Why does pro Golf talent never seem to transfer from one

May 19, 2022, 9:11 AM

generation to the next?

There have been quite a few "Star" PGA Tour golfers over the years. And, quite a few of them have had children that took up the game. But, with rare exceptions, those progeny have failed to make pro golf a career. Why is that? Do you think that it is because they grew up in relative affluence, and so, don't have that burning drive to "make it" on Tour to support their own families? Do they just lack the physical ability? There have been a very few who had some level of success. Listing only the "modern" ones:

Clayton Heafner: 4 Tour wins, no majors.
Vance Heafner: 1 Tour win, no majors.

Julius Boros: 18 Tour wins, 3 majors (2 US Opens, 1 PGA)
Guy Boros: 1 Tour win, no majors.

Al Geiberger: 11 Tour wins, 1 major (1 PGA)
Brent Geiberger: 2 Tour wins, no majors.

Jay Haas: 9 Tour wins, no majors. (But made a killing on the Senior Tour)
Bill Haas: 6 Tour wins, no majors. But, he did win the FedEx Cup one time.

Craig Stadler: 13 Tour wins, 1 major. (1 Masters)
Kevin Stadler: 1 Tour win, no majors.

Bob Tway: 8 Tour Wins, 1 major. (1 PGA)
Kevin Tway: 1 Tour win, no majors.

So, as you can see, only 6 pairs of fathers / sons have both won on the modern Tour. And, only ONE pair, the Haas family, had similar results for both father and son. For the most part, the sons appear to just "fade away" after only one Tour win.

No real superstar names on that list. Arnie had only daughters, his grandson, our own Sam Saunders, now toils on the Korn Ferry Tour. A couple of Jack'x sons tried their hand, but ultimately went into business, instead. No second generation Gary PLayer, Tom Watson, or Lee Trevino.

There are a couple "on the horizon" though, who will make for interesting news in coming years. "Little John" Daly, and of course Charlie Woods, have both shown impressive games at the youth level. Will one, or both of them, eventually make it to the Big Time?

The smart money would have to be on Charlie Woods. He seems to have inherited not only some of his father's otherworldly ability, but some of that same mental concentration. It's gonna be fun to watch.

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Lee Petty won 54 races in what would become the Sprint Cup series.
He had a son who did alright. Richard Petty won 200 races, and SEVEN Championships. That is why he is called "King Richard."
HE had a son named Kyle Petty who won 8 races.

Ralph Earnhardt had 16 Top 10 finishes, but never won a Nascar race.
He had a son who did alright, as well. Dale Earnhardt won 76 races, and SEVEN Championships. He is considered by most to be the greatest Nascar driver of all time, since the cars were forced by Nascar to be more uniform during his time than during Richard Petty's run. (Cue the outcry from Petty fans.)
HE had a son named Dale Jr., who won 26 races of his own. Not too shabby at all.

There is a "next generation" Elliot trying to make a name for himself in Nascar right now.

It's not common by any means, but the two "exceptions" to the rule in Nascar are about as big as exceptions get.

Why does pro Golf talent never seem to transfer from one

Re: Why does pro Golf talent never seem to transfer from one

same as NASCAR.***

A couple of TRULY notable exceptions in NASCAR.

Re: Why does pro Golf talent never seem to transfer from one

For sure. Greatness at anything does not seem to be passed

Re: For sure. Greatness at anything does not seem to be passed

He has literally spent millions of his dollars on alimony to

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