Could i get too tour level??

[louise_a]

Practice all you can, enter top amateur events when you get low enough too and see how it goes, some people your age take a couple of years off to go travelling, you can do it with golf and not be in a worse position at the end of it.

 

[jdallenn]

Yeah I 100% agree with that take a year or so off and just work on my game, with regards too top amateur events how do I go about entering these when I get low enough? What handicap should I be looking at achieving?

 

[hovis]

my playing partner is 18 and plays off +2. he often shoots 6 to 8 under gross on our track. future pro material you might think? he plays in national amateur comps and has only managed a top 10 once.

i often caddy for him and the standard of golf at amateur level is amazing. they would make most club pro's look like a Hacker

 

[Dan2501]

I mean you could, but you need to be realistic. You need to be shooting low 60's on specced up courses off the back tees consistently, and more importantly in tournaments to even have a chance. Talent and scores aren't enough either, you need to be mentally tough enough to make it over against a ton of other incredible players. There are thousands of guys good enough to get on Tour, not many make it though because they can't do it when it counts. You've got a chance, anyone that seriously dedicates enough time could make it, but you need to be very special, have huge amounts of talent and even more mental strength to get there.

 

[Wabinez]

Realistically, no...as others have said. However, there is nothing stopping you, if you can get to 1/2 or lower, entering EuroPro as an amateur. Then you can see how you can get on. Whatever you do, do NOT give up your amateur status lightly...I have seen a couple of people do it and they aren't able to produce the results they need, so can't really do anything at all.

Best of luck...but enjoy the game as it can take away just as quickly as it gives

 

[srixon 1]

I don't want to pee on your parade but there is a guy at my club (former British amateur champion) who has recently got his amateur status back as he couldn't make a living on any of the tours. His handicap is just 0.2 away from being +6.

I've heard that he has won more in the Sunday roll ups since he got his amateur status back than he did as a pro. :rofl:

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Yeah I 100% agree with that take a year or so off and just work on my game, with regards too top amateur events how do I go about entering these when I get low enough? What handicap should I be looking at achieving?

Short answer to the original question is a definite no in my opinion (sorry!) as I simply think your current starting point and age are against you. It's one thing taking time off to work on the game but the only way to improve properly to a scratch (or close) handicap is to get high class coaching so you are working with someone that knows your game and you aren't simply ingraining faults or practicing without specifics. That costs money and so you'll need supportive parents, a large overdraft and accommodating bank manager or a lot of savings.

Like others I've known very low handicap golfers who cannot compete at the top end of the amateur game let alone turning professional. That said, if you do get down to a standard where you can turn pro, rather than pursue an unrealistic dream you could get your PGA qualifications and turn pro and play on local circuits while perhaps building a business at a club/range and becoming a good teacher. There are also plenty of other opportunities inside the golf industry, especially for good golfers that means you could still be involved in something you clearly care for passionately. Whatever road you go down, I hope it works out

 

[guest100718]

3 pages of doom..

 

[MadAdey]

Don't let taking up golfing in adulthood be a stumbling block. At my place a young lad called Garrett started playing at 18 and he is now 23 and has headed off to Florida for the winter to play on a mini tour. IF he does well on that he is heading to the Web.com tour next season. But to give you an idea of how good you need to be to go on any tour if he still had a handicap it would be +5. My place used to be the venue for Greater Greensboro Open on the US Tour and he always plays it from the Tour tees. He is always under par and his best round is 64 (-8) from the Tour tees . I normally play the next set of tees up from the Tour tees as the course just looks ridiculous from back there. Like the 15th, 3w-9i from the normal tees, easy hole, from the back it's a Driver into a tight landing area, then a 5i going into a narrow elevated green with no bail out area.

There's a couple of good plus handicap golfers at my place and they even admit they are not even close to the standard of Garrett and can't break par form the Tour tees. He hits it a good 300 yard average, 230 with a 3i, from a hundred yards in he rarely leaves it outside of a good birdie putt, knocks in most putts from within 10 foot within even thinking about it, his chips quite often have a chance of going in, if they don't they are normally just a tap in, all in all his game is absolutely solid.

I think what people are trying to say is that a lot of us on here have played with some very good golfers. The difference between knocking it round under par from the yellows or whites at your place and standing on a set of tour tees and knocking it round in the 60s is a mile apart.

 

[MadAdey]

Yeah I 100% agree with that take a year or so off and just work on my game, with regards too top amateur events how do I go about entering these when I get low enough? What handicap should I be looking at achieving?

In the + handicap range to be honest.

 

[jdallenn]

Thank you for all the feedback just a query of mine and all the answers have been great, over tux next year I will keep dreaming and see if my handicap and my golf keeps improving to the level it needs too, I will post here with my progress thanks again for the replies!

 

[Dasit]

Tough but not impossible

Always like reading these stories of the local player who plays from the tees and seems like can do everything, barely misses etc

Then when I see an actual elite tour player play a practice round, they are far from as perfect as the local player who is trying to get on a regional tour


Pro golfers aren't mythical beings, some have elite genetics and talent, but it is mainly putting in the hours and having the right mental focus.

 

[MadAdey]

I would love to see a stat that shows the ratio of scratch or better golfers in England to English pros that are making a living as a Tour Pro. Had a look round and couldn't find anything. I imagine it would be huge, in the thousands to 1.

 

[jdallenn]

Thank you for your comment I know it won't be easy if it was everyone would do it, just gotta work harder than anyone else

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Short answer to the original question is a definite no in my opinion (sorry!) as I simply think your current starting point and age are against you. It's one thing taking time off to work on the game but the only way to improve properly to a scratch (or close) handicap is to get high class coaching so you are working with someone that knows your game and you aren't simply ingraining faults or practicing without specifics. That costs money and so you'll need supportive parents, a large overdraft and accommodating bank manager or a lot of savings.

Like others I've known very low handicap golfers who cannot compete at the top end of the amateur game let alone turning professional. That said, if you do get down to a standard where you can turn pro, rather than pursue an unrealistic dream you could get your PGA qualifications and turn pro and play on local circuits while perhaps building a business at a club/range and becoming a good teacher. There are also plenty of other opportunities inside the golf industry, especially for good golfers that means you could still be involved in something you clearly care for passionately. Whatever road you go down, I hope it works out

This from Homer is good advice IMO. We have a couple of young assistant pros at our place. They've got their PGA teaching qualifications and so do a lot of teaching as well as working in the shop. They really are a core element of my club and they are very valued.

But importantly they both play in the local assistant pro 'tour' and other comps. One also each year partners up with a member to play in the National Pro Am Championship, that last year saw him playing in the final at Gleneagles and this year at Vila Sol Vilamoura - with the winning pair picking up £12,000. He didn't win - but he works hard on his game and maybe one day something will click. So just saying that for the pro golfer there is opportunity and a career in the sport we love - maybe not lucrative - but it's there - and you never know...:thup:

 

[Hosel Fade]

If I fail I have enough college qualifications and other work experience to find a good job, I currently work doing taxes and finance with business elements, always on the lookout for business opportunities, yeah I thought about being a pro have to be under 4 handicap if I'm not mistaken? I do have backups, but at the moment this is my main focus I agree with you about having a seperate plan in place, thanks again for the good input

The 4 handicap thing is to go on the PGA course towards becoming a club pro with all the business training, coaching and clubmaking that entails. You turn pro as soon as you do something contrary to amateur status (which I would advise against very strongly until a couple of seasons at the elite amateur level)

 

[Robobum]

Thank you for your comment I know it won't be easy if it was everyone would do it, just gotta work harder than anyone else

Good answer mate. You seem to have your head screwed on.

Chris Wood is a great example for you to follow. Far from the best amateur even in the county at that stage, he was however, by far and away the hardest worker.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Good answer mate. You seem to have your head screwed on.

Chris Wood is a great example for you to follow. Far from the best amateur even in the county at that stage, he was however, by far and away the hardest worker.

And yet, to provide some context for the OP, he won the Silver Medal for best amateur in the Open and the English Amateur Order of Merit two years running.All before the age of 21.

 

[JoshuaSouber]

Go for it.

I would say that if you are on here for reassurance or motivation, it isn't going to happen, and the chances of achieving this dream is slim.

But whoever says no or 0% chance isn't speaking literally. Maybe realistically, but of course it is possible.

People like to help others but then drag them down if they start doing too well. Look at every young English footballer in the last twenty years ; )

I am not completely sure about his past, but check out Gary Christian, he got his PGA tour card at 40 after a lifes work, having been a club golfer who rapidly progressed at a later stage in life than is the norm.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/feb/14/gary-christian-pga-tour

It would take a hell of lot of time, effort, money and mental strength - But why not, good luck with it mate.

 

[jdallenn]

Thank you mate just really focussed on trying to achieve something like this, I know it may not 've realistic but without dreams and something to drive us life would be boring, thanks for the knowledge and help, hopefully my hard work will pay off, shot level par on a different course today which is good, got to keep it going thanks again!