My copy of Golf Digest showed up on Dec. 31 and included the list of the game’s best paid players. I’m sure you can’t guess who is No.1, but there at #18 is Mike Weir, with $5 million in off-course earnings. That’s 10 spots above his last ranking…
And for the record, Stephen Ames, who made nearly as much as Weir on the course, is no where to be seen in the Top 50.
Interesting to see Jack Nicklaus — who made no money to speak of on the course — making $22 million off it. Wonder how that’ll change with the slowdown in golf course openings?
A bestselling author and award-winning columnist, Robert Thompson has been writing about business and sports, and particularly golf, for almost two decades. His reporting and commentary on golf has appeared in 
Why do you think Weir does so well and Ames not so well? Is it something to do with be a humble well rounded guy like Weir is, or do you think more to do with the masters victory?
Nolan, IMO I’d say the reasons Weir is way ahead of Ames in off course earnings are:
- Weir represents the best Canadian golfer ever in the mind of most Canadians and sponsors alike
- Weir has won more tournaments than Ames
- A Green Jacket is worth many many millions
- Winning that WC didn’t hurt
- Thomson/Reuters has lots of money
- Weir has a greater international profile than Ames
- Weir has been on more leaderboards than Ames and sponsors will pay for this
Looks like Arnie remains a cash generating machine.
Not much incentive for Weir to make money on the course.
Is he still stacking and tilting?
Tighthead — Mike is using some form of S&T, or at least that’s what he told me in the summer.
As for why the disparity between Mike and Stephen — I think some of it is personality. Mike is viewed as a lot less of a loose canon than Ames. Secondly, Ames is tied to one company — Nike — for gear and clothing. I bet dimes to dollars that he took a guarantee that was lesser in order to have it all looked after by one company. In contrast, Weir has deals with Titleist (glove, ball) and TM. The TM deal is rumored to be around $1M annually. Add to that his other deals — Audi, Thomson, Taboo, Dynamic Mutual Funds, Weir Golf and now Weir Golf Design — and you have a pretty large package of sponsors.
But in the end, I think it comes down to the Masters win and Mike’s high-profile outside of Canada. He’s played on numerous Presidents Cup teams and usually receives a lot more air time than Stephen does.
I think the facts speak for themselves…Weir has a better on-course record than Ames. As well, Weir is a corporate guy, not controversial, talks and walks the party line, etc. This adds up to better off course earnings.
Without a better record than Weir, Ames’ frankness and colour restricts his off course earnings potential.
Weir sure has better record comparatively to Ames, but I strongly feel things will turn around soon!