Is Eric Cole Diabetic? PGA Tour Star’s Health Struggles Revealed

For a kid whose parents are professional golfers, it would be easy to pursue the footsteps, right? Not always, the obstacles in life, irrespective of the family background and talent, could multiply the level of hardship. Something similar happened with the American professional, Eric Cole, who elongated his journey to become a professional in 2023 at the age of 34.

Born in a family of golf professionals. Cole got interested in the game while playing with his mother. Out of the six siblings, the American professional pursued the game, intending to become a professional. Looking up to his father Bobby Cole, 13 international wins and a former PGA Tour player. While his mother Laura Baugh is also a former LPGA professional, she even won a 1971 U.S. Women’s Amateur.

The golfer, with his early age interest and guidance from professionals, encountered a little bump on his journey of becoming a professional. In 2006, at the age of 17 years, Cole during his second year of college felt something wrong with his health. He shared during an interview that was published on his official website. Sharing about that, he said, “My body ached, and I lost a bunch of weight. I went home, thinking rest would fix me, but I got worse. I weighed 117 pounds when my mom took me to the ER. I was diagnosed with two autoimmune diseases: type 1 diabetes and Addison’s disease.”

Addison’s disease can hinder growth as the body’s production rate for the specific hormone reduces. The PGA Tour Rookie of the Year 2022-23 shared about his additional essentials apart from golfing, ones that he carries in his bag focusing on his health. Following the interview, he shared, “I wear an insulin pump and blood glucose monitor.” Additionally, Cole also carries sugar-free protein bars, Sour Patch Kids, and Starbursts for intake, depending on blood sugar levels.

Along with that, he takes a few pills in the morning for hormone replacement, which the body doesn’t create because of the disease. Carrying the mediation keeps the professional on the safer side. But his career in the initial days took a huge hit due to this.

Eric Cole’s struggle-filled journey to become a professional

After the disease was diagnosed, he found a middle ground to deal with it via medications. The golfer started his journey towards becoming a professional. Without having sponsors, Cole went to the Q school, which his mother paid the fee for the first year. Although he failed to get through. Looking at which he started to participate in mini-tours in Florida to save some extra costs. The entry fee at the event was $90, and the winner got $300. Similarly, the Minor League Golf Tour had a $150-200 entry fee while the winner got $1000.

Over the years, he won 56 Minor Golf Tours. He paid his bills and went to Q school every year. After five disappointments from Q school and his parents’ constant reassurances, the golfer finally got through on the sixth attempt in 2016. After that, he earned status on the Korn Ferry Tour, but life had something different planned for him as he was diagnosed with a stress fracture.

In 2018, after a stress fracture, the professional stopped playing and was teaching golf at Abacoa, a course in Jupiter. But his dedication to return helped him at the course. After 2 years in 2020, he made it back to the Korn Ferry Tour, where his performance of five top-10s in 2022 helped him get his PGA Tour card.

Since then, you must have followed his professional at the events. Though his life was filled with obstacles, diseases, and injuries, he stood back up after all the downfalls and got his professional card. Now he will be aiming for his first debut title as a professional. Can he achieve it in the 2025 season? What are your thoughts on Eric Cole’s journey? Share with us in the comments section below.