Even for your average PGA Tour player, experiencing life at the top of the sport must be a relatively stressful experience. There is the annual fight to keep your card, the multitude of directions you're pulled in by different parties who want your time for a variety of reasons, and then the amount of time you spend travelling to events which keeps you away from loved ones.
Not that it's all bad, of course - far from it. The prize money earned for simply making the cut will put a fair few meals in front of you, and chance to spend circa 30 weeks a year outside ultimately playing a non-contact game makes golf one of the more desirable careers for the young dreamer.
Then there are the 'simple' targets like winning a trophy or shooting as low as you possibly can.
But what about the perks? The add-ons? The bonuses (of which there are financially plenty)? We've highlighted eight perks of being a PGA Tour player you might not know about below.
1. HALF-A-MILLION DOLLAR STIPEND
Beginning in 2023, the PGA Tour's Policy Board approved the 'Earnings Assurance Program', where all fully-exempt members (Korn Ferry Tour category and above) are guaranteed a $500,000 league minimum.
At the end of the season, the program will fund any gap between actual comprehensive earnings and the $500,000 minimum for each fully-exempt member who participates in at least 15 events. Rookies and other players earning their way back onto the PGA Tour will have the option to receive an upfront payment.
The average earning for a fully-exempt PGA Tour member last season was $2,361,908, meaning very few guys needed to rely on the stipend to top up their pot anyway. But it's always good to know it's there if you need it, we'd imagine.
2. MISSED-CUT TRAVEL EXPENSES
Per the PGA Tour player handbook, "non-exempt members (126-150 category and below) will have access to a new Travel Stipend Program, which provides $5,000 for every missed cut to assist with travel costs and other tournament-related expenses."
A significant amount of money will be spent on travel by those not owning a private jet every season, with the above grant helping ease the financial burden players feel when still having to pay caddies and other key costs.
3. FREE TICKETS FOR FAMILY
Players can acquire free tickets for their immediate family, which includes the player's spouse/significant other, children and parents, through the tournament's sponsor.
We dare say that depending on the popularity of the event and the sponsor, players who ask nicely with a smile on their face could end up with a couple more bonus passes too.
Matt Fitzpatrick with his mum, dad and brother Alex after winning the 2022 US Open
4. FREE FOOD FOR PLAYERS AND THEIR FAMILY
Each PGA Tour event will provide a dining area, food, and liquid refreshments for every player and their direct family - who are defined as parents of either adult, grandparents of either adult and siblings.
Players can request dining access for their spouse/significant other, children, nanny, and up to four immediate family members at any given time. But should the player want to entertain anyone else like an agent or a long-lost cousin, they would have to do so in another clubhouse dining area.
Also, tournaments have been asked to provide a player-only dining area, if possible, which often ends up being the player locker room.
5. ACCESS ONTO SOME OF THE WORLD'S BEST (AND MOST EXCLUSIVE) COURSES
As if playing on any perfectly-manicured and presented layout wasn't enough, the best of the best get to tee it up on a plethora of lush-green courses which would ordinarily cost almost $1,000 per go. PGA Tour players, on the other hand, do not have to pay green fees and obviously have the opportunity to grace a variety of hallowed turfs multiple times each week.
And then there are some locations - for example, a certain Augusta National Golf Club - where no amount of money on earth will earn you a start. As The Masters is not technically a part of the PGA Tour, you have to know the right people, be one of its exclusive membership, or play very well in a handful of key tournaments to win your journey up Magnolia Drive via an invite. The entry requirement are extremely tough, but being on the PGA Tour gives players the best opportunity.
There is also the small matter of the iconic Pebble Beach for the biggest - in terms of stature - Pro-Am anywhere in the world.
6. ATTRACTIVE TO SPONSORS
As someone who could be shown to millions and millions of people for about five hours four times a week, a PGA Tour player's wardrobe and equipment carries a great deal of advertising real estate. You've got the cap, the polo, the shoes, the glove, and the bag - many of which can include multiple sponsors on.
Not to mention, if you play well enough and maybe win a Major or even just a high-profile regular PGA Tour event, the sponsorship deals that may emerge as a result can comfortably surpass your annual earnings. Guaranteed money - the two-word phrase everyone loves.
7. BONUS PROGRAMS
Including the recently-introduced - and slightly controversial - Player Impact Program, there are a handful of other key incentives for players to finish as high up the rankings as possible.
The most obvious one is the FedEx Cup, where the winning player receives $18 million at the end of the year while even the 30th-place player scoops a modest $500,000 extra. Viktor Hovland was the lucky man to claim the big check in 2023 courtesy of his sublime form down the stretch - stellar play that also helped Team Europe win the Ryder Cup at Marco Simone.
And before the playoffs get underway, the top-10 ranked players earn between $4 million and $1 million, depending on their position. In 2023, Jon Rahm bagged the top prize while Tony Finau squeezed into that list at the bottom.
8. JOB SECURITY
Should the worst happen and a player ends up losing their full card for the following term, that does not mean they have to get a new job or call time on their career.
Being relegated to the Korn Ferry Tour (which can still be lucrative and sees visits to some top courses) or the DP World Tour allows players to continue earning a highly-respectable living, with players finishing 126th-200th allowed to apply for DP World Tour membership if they are not US-based.
Another sub-section of the job security perk pertains to medical exemptions. If a player requires time off for surgery or to recover from an injury, they can apply for either a minor or major medical exemption which buys them extra time once the season ends to effectively catch up and secure the points they need to earn a full Tour card.
