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Professional golf evolved through a series of trial and error, rather then by someone's ingenious design. As golf clubs, organizations and sponsors across the globe began to create more tournaments, they were eventually brought together in to a circuit, thus creating the first tours.

Golf began to create the semblance of government in the early 1900's when the Professional Golfers of America associated in 1916. Then golf experienced a huge boom in the 1950's catapulting it in to the phenomenon it is today. Golf remains one of the most profitable sports for individual sports' athletes in the world.

Of all the tours currently in the world, the PGA Tour remains the most prestigious. The PGA Tour offers the richest purses and consists of 48 tournaments spanning the 44 week regular season. Each tour consists of either 132, 144 or 156 players. Players will typically participate in 20-30 tournaments in the PGA Tour.

The European Tour is the second tier of the professional golf tours. The purses are not as rich as the PGA Tour, which is a reason that Europeans gravitate away from the European Tour. Because of the climate in Europe, professional golf is a year-round sport with 52 official money events spanning 52 weeks.

Following the PGA Tour and the European Tour are the less prestigious Champions Tour and the LPGA Tour. The Champions Tour is international, hosting events in North America and the United Kingdom, while catering to golfers 50 years of age or older. The Champions Tour was formerly known as the Senior PGA Tour.

The LPGA Tour is for ladies only, though ladies can compete in PGA events if they so desire. The tour lasts the full year, with a three week break over the Christmas holidays. In total there are 34 events, including the four majors.

Following the top four tours (PGA, Europe, Champions and LPGA) are the Asian Tour, Japan Golf tour and LPGA of Japan Tour. All are moderately successful but offer low purse money in comparison.

The PGA Tour is still the most prestigious because it offers the glory and the gold. The winner of the Arnold Palmer Award (given to the player who ranks highest on the money list) has earned as little as $7 million and beyond $10 million in a single year.