Apples and apples, dollars and dollars

A few weeks ago, Ryan at Waggle Room did some neat research in a piece for GolfNewsNet and came up with a ranking plan for PGA tournaments. He was getting a head start on how to determine what tournaments the tour guys would have to play to comply with any future once-every-four rule. This so-called once-every-four edict would mandate each PGA tour golfer must play every tournament on the schedule at least once during a four year period. I have made my sentiments on such a plan very public and very clear here, here and here.

When Jack Nicklaus won the 1963 Masters (above), he won $20,000. This year, Angel Cabrera won $1,350,000. That is an increase of 6750%. To put it in perspective, $5,000 was a decent salary in 1963 and to keep up with the same inflation as the purse increase, salaries would now have to be $337,500.

Someone should come up with a system where they applied 2009 purse money to winnings during Jack's reign and also during Tiger's. In other words, both would receive $1,350,000 for each Masters they won. Similar amount for each other major and other tournaments. You would have to assign a few of Jack's semi-majors like the Western Open, the Tour championship and others to balance out the WGC events. Regardless, I think some stats nut could accurately compare Jack's earnings and Tiger's.

I tried it here, but it seems like Jack made TOO much money. Oh, well, it would not be the first mistake I made in arithmetic. Ask Sister Mary Norbert, my third grade teacher from my parochial school in Baltimore.