Why are PDGA dues different for Am and Pro?

If I have received a good answer for this, I honestly can't recalll what it is. It is simply because a pro player receives money for finishing well, and an amateur receives merchandise? There must be some underlying assumptions about the financial status of a Pro player vs. an Amateur player that I am not following. Or is there more? Does the PDGA kick in more money or provide more resources for Pro events than Am events? If so, shouldn't that resource difference be reflected in what the person pays at the event? For the life of me, I can't figure out why keeping track of player information at the PDGA costs more for someone in a Professional division than an Amateur one.

Please help me understand.

[Roadkill]

I know this is an old thread topic but I need to weigh in.

I think it's absurd that Pro players must pay more than amateur members. As was pointed out by the original poster calculating ratings, printing membership cards, compiling tournaments results,etc has the same costs regardless of your player rating.

The explanation given by Brian doesn't seem fair in my book. The added cost of promoting NT and Major events should be absorbed by sponsorship and the players playing these events. I've been playing and supporting the PDGA for over 20 years and have never played in an NT event. Why should I have to fit the bill?

The cost of the promotion of the sport should be absorbed equally by all members. If the sport grows don't we all benefit? Sure the Climos, Schultz's and Ricos benefit more if the promotion results in bigger purses, but what percentage of registered pros ever cash in an NT in a given year, 3%? 1%? Besides I actually think more amateur players benefit than pros from sponsorship in the majority of events. The payouts are far deeper in amateur divisions and there are more merchandise sponsors than cash sponsors. The pros pay higher entry fees at events, get player's packages far less often than the ams and the payouts typically are only paid to the top 30-40% of the field.

On top of all this inequity you want to charge pros more for the same services offered to ams?

I joined the PDGA in 1988 at $20 a year. Since then the PDGA has grown ten fold, has more tournament fees, rakes in much more revenue though advertising and merchandise sales while tripling our membership fees. I'm really not benefitting from my PDGA membership that much more to substantiate a $55 increase in yearly dues.

In the 80s the Pro fields made up a much greater percentage of tournament players. But through escalating fees and rewarding sandbaggers to remain ams the Pro numbers have dwindled and everyone wonders why?

For 85% of Pros playing competitive golf in tournaments is a financial losing proposition, so you have to really enjoy competing to take on what has become a financial burden. If the PDGA would treat the majority of pros (not just the elite) better our sport would be much healthier. But instead its practices continues you drive more of us out of the sport competitively. If it weren't for the WVO being an A-tier I wouldn't be a current member.