If your were good enough

[HomerJSimpson]

OK as cabin fever is setting in and HID is making noises about going to Homebase, what about this scenario.

If you were good enough to turn pro, would you do so? Would you be prepared to invest the time and money doing the PGA exams as a fall back or would you be straight out trying to test yourself on one of the local tours and try to progress up to Europro and beyond.

Perhaps I never had the ambition but working as an assistant in the 80's all I really wanted to do was get qualified, find an assistant role somewhere and then eventually just become a club pro at a nice club. I thought it would be enough for me to help the members, run a reasonably sized shop and earn a modest wage. Given how some of the pros were/are attached to clubs for decades it seemed a secure way of earning a living too.

So what would you do if you had the talent. Go for it, despite the cost of travelling and playing vs no guaranteed return on a very limited circuit, try for the big leagues straight away or be happy to find a secure pro shop job somewhere.

 

[chrisd]

If, and its a big if, that I was talented and had the chance, I would want to be a competitive golfer and, with due respect, not a shop keeper who does lessons. Sadly, the only thing that I have been talented at is, being talented at nothing!

 

[moogie]

Its a tough call homer
I know some GOOD Local Lads, had a go at this last year, +2 and +3 respectively
The +2 golfer never got past 1st stage Europro Tour Q school, he is now on his PGA course, assistant, hoping to go down the long road of PGA Qualification, will still play a bit, plenty locals will play Pro-Ams with him, good lad
The +3 golfer, played Europro Tour golf all last season, only made few cuts, so lost a lot of £££, playing golf for a year, as it costs a bit to play on this tour, entry + expenses, etc.......its a hard game
Plenty big fish in every county
Hard choices to be made
If NO Sponsor, then u betta be good...............

 

[LanDog]

Depending on what funds I had at the start and what clubs would be available to work at and what their facilities were like. I'd probably be satisfied with being a club pro and then playing the odd tournament and getting out on some club weekends away.

 

[MashieNiblick]

Like a lot of kids when I got into golf I wanted to be a pro. I wasn't too bad and could knock it round in the mid 80's as a 13 y/o but never really able to progress much from there.

If I had my time again and was given the talent then yes I would love to be pro at any level.

It would be great to be able to step on to the 10th tee at Turnberry and say, as Tom Watson did, "I love my office".

If I couldn't compete on the Tour I think I would be very happy in a club job. My teaching pro is a great guy who played a bit on the pro tours when younger but really enjoys helping people with their golf at whatever level. I think I could be happy with that. And working in a shop surrounded by lots of shiny new...

Mars bars.

 

[Birchy]

I would be happy just getting down low enough to play in open comps at all the top courses and things like that. I wouldnt want to go down the tour route and having the pressure of making a living out of it unless i was really **** hot. Being a pro at a nice course would probably be ideal as i would get a lot of job satisfaction and also could play in the nice comps i mentioned above sometimes.

 

[In_The_Rough]

Depending on age. If I was fresh from school probably get my PGA cert then once qualified see if I am good enough to get on tour then if not something to fall back on.

 

[Junior]

I'd be happy to earn a living out of being a club pro, but what always amazes me is how little they actually play. The few club pro's I know only get out once a week or so!!

 

[Matty]

I've spoken with a few club pros about this sort of thing. They talk about the gulf between them and the tour players in terms of how I look at the cult between me and them.

Being a week in, week out tour player is tough and a difficult peak to reach. If I genuinely thought I was good enough t get there I'd forgo the exams but in reality I think the majority should be encouraged to do the cams as only a very small percentage make the tours and the big, big money.

 

[AmandaJR]

I'd be happy to earn a living out of being a club pro, but what always amazes me is how little they actually play. The few club pro's I know only get out once a week or so!!

That's my experience too. If I was good enough but had choices and no financial demands affecting them then I'd stay amateur and play competitions and hopefully enjoy my golf. Strikes me that it's a tough world to make a living in and I think I'd soon grow weary of the struggle and lose my love for the game.

 

[thecraw]

I think I'd rather go down the coaching/teaching route and try and get myself established as a good teacher. I'd imagine 90% of the money is cash in hand. Tell the taxman about 3 in 10.

 

[moogie]

I think I'd rather go down the coaching/teaching route and try and get myself established as a good teacher. I'd imagine 90% of the money is cash in hand. Tell the taxman about 3 in 10.

Im SURE it has NEVER crossed the good old Pro's mind to have 2 sets of books, and keep a bit back

 

[In_The_Rough]

I know my coach always prefers cash still I would rather he had it than those robbing gits in government

 

[Imurg]

Strikes me that it's a tough world to make a living in and I think I'd soon grow weary of the struggle and lose my love for the game.

Agreed
Can't be easy breaking your back trying to just make a cut here and there - all for a few thousand euros that will barely pay the expenses. These "Journey-Man" Pros must have nerves of steel and oodles of self-belief.
But it only takes one really good week and you can be made for life....

 

[SatchFan]

I would do all the exams, get fully qualified and set up a state-of-the-art shop with all the custom fitting gear and aim to give the customer A1 service including price so they're not tempted to wander down to AG etc.

Would also make sure I had all the latest teaching gear including video analysis. If I got this up and running successfully I might see how far I could take my own game with the knowledge I had something tangible to fall back on.

 

[LanDog]

I would do all the exams, get fully qualified and set up a state-of-the-art shop with all the custom fitting gear and aim to give the customer A1 service including price so they're not tempted to wander down to AG etc.

Would also make sure I had all the latest teaching gear including video analysis. If I got this up and running successfully I might see how far I could take my own game with the knowledge I had something tangible to fall back on.

Very good answer