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Drive for Show and Putt for Dough?

Author

Listed:
  • Donald L. Alexander

    (Western Michigan University)

  • William Kern

    (Western Michigan University)

Abstract

This article examines the determinants of the earnings of PGA Tour golfers from the period 1992-2001. Our goal is to determine whether the returns to various golf skills have changed over time. In recent years, golf analysts have claimed that driving distance has become the preeminent skill in professional golf, and thus they believe that the old adage “drive for show and putt for dough†no longer holds true in professional golf. Our results lend some limited support for this view because we find that the return to driving distance has increased relative to that of putting ability. Nonetheless, it still remains true that putting ability is still by far the single most important determinant of earnings.

Suggested Citation

  • Donald L. Alexander & William Kern, 2005. "Drive for Show and Putt for Dough?," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 6(1), pages 46-60, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:jospec:v:6:y:2005:i:1:p:46-60
    DOI: 10.1177/1527002503260797
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ronald L. Moy & Thomas Liaw, 1998. "Determinants of Professional Golf Tournament Earnings," The American Economist, Sage Publications, vol. 42(1), pages 65-70, March.
    2. Patrick James Rishe, 2001. "Differing Rates of Return to Performance," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 2(3), pages 285-296, August.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Jonathan Guryan & Kory Kroft & Matthew J. Notowidigdo, 2009. "Peer Effects in the Workplace: Evidence from Random Groupings in Professional Golf Tournaments," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 1(4), pages 34-68, October.
    2. Ilhyeok Park & Young Hoon Lee, 2012. "Efficiency Comparison of International Golfers in the LPGA," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 13(4), pages 378-392, August.
    3. Ferdi Botha & Gavin Fraser & Thomas A. Rhoads, 2021. "Skill and Earnings Amongst Golfers on the Southern‐African Sunshine Tour," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 89(2), pages 274-281, June.
    4. Carson D. Baugher & Jonathan P. Day & Elvin W. Burford Jr., 2016. "Drive for Show and Putt for Dough? Not Anymore," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 17(2), pages 207-215, February.
    5. Stephen Shmanske, 2008. "Skills, Performance, and Earnings in the Tournament Compensation Model," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 9(6), pages 644-662, December.
    6. Stephen Shmanske, 2013. "Gender and skill convergence in professional golf," Chapters, in: Eva Marikova Leeds & Michael A. Leeds (ed.), Handbook on the Economics of Women in Sports, chapter 4, pages 73-91, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    7. Puterman Martin L & Wittman Stefan M, 2009. "Match Play: Using Statistical Methods to Categorize PGA Tour Players' Careers," Journal of Quantitative Analysis in Sports, De Gruyter, vol. 5(1), pages 1-63, January.
    8. Harold Fried & Loren Tauer, 2011. "The impact of age on the ability to perform under pressure: golfers on the PGA tour," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 35(1), pages 75-84, February.
    9. Thomas A. Rhoads, 2007. "Labor Supply on the PGA TOUR," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 8(1), pages 83-98, February.

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