Scottie Scheffler earned $8.5 million over the last two weeks, but when it comes to Instagram, the PGA Tour’s best can’t keep up with golf’s top influencers.
The average golf influencer makes about four times more than the average professional golfer on Instagram, according to research conducted by sports betting aggregator Vegas Insider.
The research suggests the influence of social media personalities is not only starting to rival that of PGA Tour professionals, but has surpassed it when it comes to platforms like Instagram.
Golf influencer Paige Spiranac, who has four million followers on Instagram, earns an average of around $8,477 to $12,716 per post, according to the research.
On the other hand, world No.1 Scheffler, who has just over 650,000 followers on Instagram, reportedly can make around $2,000 to $3000 per post.
The average golf influencer can charge around $4,837 for a post on Instagram, while the average tour pro can reportedly fetch about $994 per post.
The other golf influencers used in the research included Grace Charis, Garrett Clark and Rick Shiels, while the pros included some of the biggest names on tour like Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay and Wyndham Clark.
While social media is far from the priority for PGA Tour players, with prize money and endorsements being their main source of income, the research suggests social media influencers have a growing role to play in shaping the golfing landscape and reaching younger audiences.
The research comes as the PGA Tour made its first move towards incorporating golf YouTubers and social media influencers into its tournaments, with eight golf content creators, along with tour pros, competing at a unique qualifying event called Q At Myrtle Beach – with the winner receiving a sponsor exemption to the Myrtle Beach Classic in May.
The Q At Myrtle Beach, which took place earlier this month with the results and highlights set to be released on the various participants’ social media channels, featured YouTube personalities like Grant Horvat, Peter Finch and Micah Morris.
However, there are mixed feelings from fans when it comes to golf influencers taking part in professional tournaments.
Vegas Insider’s analysis of Reddit discussions showed that 23.36% expressed negative sentiments towards golf influencers being included in professional golf tournaments, with 22.9% feeling positive and 53.74% remaining neutral.
The figures from Vegas Insider’s research was based on “standard industry calculation for influencers, factoring in engagement rates, post frequency and platform type”.
