Standard of people trying to make it Pro....

[MendieGK]

Last week i caddied for my mate @ the first stage of Europro Qualifying. He's off +2 and despite playing the worst i've ever seen him play, got through quite comfortably.

I was amazed at some of the golfers there genuinely thinking they could make money from the game. Someone shot +17 in the first round, whilst a number of others shot +6 or higher.

one of the lads my mate was playing with, shot +9 for two rounds and only just missed out. I (off 3) would fancy beating this guy 60% of the time.

Who is telling these people they have a chance at making it? drives me crazy!

 

[Deleted member 15344]

A lot of them get smoke blow up their perverbial when playing at their home course - we have had one as well. Big fish in small pond but doesn't have the all round game to make it.

I played a scratch match against a young lad last year who was going to go for Euro Pro - he could hit a long ball but zero temperament and couldn't recover from mistake so managed to beat him comfortably.

It's very tough and seen some very talented players not even qualify for the Euro Pro.

They get taught to hit the ball a long way but the mental game is miles away for them

 

[MendieGK]

A lot of them get smoke blow up their perverbial when playing at their home course - we have had one as well. Big fish in small pond but doesn't have the all round game to make it.

I played a scratch match against a young lad last year who was going to go for Euro Pro - he could hit a long ball but zero temperament and couldn't recover from mistake so managed to beat him comfortably.

It's very tough and seen some very talented players not even qualify for the Euro Pro.

They get taught to hit the ball a long way but the mental game is miles away for them

I dont think my mate will earn any cash this year either and he was probably the best player at the event last week. He was struggling with 3 to play and kicked himself up the ar*e and finished Birdie, Birdie, Birdie to Qualify by 3.

Interesting what you say about 'home course', a bloke of 4 at our club is on a #questfor2 as he calls it on twitter. literally never leaves our club. IMO any 'Proper'Cat1 golfer should be entering scratch opens and testing themselves against other courses and players. only then can you say that your handicap is a true reflection

 

[Spear-Chucker]

A lot of them get smoke blow up their perverbial when playing at their home course - we have had one as well. Big fish in small pond but doesn't have the all round game to make it.

I played a scratch match against a young lad last year who was going to go for Euro Pro - he could hit a long ball but zero temperament and couldn't recover from mistake so managed to beat him comfortably.

It's very tough and seen some very talented players not even qualify for the Euro Pro.

They get taught to hit the ball a long way but the mental game is miles away for them

Nailed it. I could list (won't as it's rude) a dozen local chaps who ranged from +1 to +3 who invested serious time and energy trying to turn pro and didn't come close due to not having the right mental 'stuff'. Monstrous ability but it's all in vain if you can't apply it.

Always rather impressed with another local (will name this one - Andrew Marshall) who made it on to the European tour with very modest amateur credentials but a great ability to compete when it mattered.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I dont think my mate will earn any cash this year either and he was probably the best player at the event last week. He was struggling with 3 to play and kicked himself up the ar*e and finished Birdie, Birdie, Birdie to Qualify by 3.

Interesting what you say about 'home course', a bloke of 4 at our club is on a #questfor2 as he calls it on twitter. literally never leaves our club. IMO any 'Proper'Cat1 golfer should be entering scratch opens and testing themselves against other courses and players. only then can you say that your handicap is a true reflection

I think there is about 6 or 7 lads from Woburn who are at the Final - can think of two who really could make it

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Nailed it. I could list (won't as it's rude) a dozen local chaps who ranged from +1 to +3 who invested serious time and energy trying to turn pro and didn't come close due to not having the right mental 'stuff'. Monstrous ability but it's all in vain if you can't apply it.

Always rather impressed with another local (will name this one - Andrew Marshall) who made it on to the European tour with very modest amateur credentials but a great ability to compete when it mattered.

Only have to see Mr Poulter - had the best mental ability and strong belief despite not being the most talented

 

[Deleted member 18588]

As I have previously posted we have had three guys turn pro in recent years and at the time they did they were all +3 or better and hardly ever seen at the Club as they were either playing all the major amateur tourneys or in America.

The difference between them and the "ordinary" Cat 1 players at the Club was noticeable in their consistency and course/game management.

There will always be odd exceptions e.g. Ian Poulter but, in general, I would say that it is necessary to be an amateur who has played for his Home Nation and been in or around a Walker Cup team if the hope is to make a decent living as a Tour pro'.

 

[need_my_wedge]

A lot of them get smoke blow up their perverbial when playing at their home course - we have had one as well. Big fish in small pond but doesn't have the all round game to make it.

Ooh PM me - can't think who...? unless it's the one obvious one that won't make it anyways now...

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Ooh PM me - can't think who...? unless it's the one obvious one that won't make it anyways now...

Exactly who you think :thup:

The other one I think could make as he is very much more grounded and mentally better

 

[MendieGK]

As I have previously posted we have had three guys turn pro in recent years and at the time they did they were all +3 or better and hardly ever seen at the Club as they were either playing all the major amateur tourneys or in America.

The difference between them and the "ordinary" Cat 1 players at the Club was noticeable in their consistency and course/game management.

There will always be odd exceptions e.g. Ian Poulter but, in general, I would say that it is necessary to be an amateur who has played for his Home Nation and been in or around a Walker Cup team if the hope is to make a decent living as a Tour pro'.

The poulter thing is over inflated though isnt it? i always heard the only reason is handicap was so high was because he just wasnt playing in competitions.

So many of the Walker Cup players still dont make it! I could name countless England players who arent doing great. Neil Raymond won the Brabazon 2 years running and really struggled on Europro last year

 

[pokerjoke]

I have said it many times on here that the mental side of the game is most peoples weak part of there games me included.

To get to +1to+3 they must have very good all round games as no -one gets to these handicaps by being good at one thing.

Anyone that's struggling to get their handicap down forget new clubs,gadgets etc concentrate on getting mentally stronger with better course management and your handicaps will fall.

 

[louise_a]

The guy I played with in a pro am last week is at Frilford Heath this week in the final qualifying for the Europro. He has qualified for The Open in the past and tried qualifying for various tours but seems to struggle to get a card.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

The poulter thing is over inflated though isnt it? i always heard the only reason is handicap was so high was because he just wasnt playing in competitions.

So many of the Walker Cup players still dont make it! I could name countless England players who arent doing great. Neil Raymond won the Brabazon 2 years running and really struggled on Europro last year

He was better than his 4 HC would suggest no doubt and didn't really go down the high level Amatuer route so hard to say where his level was when he went down the PGA route.

 

[Snelly]

Agreed. There are loads of kids who can hit beautiful shots but seemingly, not quite when they need to.

I have seen plenty of pros that don't seem all that brilliant too.

I played in an Pro-Am last year and had a good round finishing level par, albeit I didn't have a medal card in my hand and was just going for team points. There were about 30 teams and it was the Southern region PGA pros that were in it with an associated competition for them. Modesty prevents me from saying where I would have finished if I had been it it but the winner was only -4 and I beat the "pro" in our team by 8 shots! He must have had a bad day as he was leading the regional tour!

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Agreed. There are loads of kids who can hit beautiful shots but seemingly, not quite when they need to.

I have seen plenty of pros that don't seem all that brilliant too.

I played in an Pro-Am last year and had a good round finishing level par, albeit I didn't have a medal card in my hand and was just going for team points. There were about 30 teams and it was the Southern region PGA pros that were in it with an associated competition for them. Modesty prevents me from saying where I would have finished if I had been it it but the winner was only -4 and I beat the "pro" in our team by 8 shots! He must have had a bad day as he was leading the regional tour!

Exactly the same with me at the Newmarket Links Pro Am - the winner was only two shots better - in the PGA East. A lot of the Pro's in those comps though seem to be using it as a springboard or just to earn a bit of money supplementing their shop and lesson earnings - not sure how many from their go on to touring pros

 

[Deleted member 18588]

The poulter thing is over inflated though isnt it? i always heard the only reason is handicap was so high was because he just wasnt playing in competitions.

So many of the Walker Cup players still dont make it! I could name countless England players who arent doing great. Neil Raymond won the Brabazon 2 years running and really struggled on Europro last year

I agree and as has been said the "Poulter thing" is rather distorted by his background.

And would concur that the levels I referenced still would not be a guarantee of success (remember Gordon McSherry?).

 

[patricks148]

we have 3 guys at mu place who all got to +3 or +4, had good am results and then turned pro. none made it and are all now back playing for fun and by there own admissions none were mentally tough enough for it.

they all say it takes more than being a good player.

plenty of guys have even won the Amateur Championship and once turned pro have never been heard of again

 

[Slab]

Golf excellence is not about excellent golf





Name that film? (ok I changed the words golf)



But part of that mental game might simply be dealing with being a money player

 

[Simbo]

Have to agree with the OP, we have a guy from our club in the final qualifying so I had been following the scores. I was genuinely quite shocked st some of the scores, I thought they must have been injured or something.
Pro golf is a tough way to earn you money.

 

[Deleted member 21784]

Not quite the same standard but my mate worked hard and got down to 18 last year but I always beat him when we play because he simply can't handle being that low a handicap when playing a match. He's like "you don't understand the pressure it puts me under to hit constant good shots" and other dribble. If he got off his phone on the course and focused each shot he would be fine.