18SP 012: Crowd-funding and Life on the Mini Tour

In this episode, Justin Bryan and Van Pierce share the highs and lows (more lows than highs!) of the mini tour life and how their new website (ProUKnow.com) just might be a game changer in how these golfers can afford to play in these costly events in hopes of achieving their ultimate goal of getting to the big show.

Justin and Van are two friends and former golf teammates from St. Louis that decided that the mini tour golfers need a better way to support their future and provide some financial security to be able to showcase their talent. From this mission they have created ProUKnow.com, which is a Crowd-funding website dedicated to mini tour and Web.com golfers.

Much like the very popular website Kickstarter.com which has propelled hundreds and thousands of entrepreneurs ideas into successful products and brands, these guys are looking to do the same for the aspiring tour pro.

And they know this business first hand as Justin is currently playing on the mini tour circuit and Van played on the tours for a short period of time after graduating from college.

In this episode, they share the highs and lows (more lows than highs) of the mini tour life and how their new website just might be a game changer in how these golfers can afford to play in these costly events in hopes of achieving their ultimate goal of getting to the big show.

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The Guys’ Backgrounds

Justin Bryant:

Currently playing mini tour golf
Played at Wake Forest for coach Jerry Haas
Living in St. Louis, traveling to Jupiter in winter months

Van Pierce:

Currently in Law school at St. Louis University
Played football at Drake University
Played college golf at Chapman University
Played some mini tour golf

Intro video to ProUKnow

Highlights

Life on the mini tour
Justin describes the difference between the mini tour, Web.com, and PGA
The mini tour life is not the glitz and glamour lifestyle that most would imagine.
Guys living in motel rooms, tents, cars while traveling from tournament to tournament
Different mini tour events:
- Adam’s Golf Tour
- eGolf Tour
- SwingThought.com (formerly Hooters and NGA)
- PGA Canada
- PGA Latin America
Typical purse these days in a min tour event is $12-16,000
The competition is super steep with winning scores sometime in the range of 20 under par (that’s some serious golf)
If you’re not in the top 10 money earner on a mini tour, you are likely NOT making money!

What does the Average Tour player spend per year (not PGA)?

$50,000-$60,000 for a full time mini tour player
Upwards of $75,000 for the Web.com player
Getting more expensive every year
Expenses include (from Justin’s profile page):
- Weekly Tournament Costs
  - Entry Fee: $900
    Travel: $400
    Hotel: $420
    Food: $180
    Total:$1,90020 Tournaments= $38,000
- Q Schools
  - PGA Canada: $2,500 entry + $1,200 expenses= $3,700
  - Web.com: $5,200 entry + $6,000 expenses= $11,200
- Other Expenses
  - Lessons with Instructor
  - Practice Facilities
  - = $7,100

What is ProUKnow.com?

Crowd-funding was a 5 Billion dollar business last year
It is a platform for mini tour players to build a campaign in order to bring in funding for their year of playing on tour
Moves the golfers away from giving away equity of their earnings in exchange for up front funding
Allows your friends, family, and extended networks to easily contribute to the golfer
ProUKnow provides certain gifts/rewards to the contributors, but players can come up with their own rewards as well to help drive contributions
examples include a round with the pro, or even with a PGA pro, lessons, corporate golf outings, etc.
Endorsed by Webb Simpson
Big Break contestants on ProUKnow:
- Charlie Harrison
- Christian Heathers
Workouts on tour are very limited due to lack of facilities

Best Advice you’ve learned on the Course:

Van:

Don’t linger on your last shot. Every shot stands on it’s own merit

Justin:

Your golf round basically comes down to 6 moments, slow down and capitalize on them.
“You’re never going to hit well enough to hide a bad short game, but you can have a good enough short game to hide a bad day of hitting it” Jack Lumpkin (Sea Island).

Justin’s big golf goal for next year is to be on a tour that qualifies for world golf ranking.