Stars use image to build empires

What's in a logo? Greg Norman takes the blandness out of his name by having a multi-coloured shark, Jack Nicklaus plays on his nickname by having the instantly recognisable golden bear, and Arnie Palmer uses a golfing umbrella to get across his message.

Behind the simple images, however, lie financial empires that have been built on images anything but simple. The one thing they all have in common is that they have used their artistry with the dimpled golf ball to build their respective fortunes - and, nowadays, the vast majority of the greenbacks come from their involvement in off-course activities.

While Tiger Woods is reckoned to be the biggest earner annually (he chalked up something like $26.1 million last year), he has done so mainly due to endorsements from outside agencies like Nike, Titleist, American Express etc. In contrast, the big three - Norman, Nicklaus and Palmer - have developed their own empires, moving away from merely playing the game into course architecture, fashion, club manufacture and just about anything connected with golf.

Of course, Nicklaus and Palmer were the trendsetters - but it is Norman who has arguably shown the most business acumen. So much so, in fact, that he has converted his Boeing 737 into an office in which he can conduct business. There are two classic examples of Norman's ability to sniff out a business opportunity. The first concern his relationship with Cobra. Back in 1991, he made a personal investment of $1.9 million for a 12 per cent stake in the equipment company; in 1996, when American Brands stepped in to buy out the company, Norman pocketed a cool $40 million for his share.

The second example is possibly a better insight into how Norman's business mind works. When a fellow Australian named Hugh Whiting called him one day and asked him if he was interested in grass, Norman replied: "I don't even smoke the stuff!" But he listened. And he discovered that Whiting was offering a hybrid Bermuda that was resistant to certain dangerous bugs and was also tolerant to cold and hot weather conditions. It also grew 50 per quicker than ordinary grass and, importantly, was DNA perfect.

The grass was called CT2. . . but Norman bought the idea and now it is called GN1 and is grown on a 280acre sod farm in Florida which Norman purchased. Apart from golf, the common bond between Nicklaus, Palmer and Norman is that they all came through the IMG organisation. Nicklaus and Norman broke away to form their own companies, but Palmer stayed with Mark McCormack. However, all three have their own enterprises.

Here's an example of the pies they have their fingers in. According to Forbes, Norman is worth $16.2 million a year, Palmer is worth an estimated $16.1 million, and Nicklaus earns in excess of $9.3 million.