsor his way through Q School.”
• 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!”

Entire Thread: “Does money trump talent in helping guys achieve Tour status?”