Gotta-Grip Golf Blog

In the six years that the Wachovia has been held at Quail Hollow Club, the players have had the chance to vie for an 11% cost-of-living increase in the top prize vs. year one in 2003.

Last year Tiger Woods took home $1,134,000.00 for his efforts, while the 2003 winner (first year the Wachovia tournament was held here) received a mere $ 1,008,000.00.

While we all would welcome that kind of pay increase, in six years (especially when the base is over one million dollars), you have to wonder what Dick Lotz, and Tom Weiskopf think about the 37.8 times the $30,000 they won respectively at this course 37 years ago when the Kemper Open was held there.

Winning at the same course in 1970 & 1971 when the event at this club was the Kemper Open was perhaps more important to Lotz, representing one of three of his PGA victories.

While, it is interesting to see how the increase in prize money compares to the prize money from the past, it is more interesting to ponder what if the following items had increased similarly (37.8 times) since 1970.

The average cost of a new home in 1970 was just under $27,000
Times 37.8 = $ 1,020,060.00

Cost of a new Cadillac de Ville Convertible in 1970 was $6,068
Times 37.8 = $ 229,370.40

Cost of first class stamp in 1970 was 6¢
Times 37.8 = $2.26

National average cost of a gallon of regular gas in 1970 was 36¢
Times 37.8 = $13.61

Cost of a gallon of milk in 1970 was $1.15
Times 37.8 = $43.47

For my money, PGA golfers have always been and will be worth every penny they earn…because they earn it. However, while a penny bought a lot more back in 1970, there’s a lot more pennies to go around now.

Speaking of my money, I predict Phil Mickleson will win even though Vijay Singh is the favorite as of today.

From your friends at gotta-grip