Symetra Tour Pro on Women’s Golf: ‘Winning on These Tours Doesn’t Mean Much More Than Breaking Even’

Everyone knows golf is not an easy sport to get into. Not only it is complicated, but also expensive. While some have the money to pursue their passion, some try to rely on scholarships and other sponsors to try and make it to the professional sphere. However, even that is not enough sometimes. This applies to men but gets worse when one talks about women and sports.

In a recent interview, Hannah Gregg – who plays on the Symetra Tour – speaks about this issue. The problem has always remained serious, preventing many from playing, even after they make it to a tour. Sometimes, the expenses are so much, many have to stop playing due to their financial trouble. In the end, the cost of following one’s dream can be too much, something which everyone cannot afford.

Is golf too expensive for everyone to afford?

Gregg spoke about how she started golf and asked professionals she knew about how she can prepare. To an unsuspecting Gregg, the worries circled around missing her family, finding an event to play at, or maybe even traveling stress. But unfortunately, the hurdle seemed to be money and funding. As per everyone the 26-year-old spoke to, covering expenses and breaking even was an issue.

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“So that was quite a shock. Everyone kind of assumes if you’re good, that part takes care of itself. But entry fees, flights, hotels and rental cars don’t take care of themselves,” she said. “Even winning on these tours doesn’t mean much more than breaking even over a few months”.

“Expenses for a cheap tournament are generally $1,500-$2,000, so unless you finish 1st, 2nd or 3rd in every single event, you’re not going to make a profit,” Gregg added. “Expecting to average top-three for an entire season is not feasible. Even the best players on tour miss cuts and have bad stretches.”

Sep 3, 2021; Toledo, Ohio, USA; Nelly Korda of Team USA tees off on the second hole during the final practice round of the 2021 Solheim Cup at Inverness Club. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

For Gregg, her family could help only when she was younger. Now, social media is one way for these women to raise funds and stay in the game. “My sponsorships are mostly corporate and e-commerce businesses that exchange compensation for exposure on my page. The brands are interested in my story and my audience online”.

How does Gregg earn enough money?

She even has her own business – Cozy Co. Social, which works with social marketing. Her other business, Short Game Gains, is a golf training aid venture opened with her boyfriend. Altogether, this helps her earn to afford her professional event expenses.

However, this will not work out for everyone. “Lots of girls stop playing because they can’t afford Q-School, which is the most expensive event of the year. If you don’t play in that then you have no Tour status and are left with very few events to play in. You get phased out and others just lap you”. 

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Furthermore, this issue bleeds into many other Tours, even total prize pools not enough for everyone to keep up. While times are changing, one can only hope that female golf starts gaining more recognition over time, players earning what they deserve for their efforts.

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