Gaining Professional status

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i4visual

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Good Evening Guys

This is my first post and thread so hi 2 all.

Basically i am Looking at the possibility of turning pro, but more interested in my chances of earning money outside of my other job.

I have been playing since the age of 9, but gave up from the age of 19 off of a 5 handicap and started back last april now aged 29 (stupid i know). After being extremely out of touch with equipment, my swing, short game and anything else, after 3 months lessons from a tour coach and solid practice managed to come back at a 3 handicap and after a year pulled it down to 1.3. I shoot every other round of golf under par and my worst competition score last year was 76 (4 over) course is 6890 yards off the competition tees.

I am fortunate enough to have at least 4-6 hours a day 5 days a week, available to play due to being my own boss in a company that runs it self, and i am thinking of moving into professional status.

what i really need to know is, whats the possibilities of 'making it'

i am extremely driven and dont mind spending 3 hours on the practice facilities each day.

I have said to my self unless im at least plus 1 handicap and win the club championship comfortably there is no point even looking at it.

is it too late to make it? what i dont want to do is goto Q school, not qualify and end up with a professional status that takes 3 years to remove!

Let me know your thoughts.
 
It's a very tough ask, if I were you I'd go on the recommendations of your tour coach, he's seen your game and should have a good idea of what's required and if you can cut it or not.
 
i4visual said:
Good Evening Guys

This is my first post and thread so hi 2 all.

Basically i am Looking at the possibility of turning pro, but more interested in my chances of earning money outside of my other job.

I have been playing since the age of 9, but gave up from the age of 19 off of a 5 handicap and started back last april now aged 29 (stupid i know). After being extremely out of touch with equipment, my swing, short game and anything else, after 3 months lessons from a tour coach and solid practice managed to come back at a 3 handicap and after a year pulled it down to 1.3. I shoot every other round of golf under par and my worst competition score last year was 76 (4 over) course is 6890 yards off the competition tees.

I am fortunate enough to have at least 4-6 hours a day 5 days a week, available to play due to being my own boss in a company that runs it self, and i am thinking of moving into professional status.

what i really need to know is, whats the possibilities of 'making it'

i am extremely driven and dont mind spending 3 hours on the practice facilities each day.

I have said to my self unless im at least plus 1 handicap and win the club championship comfortably there is no point even looking at it.

is it too late to make it? what i dont want to do is goto Q school, not qualify and end up with a professional status that takes 3 years to remove!

Let me know your thoughts.
Click to expand...

Do you mean club pro or touring pro? Either or, you could do it why not? I'm sure there's examples of late bloomers in the game. Mind you, its far more realistic to become a club pro teaching than it is to make a living playing as you already know. But if you're good enough you are certainly not too old IMO. Sounds like you have all the ingredients to give it a real go, money, time, talent and dedication. Good Luck!!
 
You could become a club pro... seem to remember you have to be 4 or better to start as an assistant. Tour pro...? You need to be able to shoot at least 4 under in each round of a competition on a very long course that you've probably not played before to stand a chance of winning. If you're only shooting under every other round on a course you know, you aren't going to make many cuts, if any.

I'd recommend you play as many 36 hole scratch comps as you possibly can. If you're successful you might get a county game. Play a few of those and measure yourself against the cream of amatuers - and 90% of them don't make it.

Good luck.
 
I'd recommend you play as many 36 hole scratch comps as you possibly can. If you're successful you might get a county game. Play a few of those and measure yourself against the cream of amatuers - and 90% of them don't make it.
Click to expand...
:thup:
 
I remember a young lad approaching my experienced golf pro uncle with the same question as the OP.

He asked him when was the last time he had won his clubs scratch cup.

This guy was certain he could win on the Tour but he had not even won his clubs scratch championship
 
Good luck if you try BUT a small word of caution

There are three young (24-27) guys from our club who had h'caps of +3, +3 & +4, held various course records between them,two were in England squad,all had national success as amateurs, all work incredibly hard on their games and yet none of them could survive financially without outside support.

It's obviously a lot harder to make it than many of us realise.
 
There is a very good article by Luther Blacklock in the latest Todays Golfer, it is aimed at youngsters who want to turn pro, but I think it is worth a read if you are considering the step. Basic gist is that there is a huge jump between being a good scratch golfer and making it is a tour pro.
 
Speak to your club pro, no offence but off your handicap currently you'd do well to qualify to play europro never mind the big tour.

Good luck to you all the same.
 
I don't want to pee on your bonfire but to put this into perspective, I doubt you are even close to making it into your county team. To make it on tour these days you need to get down to AT LEAST +3.

I envy the position you are in with the time you can devote to the game, good luck with whatever you decide to do :thup:
 
You don't have to be winning your club champs and local scratch events - but you do need to be in the shake up a large percentage of the time.
With your h'cap you'd get in to most things apart from the top national comps like the Brabazon etc. so you could get a very good idea of where you stand.
You could definitely turn pro tomorrow and play some mini tour stuff like Jamega etc - don't think that it'll be a cake walk just because it has bob a job pros playing in it though!! You also play solely for your own cash which will let you know whether you have the minerals for the pro game too, because, regardless of their ability, some people just aren't cut out for it when there is cash on the line.
 
i4visual said:
Good Evening Guys

This is my first post and thread so hi 2 all.

Basically i am Looking at the possibility of turning pro, but more interested in my chances of earning money outside of my other job.

I have been playing since the age of 9, but gave up from the age of 19 off of a 5 handicap and started back last april now aged 29 (stupid i know). After being extremely out of touch with equipment, my swing, short game and anything else, after 3 months lessons from a tour coach and solid practice managed to come back at a 3 handicap and after a year pulled it down to 1.3. I shoot every other round of golf under par and my worst competition score last year was 76 (4 over) course is 6890 yards off the competition tees.

I am fortunate enough to have at least 4-6 hours a day 5 days a week, available to play due to being my own boss in a company that runs it self, and i am thinking of moving into professional status.

what i really need to know is, whats the possibilities of 'making it'

i am extremely driven and dont mind spending 3 hours on the practice facilities each day.

I have said to my self unless im at least plus 1 handicap and win the club championship comfortably there is no point even looking at it.

is it too late to make it? what i dont want to do is goto Q school, not qualify and end up with a professional status that takes 3 years to remove!

Let me know your thoughts.
Click to expand...

Hi , Ian Poulter was 4 handicap when he turned pro , look what he has done within the game , money , have you got enough to pay the entry fees , travelling fees and the rest , looks like you have so if thats what you want to do then i say go for it , its better to have tried to get to your goal then to look back later in life and say i wish i had done it and never know what would have become and just have regrets , even if you dont make it too the top there are still many avenues you can go down such as club manager/sec . teaching , your call , better to have tried and not make it then not try at all , good luck
 
my mates son played of +2,went the college route in the states and struggled to make the team,played on the FALDO tour and came in the top 5 but was deemed not good enough to progress further by those in the know,he is now playing on the HOOTERS tour in the states and is just about keeping his head above water,its a hard game to get a break has there are a lot of players in the +2-4 bracket all looking to get a card.
 
Hickory_Hacker said:
Alcohol can do strange things! :cheers:
Click to expand...

Beer and girls was a major factor! I think I'm going to play this year and look again in October for the following year. I played in 21 qualifying and non qualifying competitions last year and was 38 under par in total. (Home and away courses.)

Let's see what happens by October I guess
 
No chance in my humble opinion. Get yourself into the larger county events and opens and test yourself against the really good boys in your area and I think you'll see there is a gulf between where you are and where you need to be. Your tour pro may be able to give you some more advice on what your best options are but would you really be happy working as an assistant pro as you go through the PGA qualifications for three or so years. I have to be honest but I would never take lessons from anyone that wasn't PGA qualified. It might be prejudice on my part but I want the confidence the PGA status gives that the guy taking my money knows what he is talking about. It doesn't mean he'll be a great teacher and it's about finding one that works wll with you but that is another topic.

I hope, really I do, that you can prove me wrong and that you can turn pro or find a way to make a career in golf. Have you considered working in retail, working for the major manufacturers, or even in a golfing admin role? Keep us posted on what you decide to do and how you progress and good luck to you
 
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