Cha Ching! Golf's Top Earners in 2011

Golf Digest published this list with the top 20 golf earners in 2011 and just put it all together in a table (figures are in $).

Spoiler:

All the talk these days is about the golf game being dominated by new young players, but the bottom line shows that it's still very much an 'old boys' game... Expect people like Rory, Simpson, DJ and others to climb on that table next year if they have another strong 2012 season. Unfortunately, expect also NOT to see Padraig in that top 20 table next year, as news broke a few days ago that his $10 million sponsorship deal with FTI hasn't been renewed...

And if you're curious, the 'total of the totals' for those 20 chaps stands at approx. $388.5 millions!
Recession? What recession...?

I little curious as to Jacks $155000 on course, from where? Skins or something?


You would expect Rory to rocket up the rankings next year when his off course earnings have the US open champion effect properly integrated.

Wonder how much Webb Simpson pays to god to guarantee good performances?

pd,
I didn't have room for this in my notes!
Non-Golf Digest readers might be interested that others who coined over $5.5M in off-course income include:
T.Watson: $7.3M
Love: $7.2M
Faldo: $7.2M
Furyk: $6.7M
Montgomerie: $6.5M
Couples: $5.75M
McDowell: $5.7M
Sorenstam: $5.5M

Even Camilo raked in $5M off the course.

Webb Simpson's $650K number is interesting. Presumably it includes some win bonuses, but that was essentially his endorsement income following two very modestly successful years on Tour.
There's a lot of cash out there for the chosen few!

$36m for that annoying Arnie Palmer......give me a break!!
He'd still be hacking around at the Masters too if he wasn't shamed into giving up...............

John Cregan wrote:$36m for that annoying Arnie Palmer......give me a break!!
He'd still be hacking around at the Masters too if he wasn't shamed into giving up...............

I think he's scheduled to die pretty soon John. Probably still make posthumous earnings though.

Very surprised Monty made that much off the course. I guess being Ryder Cup Captain has fringe benefits.

A lot of the former players - and I count Monty in that group - have diversified into course design and that's probably where their earnings come from.

S-R and John - I think you're being more than a bit hard on Arnie.

How am I being harsh, he's clearly on the way out in the next few years.

Faldo $7.2 million for talking s*** into a microphone, just shows how dumb the Americans are!!

Super/John
Arnie and Jack have done nothing but good for the game of golf, and I think it very disrespectful of both of yous, you would not let anyone speak about your parents like that, so please lets show some respect!

Op, I'll take that tone as urine extraction.
He's had a good innings. I don't really care if he kicks the bucket soon or not.

oldparwin wrote:Faldo $7.2 million for talking s*** into a microphone, just shows how dumb the Americans are!!

Spot on there oldpar.

OP,
Arnie bugs me a bit, i think he is a bit disrespectful to the modern player, but im sure he isn't signed up to 606v2!!!
I said nothing about Jack............he's the man!

Arnie stinks the place out in more ways than one.

Montgomerie is super popular on the after dinner speaking circuit too. He's one of the most expensive people there is to book.

Most of these old timers will be making money out of course design, that's where the real money is. Easily over a million a go for someone like Monty.

You don't get to be a rich old boy unless you are a successful young boy!

djlovesyou wrote:Montgomerie is super popular on the after dinner speaking circuit too. He's one of the most expensive people there is to book.

He's what??? I couldn't think of a worse person to listen to, even allowing for his golfing knowledge etc. There's something about the way he speaks and his deportment while doing so that makes me grind my teeth. Probably just me.

Me too........................it's the smugness i think (and the RC drove him over the edge).

Remember when he decreed at Celtic Manor that they were to "stop showing golf" on the big TV screens and "show more blue on the leaderboards" instead!!

Not just you Navy. I would probably rather be in a dentist chair than listen to Monty.

Brilliant of guys like Norman, Nicklaus and Palmer to be in course design. I give Nicklaus credit for Sebonack and certainly Murfield (OH), but there are plenty of less memorable courses of his (and Palmer's).

Most interesting is the Tiger Woods money. Post-scandal and he's still such a commodity. Amazing, but not surprising to me.

He's got teeth like Shergar and he looks like a cabbage but I don't mind Monty. Certainly better to listen to than Faldo, Roe or Torrance.

I always find it a little funny that it is assumed the best golfers make the best golf course designers. I do understand that in some cases or all cases the name is mainly heading up a team of experts and the course owner needs the brand to promote his development. I guess Jack has proved his company generally deliver but I've played a couple of his courses that didn't impress me much (i.e. PGA at Gleneagles).

I agree golf course design is the main source of income for the old guys on the list, but if the numbers stated are order value then the net profit to the player will only be a fraction (or perhaps even a loss on some projects).

There is a serious amount of disrespect on this thread.
Not funny boys.... try to grow a wee bit into men.
Palmer changed the face of golf worldwide.

I can only assume that Webb Simpson gives 99% of his off course income to his church.

Tiger Woods, $62m off course earnings in 2011. Really??

Who paid him that? All his sponsors have left him bar Nike. I'm sure they don't pay him that much.

jockneyboy wrote:Tiger Woods, $62m off course earnings in 2011. Really??

Who paid him that? All his sponsors have left him bar Nike. I'm sure they don't pay him that much.

Image rights perhaps? Think of all those saddos who have him on a poster above their beds

What counts towards off course earnings? Does it have to be golf related?

He may have had a few successful weekends in Vegas!

Have to say it's quite impressive and somewhat sad how much the active players earn off-course cf. their on-course winnings.
Don't suppose there's a similar list which details how much they've all made purely from appearance fees??

nbs,
Certainly not from the Golf Digest piece; you'll also be interested that the overall theme was that golfers are having to work harder for their off-course buck!

I would like to see a list of how much they spend a year, and what on!
Probably have to take Tiger out of that one.

So, the ex Mrs. Woods bulldozes a $12mm property. You think she paid extra to have the satisfaction (therapy) of bulldozing it herself?

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/golf-devil-ball-golf/tiger-woods-ex-wife-bulldozes-12-million-home-232405259.html

Much was made about Tiger losing sponsorship. When all is said and done I predict it will be blip on his lifetime earnings. Sponsors flock to him because of his media attraction. He may have more media attraction now than when he was mopping up on tour.

Wow

What value do you give to the ex Mrs Woods now.
Just another rich moron with no value of money or life.

We never hear about the children, bet they are hoping for adoptiion.

Doon the Water wrote:Wow

What value do you give to the ex Mrs Woods now.
Just another rich moron with no value of money or life.

We never hear about the children, bet they are hoping for adoptiion.

ru the same person who told others to grow into a wee bit of a man when they dissed old man palmer?
dont be such a hippocrit

Doon the Water wrote:Wow

What value do you give to the ex Mrs Woods now.
Just another rich moron with no value of money or life.

We never hear about the children, bet they are hoping for adoptiion.

I thought you were complaining about the serious amount of disrespect on this thread???

Personally I don't think Arnie deserves the stick he's getting. I'm sure most of his income comes from Course design but he has got some diversity, he owns a substantial stake in the Pebble Beach Company (as does Clint Eastwood). Also wonder how much he and Jack make from their tournaments i.e. in Arnies case Bay Hill. I'm sure he also either owns a stake or receives some income from the Golf Channel which he was instrumental in promoting when it first started. Then there's his wee drink endorsement. The Arnold Palmer, which is a mix of ice tea & lemonade probably makes a few bob for him too.

Arnie still has TV ads running over here, plus I think he owns Bay Hill and Latrobe CC. Plus he was once one of the biggest Cadillac dealers in the US, probably still retains a dealership or two.


JAS: Back from Cabo?

Yeah I'm back....in one piece. Incidentally all 4 rounds I played down there were on Jack's courses

How are they?
There used to be a Senior tournament down there in the 90's, perhaps a Skins Game? I think it's the event where some Seniors got done for agreeing to share the loot prior to teeing off, Dave Stockton and Bob Charles among the more unlikely miscreants if I recall!

I loved it Kwini and it's continuing to get better down there. I played all 3 loops of 9 at Palmilla, playing the Arroyo twice, which annoyingly turned out to be my least favourite of the 3 although still very nice, beautifully conditioned course.

Played Cabo Del Sol Ocean twice, the last time on xmas day when the greens had clearly had a cut from earlier in the week. It really is a superb layout and the ocean holes certainly have a wow factor.

Never found out about Diamante Dunes until Boxing day (it's about to replace CdS as Mexicos number 1 and it looks absolutely stunning). It'll be first on my list when I go back. Be interesting to see what it does for DL3's off course earnings. I'm guessing he'll get commissioned to design a few more on the back of this one.

When Erin Woods does as much as Palmer did for golf [after all we are on a golf post] I shall show her some respect.
To buy a house for $12million then demolish it shows a very strange attitude to life.

$12M Doon.


Good news JAS, Looking forward to following up on everything there.

Was Palmer a Cadillac dealer? I didn't know that. Makes sense I suppose. A coffin dodger selling the preferred car of the American coffin dodger. At least he knew his market.

s_r,
Arnie started his business portfolio long before he became aware of the coming of the Grim Reaper, probably about your age, I would guess!
Not that I have one, but Cadillac are starting to produce some pretty decent cars these days, a step beyond their funereal image.

Never been to an Arnold palmer driving range?I did about 1975
Clever boy been making serious money for a long time

Doon the Water wrote:When Erin Woods does as much as Palmer did for golf [after all we are on a golf post] I shall show her some respect.
To buy a house for $12million then demolish it shows a very strange attitude to life.

I think Erin Woods is being treated a bit harshly by the media. She bought a prime piece of beach front land, probably worth $12m, which happened to have a 70 year old rotting termite infested house sat on it. She allowed habitat for humanity to strip the house and reclaim as much as they could (they reckon they got $30k worth of materials) before bulldozing the property.

I guess in the US, a 70 year old house is some sort of ancient historic building, so it caused a bit of outrage, maybe a bit like knocking down a 700 year old building in Europe.

Agreed Ray. People buy plots of land with houses on all the time. Especially in the UK where you often dont have a lot of choice in buying just a plot with no existing dwelling because of all the building consent laws.
Its something I hope to do myself one day, already know where, just need to win teh lottery now and Im sorted.

Trump bought a bit of land and inherited some ramshackle, jalopy dwellings on them too.

My 2p

The photograph of Adam Scott on the Golf Digest slideshow of earners looks nothing like Adam Scott.

Erin Woods has handled the whole sorry mess (none of which was of her making) with a fair degree of dignity and integrity, unlike TW. Some respect is due in my opinion.

DC is described as charming. Having met him a few times, and knowing some people who know him well, he is indeed charming. He can also have a really foul temper on him.

Am I alone in really not liking Gary Player? Is that sacrilege? Every time I hear him interviewed or commentating I get the feeling he is a pompous, opinionated (yeah I know, pot/kettle) little man with a large chip on his shoulder. I'm too young to have grown up watching him play, but I've seen footage and I'm not questioning his golfing ability.

Bob_the_Job wrote:...Am I alone in really not liking Gary Player? Is that sacrilege? Every time I hear him interviewed or commentating I get the feeling he is a pompous, opinionated (yeah I know, pot/kettle) little man with a large chip on his shoulder. I'm too young to have grown up watching him play, but I've seen footage and I'm not questioning his golfing ability.

Nope. I don't warm to him either. He seems to always like to remind the viewer what he achieved etc.

Gary Player - can only agree.

He was one of the big three in the 60's with Jack and Arnie. He won more majors than Arnie did (9 against 7), but he never got the same status in golf as them and perhaps this frustration and a big ego drove his self promotion later in life.

I can just remember the 1978 Masters. He and Seve finished 7 shots off the lead after the 3rd round with Hubert Green in the lead. At Seve's interview he accept defeat and talked about banking experience for next year. At Player's interview he said he still had a chance. No-one beleived him. He went out in the 4th round and shot 64 to win by a shot.

For a small man and a non American (a big factor in the 60's and 70's) he acheived a heck of a lot, but doesn't come across as a likeable bloke though.