becoming pro

[aaronjunited]

Im new to the forum, look forward to chatting with you all.

I want to hear everyones views on becoming pro and playing on the european tour or the pga tour.
I know you have to play of scratch and go to Q school and get your tour card.
What i want to know is, do you have to be in your teens, and be young to become a pro, or is there pros out there that have done it at an older age, say from 23 - 35 years old?

Would be nice to hear peoples views.

 

[Oddsocks]

welcome aboard mate.

if you follow any of the bogs on here everyone is aiming to be a scratch golfer within 6 months or something silly.

 

[aaronjunited]

did u mean blogs? thanks for the welcome.
Wats ur views on the matter?

 

[freddielong]

Hi Welcome along

To be honest scratch isn't good enough I know quite a few lower than that who do not have a hope of being a tour pro I would say if you are 16 and playing of +4 you have a chance

If you want to be a club pro not a problem

 

[aaronjunited]

I aggree being 16 helps, and better than scratch also. But not all the tour pros are that much better than scratch, its like everyone, you'l have a good day and a bad day. Practice makes perfect. Is there any pros who became pro over the age of 24?

 

[Ethan]

But not all the tour pros are that much better than scratch,

Think again. No pro who plays off scratch would make a penny or a cut on even the Challenge Tour.

 

[freddielong]

I aggree being 16 helps, and better than scratch also. But not all the tour pros are that much better than scratch, its like everyone, you'l have a good day and a bad day. Practice makes perfect. Is there any pros who became pro over the age of 24?

Seriously there isn't a tour pro that makes a living, that would not eat a sratch handicap golfer for breakfast honestly the courses they play the setups they play on a scratch golfer would not get near them consistently

I know its Tiger but I remember reading an article on Tiger where they tried to work out his handicap over a season using the us slope system and it came out at +14

There are a few that started late Larry Nelson didn't pick a club up until he came back from vietnam he won a few majors but golf has moved on a lot since then

 

[Oddsocks]

Aaron, what is your exact HC, tell us about yourself

 

[G1BB0]

I have no chance then at 39 y/o and a 24 h/c

welcome to the forum btw

 

[richart]

I have no chance then at 39 y/o and a 24 h/c

welcome to the forum btw

You could still make it to the Seniors Tour.

 

[TobyRich1928]

Poulter was only off 3 when he turned pro and went for the European tour! He's now in to top 20 in the world! I think it's all about determination and the ability to be able to have the time to commit! Then if your of scratch u might have a chance! . . . But Francesco molinari was off +5 when he turned pro :s

 

[G1BB0]

Seniors tour it is then, gives me 10 years to get to +hc

 

[Mattyboy]

No age limit as such. Everyone will reach a certain level and then not improve much (and this is at different ages). Its the ability thing to think carefully about. Remember that the courses on the tours are 7000+ in length and often beefed up to make them difficult. To make a living as a tour pro you have to be exceptional. I think +4 around your own course is about right - unless its 7500 yards long or on the open roster (then perhaps +2).

Sadly, playing to scratch around a local course is no where near good enough.

Good Luck

 

[aaronjunited]

got this reply on another forum, this is the best reply ive had and gives some encouragement. Read below.


I don't think age has anything to do with it. With all the different pro tours around, there is something for just about every age group. That said, obviously someone at an advanced age is going to find it even more difficult to play consistently well. Tom Watson who just won a major senior tour event, and his peers are in a special group of their own when it comes to playing pro tour golf.

You already know you have to play at scratch or better to be successful on any tour.

What I think separates the pro players from the better amateur players is their mental, and physical ability to to play at scratch or better on a different course, under different playing conditions each, and every week. This, after sometimes traveling through different time zones. The pro player can adjust both mentally, and physically to these changing conditions. The successful tour professional has a 100% complete golf game at their disposal. Those who are the most successful on tour use more of that 100%, more often, than their competition. No pro tour player has the ability to play at 100% of their game for 72 holes. Not even for 18 holes for that matter.

I also believe that person's genetic make up goes a long way in their golf game, and how well they can consistently play. Most decent playing amateurs do not have the genetic (physical and mental) make up to play at the pro tour level.

Last, but not least, just to get started, the aspiring pro tour player has to have a great deal of financial backing, regardless of how strong their mental, and physical game might be. Not having "up front" money has probably kept a lot of good players off the various pro tours. Of course having a proven tract record of quality play will help getting the proper financing to play, but getting that proven record of play cost some coin too.



I really like this advice.

 

[granters]

That is a good reply. I'd say, ability aside, the mental attitude is so important. Picture yourself on a good round- the thing that separates me from a pro is that if i'm 2 under with 4 holes left, i'm desperate to get it over with and finish 2 under. A pro is looking for 4 more birdies.

Very few people have that mental strength, and it's not something you can learn. It's that absolute confidence in your own ability that counts

 

[chrisd]

Seniors tour it is then, gives me 10 years to get to +hc

Probably the Super Seniors Tour would be a better target!

Chris

 

[Ethan]

Poulter was only off 3 when he turned pro and went for the European tour! He's now in to top 20 in the world! I think it's all about determination and the ability to be able to have the time to commit! Then if your of scratch u might have a chance! . . . But Francesco molinari was off +5 when he turned pro :s

But he was playing to a hell of a lot better when he reached the Tour.

Such cases (and Feherty was a 5) happen, but are exceptionally rare and really don't guide the average 3 handicapper to make a sensible decision.

Determination is all fine and dandy but exceptional ability is needed and no amount of determination will overcome a lack of that final 1% of ability needed. This is the American way - if I want it bad enough .....

 

[G1BB0]

what the hell is that? (runs off to google it)

cool theirs a 90+ one, although after years of alcohol and cigs I doubt I will make 70 let alone 90

 

[chrisd]

My club assistant pro turned pro around the new year so now plays off scratch. A really good young player but, and I'm sure he would agree, a million miles from the standard to make money on the European Tour or even the Challenge Tour.

Go along to a pro event and see how good these guys really are. See how far and accurate they drive, how close they get from 50 yards and how they putt, all with crowds watching them. They miss a couple of putts and don't make the cut and they earn nothing - thats pressure, imagine going into work for 2 days then the boss saying he will not pay you anything as you didn't work well enough and on top of that you have to pay your own bus fare to get to and fro.

Sure Poulter was a jumper seller in a club but he only got where he is by sheer hard work, tenacity and even more hard work but there still was a great golfer behind the man waiting to come out. Every golf club has someone who could have made it big,but for.....

Given that, if you can get to the standard then give it a go no matter what age, you do have to live the dream!


Chris

 

[aaronjunited]

thanks for all the replys. very helpfull.