Are Golf Influencers the New Game Changers That Professional Golf Needs?
The golfing world braces for an unconventional showdown for golf watchers as the inaugural Myrtle Beach Classic on the PGA Tour approaches, blurring the lines between professional players and social media influencers. The tournament, slated for May, features a unique qualifying event known as the Q At Myrtle Beach, where eight golf influencers compete for a single sponsor exemption. In addition, with PGA Tour speculation surrounding the potential involvement of Saudi Arabia's PIF, the question arises:
Are we witnessing a shift where the influence of social media personalities rivals, if not surpasses, that of traditional tour players?
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A previous survey conducted by USBets.com, the authority on legal US gambling and sports betting, revealed that over a third of respondents believe their skills in driving, chipping, and putting outshine those of the average professional. Notably, a staggering 62% express confidence in their ability to outperform a professional on at least one hole of an 18-hole course, reflecting the competitive spirit and self-assurance prevalent among golf enthusiasts which could suggest there's room for golf influencers in upcoming tournaments, potentially benefiting golf leagues.
Golf Influencers Command Significant Sums
The results showed that golf influencers are able to ask for significant sums for their social media presence, with post prices ranging from $2,000 to $12,716. Golf influencer Paige Spiranac averages around $8,477 to $12,716 per post when using a standard influencer calculation method, which factors in engagement rate per post, extras for the type of post, and additional considerations, culminating in the total rate. On the other hand, Scottie Scheffler, a notable figure in the PGA Golf tour and holding the highest Instagram follower count among his peers on the list with 625,622 followers, only garners an average of $2,000 to $3,000 per post using the same calculation method making Spiranac's cost per post approximately four times more expensive
Alex Romo, a prominent golf influencer with the lowest Instagram follower count on the list, just under 40,000 followers, potentially averages $207 to $311 per Instagram post, following industry standards. Meanwhile, professional golfer Chris Kirk, boasting six PGA Tour victories and an average of about 20,000 followers, manages to generate only about $140 to $211 per post, indicating that despite his accolades, his social media presence equates to the same cost as that of a sponsored post by a golf influencer.
On average professional golf players’ post on IG comes to around $994, and the average golf influencers’ IG post comes to around $4,837 per post, making the average influencer post 4x more expensive, than the professional golf player.
Fans Express Mixed Feelings on Golf Influencers Joining the Tournaments
Reddit discussions revealed 23.36% expressing negativity sentiments toward golf influencers being included in professional golf tournaments, 53.74% remaining neutral, and 22.90% exhibiting positivity. For more details on how golf influencers and professional golf players compare when it comes to monetizing social media and public sentiments, please see the graphs below.
While exact figures for some professional golf players are unavailable, it's evident that professional golf players' earnings from social media endorsements pale compared to those of influencers. The growing significance of social media influencers in shaping the narrative and commercial landscape of professional golf, potentially usher in a new era where influencers play a pivotal role in the sport's evolution.
Methodology
To gauge the financial impact of golf influencers versus professional players, the analytics team utilized the standard industry calculation for influencers, factoring in engagement rates, post frequency, and platform type to determine the significant monetary value influencers bring to the sport compared to professional golf players. Additionally, the analytics team combed through Reddit threads who would benefit from BetMGM Bonus Code and created a sentiment analysis to measure responses, with opinions divided on the role of influencers in professional golf.