No Laying Up - Golf Podcast 1093: Life after Pro Golf with Steve Wheatcroft
Nov 20, 2025
Steve Wheatcroft, a former professional golfer and author of 'Cocktails and Range Balls,' shares insights from his tour days, detailing his struggles with alcohol and depression. He discusses the challenges of transitioning from competitive golf to a new career in finance, and how addiction took a toll on his life. Wheatcroft highlights his journey to recovery, the impactful loss of fellow golfer Grayson Murray, and his efforts to help others through his nonprofit work. Expect captivating anecdotes and reflections on the highs and lows of life as a pro golfer.
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Career As Repeated One-Year Experiments
- Steve Wheatcroft describes his rise from a late-blooming walk-on to dominating mini-tours and earning higher-level status.
- He frames his career as a series of one-year experiments where uncertainty drove continual improvement.
Backstage Deal That Fell Apart
- A country-club owner offered Steve $80,000 a year for three years to fund his pro golf attempt, then the deal collapsed after a hotel deal fell through.
- Steve lived in Seminole's clubhouse, waited tables, and caddied while trying to keep his pro dream alive.
Pro Golf Turns Play Into Work
- Wheatcroft says playing professionally often turns the love of the game into a job, eroding enjoyment.
- He warns that pressure, cuts, and pay swings make pro golf far less glamorous than it appears on TV.
