Pros or Pros?

[haplesshacker]

An earlier post has got me thinking.

Are there differences between your average club pro, who gives lessons, takes bookings and sells Mars Bars, compared to your pro on the tour?

Did the club pro have aspirations to be a tour player but didn't make the cut, or wouldn't take the risk, or is there a different route for those pros that teach and those that go on to the tour?

 

[theeaglehunter]

Young teaching pros can go on to be tour pros so don't get confused there- Ian Poulter used to work in the pro shop for one.

However the older teaching pro is usually someone with failed tour aspirations from my experience, or maybe someone who has retired from professional competition.

I would say though in general any current teaching / club pro is someone who at this time is not good enough to play on tour, otherwise they would be.

The route to tour would be much the same for all pros though, when they feel they are at an adequate playing level they will enter q school (this could be straight upon turning pro or after 5 years honing their game as a club pro) and then if they qualify they will join up.

I'm sure I will be corrected if indeed I am wrong though, these are just my thoughts.

 

[USER1999]

My last pro was an awesome ball striker, but his putting was like mine, so no way could he compete.

That said, one of our members turned pro, playing off plus 5, but can't hold his tour card, shows how tough it is.

 

[haplesshacker]

So what are the pre-requisites for someone wanting to be a tour player or an 'instructor' type pro?

PS I'm not asking because I just broke 100 and have ambition beyond my ability, but just out of interest.

For sake of arguement, lets say we have Mr A, who wants to teach others how to play and work at a club etc. And Mr B who wants to be a Tour player and has some natural ability.

Both want to be pros, in both senses of the word.

 

[CarpeDiem]

Our Pro was on the EuroPro tour for a year, but didn't quite make the cut in the long run.

 

[flandango]

My friend who I was refering to im my earlier post has an inspiring story really.

He didn't start playing golf until he was 25. He turned pro at 30. He was single, just started playing and was sharing a house with friends who all played golf and were all builders.

He had low rent and basically went without anything for 5 years. He told me he was 100% focused on becoming a pro. He even got a sports science degree in this time to help him in his studies.

Sounds like bullsh#t but he is one of these gifted people who is good at anything. He has an mensa level IQ, offered a pro football contract but couldn't accept due to injury so turned to golf, then went an became a bloody pro.

I'll invite him to a meet next year. He really is an amazing guy.....oh my god.......I think i love him...

Must say it's good to have free lessons on tap. I'm a plumbing and heating engineer and I often do work for him. He pays me in kind......with lessons you dirty buggers!!!

 

[haplesshacker]

How do you turn pro though. In both contexts?

PS Your friend sounds like someone you could either hate or admire in equal measure.

 

[golfandmoregolf]

sounds like a nice geez flan........Fairplay to him,tis also true that some peeps are so good no matter what sport they participate in!!! And others just cant get it no matter what!!

 

[SammmeBee]

An earlier post has got me thinking.

Are there differences between your average club pro, who gives lessons, takes bookings and sells Mars Bars, compared to your pro on the tour?

Did the club pro have aspirations to be a tour player but didn't make the cut, or wouldn't take the risk, or is there a different route for those pros that teach and those that go on to the tour?

Hapless, next time we play we'll go into detail but the basics are:

Tour Player - anyone can say 'I'm a Pro' and then start at the bottom (Jamega?) and if you're any good you'll do okay, get to the EuroPro Tour and if you're very good you'l get to the Challenge Tour and then if you're very, very good you'll get to the European Tour - there is little money to be made, after expenses, unless you're top 125/150 of the main tour though...

Teaching Pro - needs to be PGA qualified have to be 4 handicap, then play 2 rounds in 13 over CSS in a playing test, then whilst earning less than 10 grand a year work in a Pro Shop with a PGA registered Pro for 3 years while studying the PGA 'Degree' Course....

 

[flandango]

He is a nice guy.

He done his studies / training at the Belfry with Ernie Els brother who he got friends with.

He had little money when he played and hadn't played on to many courses outside of Scotland.

When at the Belfry he asked him instructor if they would be playing the on the National or BAMBOOZEL course......ha ha BLOODY DICK HEAD!!!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Basically I wanted to be a pro. I was off low single figures, got the gig as the assistant at my home club and spent a couple of years playing pro-ams, assistant events and earning a meagre wage in the shop and doing repairs. I found out very quickly that competitively I was never ever going to be good enough to earn a living even on the local PGA circuit and so wanted to become a PGA professional and get qualified and then work my way upto a nice club position, have a decent, comfortable living and then retire.

The downside came when my mum and dad couldn't afford to pay for my PGA course and the club and pro wouldn't sponsor me. As I said in a previous post I revoked my professional status and a year later was given back my amateur status to let me compete once again in club and open events.

Here is the link which explains a bit more about how it is done now

http://www.pga.info/AboutThePGAPro/31851301.htm

 

[haplesshacker]

Thanks for the info and link guys. Makes interesting reading. I'll take more of it in another time.

 

[backwoodsman]

- there is little money to be made, after expenses, unless you're top 125/150 of the main tour though...

Feinstein - in his book Tales From Q School - suggests that only about 500 players in the world earn enough to make a living from tour golf. (About 130 on each of the US & European, then about the same again elsewhere worldwide)

When you think there's something like 60 million golfers world-wide, that's a tiny proportion (0.00083%) Not many are going to get there, and it nicely shows the difference between them & us mortals.

I think I need to get just a leeeeetle bit better before signing up....

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I remember when I took the game up as a kid I went to Sandown Park for lessons and even then (late 70's) there were at least three assistants working there all trying to make enough money from teaching and shop commission to supplement minimal wages and any winnings.

I was on minimum wage and had to rely on shop sales and club repairs for any other cash. Fortunately I had my gear (Slazenger B51 clubs, bag, jumpers etc) on a one year contract. There were too many players even then chasing too little money which made me hanker after a nice quiet club pro job somewhere.

 

[medwayjon]

Sadly unless you have a wealthy family/friends or enough sponsorship you have no chance unless you take a huge gamble by remortgaging and selling everything you own.

My friend who is a teaching/shop pro is +5 and would love to go to the challenge tour or europro tour but said that even for the europro tour, to break even on costs if he won no money that year, and obviously to still pay his mortgage etc, that he would need around £70-£80k

Not exactly small-beans.

 

[RGuk]

It's fair (is it not?) to say that most club pros were probably never in the running to get on the tour. You meet the odd one who got to +2 or one that WAS on the small-ish tours, but rarely.

Most are good players who enjoy the life of golf and are happy to coach and run a shop.

I know one pro who has quit to try on the seniors circuit....I can't see why he is gambling his financial security.....last time I played with him I played to 10 and he played to 2.....I won 2+1.....doesn't exactly fill me with confidence for him!!!!!!

 

[TonyN]

I would love to be able to work as a pro, be it on the tour or in a shop, teaching selling etc.

Can't beleive how much it costs to break into the sport at a decent level.

How much are we talking just to take the PGA course/exams and qualify as a pro?

 

[TWM]

My pro used to play the tour although I do not remember him then. His son who is also assistant pro once won a Faldo competition and now plays one of the junior tours.
Pro built me a nice swing and I will go back to him shortly to rescue my iron play.

 

[SammmeBee]

How much are we talking just to take the PGA course/exams and qualify as a pro?

About 3 grand plus working for minimum wage for 3 years....

 

[Imurg]

Sounds like qualifying as a driving instructor.....