So you wanna be a pro golfer? We’ve written plenty of posts through the years with that cautious premise, so by now, most golf fans realise just how hard it is to make a living playing golf. That being said, this might be the most eye-popping presentation on this topic that we’ve seen so far.
Recently, we’ve gotten great insight on the subject from golfers like Ben Griffin and Michael Kim, as well as caddie Bryan Kopsick. But those guys are all on the PGA Tour. While that’s certainly still tough for those not at the top of the food chain, it’s a different world than life on the mini-tours. What’s it like trying to survive out there? Well, one golfer provided a fantastic breakdown.
Introducing Alex Romo, a former pro golfer who is now a golf coach – in large part because of what he shared in a TikTok video this week. Using a big whiteboard that will give golf fans Steve Sands–FedEx Cup flashbacks, Romo went through his expenses at a mini-tour event last year on the Asher Tour, a circuit with events in mostly Arizona, New Mexico and California. And he goes into great detail about what it would have taken to make money for the week, and just how good these guys are. Even the guys who will never make it to the PGA Tour. Have a look and listen for yourself:
Well done, Alex. If they taught Pro Golf 101 in college, we’d call you Professor Romo.
Anyway, here were Romo’s main takeaways. It cost him nearly $US2,500 to play in this event, including a $US1,350 tournament entry fee, because when you’re not at the top level, you have to pay to play. A lot.
Romo said his expenses could have been higher if the course had charged for using carts. And he also saved a lot by not having a caddie. Plus, he did a good job keeping his total meal costs to $200. But even after making his first career hole-in-one (congrats!), Romo failed to make the cut, meaning he made $0 for the week. Again, not a newsflash that you have to play well if you’re going to make money. But here’s where things get interesting.
Fantastic breakdown of how tough pro golf is by @AlexRomoGolf with not just expenses but level of play required to just break even. Cc @acaseofthegolf1 pic.twitter.com/JX7tZuuRqT
— Skip Westfall (@Swestfall) February 12, 2025
As Romo explains, a lot of the guys who did make the cut still lost money. The person finishing last among those making it only received $US600 so – assuming similar expenses to Romo – he actually lost $US1,900. And as Romo explains, considering how hard the golf course was (75.0 rating/137 slope), that last-place finisher shot three rounds at the equivalent of a plus-3 handicapper. Not too shabby!
Now the winner of the event, Michael Feagles, took home $US20,000. That’s good money. But as Romo explained, he shot 16-under or the equivalent of 25-under what a scratch golfer would be expected to shoot on a course with that rating. And as Romo points out, world No.1 Scottie Scheffler says he’s about a plus-7.5 handicapper for home games with friends, so, basically, the winner played to that level for about three days to make that 20 grand. (You can certainly argue Romo’s numbers here a bit based on course setup, different pressure, etc., but the point is, that dude flushed it for the week.)
And the other point is that in order to break even for the week – again, assuming similar expenses to Romo – you needed to finish in a tie for seventh place. Out of 117 golfers.
“I hope this helps put in perspective exactly how tough it is to make it to the next level and how much all these competitors are warriors and deserve your utmost respect,” Romo says. “And also, maybe how cautious you should be if you’re like, ‘I’m a scratch golfer, I shoot even-par at my home course and I see the PGA Tour players throwing up 71 and 72 now and then. Like I should turn pro.’ Maybe not.”
In other words… So you wanna be a pro golfer?
