The lifestyles of the millionaire players on the USPGA Tour are a distant dream for the vast majority of professional tournament players.
The reality for most touring pros is a constant struggle to make cuts, to make ends meet, as they pursue qualifying school opportunities and the chance to one day play alongside the likes of Tiger Woods on the big stage.
Rotorua's former world No1 amateur Danny Lee has reached that level and financial independence for life thanks to massive signing-on fees he received from his management company and club manufacturers when he turned pro.
For Tauranga pro Jared Pender, his five years chasing that same dream have proved frustrating at times with financial hardship his constant companion. But the 30-year-old has never given up hope and is now reaching perhaps the richest vein of form in his career.
Last weekend, he bolted through the field with a second round 64 to win the Glendene Pro-Am, the final event on the Mining Town series on the Queensland Sunshine Tour. More than 60 professionals took part in seven events over three weeks and were competing for prizemoney worth $150,000.
"We played six tournaments over there, starting in Blackwater and worked our way up through the little towns," Pender said. "It went well as I had a third and a fifth, plus the win in the final pro-am. I started off this year at the bottom [financially] so I'm back to even and we are only halfway through the year."
Pender won the Air NZ Koru tournament in Fiji last year and 2013 began in fine style with his eighth equal finish at the NZPGA Championships held at The Hills, near Queenstown, in March.
It was his best finish in a category one tournament and has done wonders for his confidence. Pender says the first years as a pro are learning years and he is much more aware now of how to look after himself and prepare for tournaments.
"Fitness and diet are hard to keep going on the road. There is only a certain amount you can do. All year I have been training with my brother Kelly, who is the head tutor on the fitness course at the [BOP] Polytech. I train there every day when I'm home and use the gym and the pool there."
Pender is now coached by Omanu pro Andrew Gurney and he says the arrangement is working well.
"The benefits are probably more off course than on course. I can see him whenever I need to and for as long as I need to. We are both young and spend a lot of time together, even playing tennis at the Mount club, which is good for fitness.
"We are working on getting on top of not playing wayward shots and blowing three strokes, with all the different drills and stuff, especially mentally.
"Like if you have been playing four and a half hours and get to the 17th and pull out the driver, when you should be hitting a four iron. It is about making good decisions. If you have a fit body you have a fit brain."
The next major goal for Pender is to try to get his card in Asia next year.
It is just a matter of seizing the opportunities when they come along. Pender has certainly put in the hard yards to get there and he deserves to be successful.