The line into the PGA Tour inner circle just got a little bit longer.
The PGA Tour will require player agents and managers to undergo a new credentialing process in 2025, according to the Associated Press, formalizing the relationships between players and their representation in the eyes of the tour.
Perhaps most notably, the new structure will require each agency to submit a $1,500 application fee, plus a $500 fee for each agent to earn access to the locker room, clubhouse, practice area, media center and family dining. Those who only want access to the clubhouse will be required to pay $375.
Agents were first notified of the changes earlier this week in a memo from PGA Tour chief competitions officer Tyler Dennis, who informed player representatives that involvement in the program will be necessary to receive a season-long credential.
The decision brings the Tour in line with several other pro sports leagues, including the NFL, which require formalized relationships between players and agents as a means of ensuring transparency and protecting players. As Josh Carpenter of the SBJ pointed out on Friday, the Tour already operates a similar program for employees of golf equipment companies for similar reasons.
While agents — particularly those at smaller agencies — are sure to bemoan the cost of the new program, some of the changes of the program are sure to be welcomed by agents, who have lobbied the tour for years for expanded access.
The new program comes as the era of player empowerment in golf has brought a thriving microeconomy of coaches, trainers and managers into the professional golf ecosystem. Those changes have only been amplified by the outgrowth of LIV, which has seen some agents retreat into “GM” roles for their players’ respective franchises.
The new program will go into effect with the beginning of the 2025 season, which is scheduled for January 2-5 at The Sentry in Hawaii.