Too Late?

[Tobyamu]

I'm new to this forums so hey, I'm Toby , basically I've only just discovered this amazing sport and currently play to about a 18 handicap, i get out and practice whenever I can and basically want to know whether its too late for me to become a tour standard player (most of them start very young)I'm very much willing to put everything I can to become of this standard, and I'm just asking for any tips or advice anyone could give me

Thanks in advance

Toby

 

[Doh]

How old are you Toby do you belong to a club? have you got a handicap?

Most Tour players start out by becomeing very good armantures first so you will need to start by getting to plus figures.

Find a good club and a good coach.

 

[TonyN]

Would be very hard to say with out really knowing you. Suppose if time and money was no object, with a good coach and the right settings it wouldn't be impossible given you had really good natural ability.

Look at Chris Wood, the opens winning amature, he was playing off 2 at the age of 12 and he is only just 20- joint 5th at the open, unbeleivable!

 

[Tobyamu]

I'm 17 years old and have been playing since i was about 8, however i was at a club where no body cared for juniors, all the members were old and so far up there own asses, so i didn't really play, i had lessons and had a nice swing but never put it into practice, until earlier this year i moved to the course my dad plays at and i can't get enough of the sport now i play 9 holes 2-3 times a week and 18 holes on a Sunday with my dad and some of his mates, there is a range at this course where i can practice the shaping of my shots etc and i go up the course just up the road from me (its not a very nice course) and practice my short game and chipping a lot there, I also can have lessons from my old teacher again, so guys what do you think?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Have to be honest and say that you've probably missed the boat regarding tour playing. I was down to low single figures by 15-16 and got a job as an assistant pro at my local club. Entered loads of tournaments and it became very clear very quickly that I really didn't have what it takes to make a living from playing.

I would have quite happily qualified and become a club pro somewhere making a living from the shop and teaching except my parents couldn't afford to pay for the PGA course and my club or pro wouldn't sponsor me.

To be honest Toby I'd concentrate on getting down to low single figures first. From there you are more likely to to start getting picked for club matches and maybe get noticed by the county especially if you enter and do well in Open events.

Once you are low single figures (I'm talking 4 or lower) and you still want to make a living from the game you could try getting an assistants post or working at a range while doing your PGA exams. If you become PGA qualified the golfing world really opens up in terms of what you want to do. However until that handicap tumbles I'd just concentrate on playing as well as you can and enjoying it

 

[Tobyamu]

Yeah, thanks for the advice Homer, I'm still going to work hard and see where i end up the end of this year, Greg Norman didn't start playing until he was about 16 and look where he ended up ;D.
Just one question what do you mean the world opens up when I'm PGA qualified if you mean jobs could you list a few, of the top of my head i can only think of club and teaching pro, I'm still determined as ever to chase my dream and in my opinion thats what makes pros. I'll be recording my progress over the summer on these forums so have a look for that

 

[HomerJSimpson]

As a qualified pro you can become club pro and depending on the sort of facility you become attached to may dictate the sort of things you do. For example the pros at my local ranges make all their money from teaching all day and rarely compete except for maybe two or three pro ams and are happy for the shop assistants to run the shop (green fees, selling equipment etc).

However as a club pro your work may be more varied. You will build up a firmer client base (club members) and can therefore decide how best to serve them. You will get to know those that want the latest gear, those that just buy a few balls a year and those who do and don't want lessons. You then have to decide how you will stock the shop and run the business. You will also need to become competent at club repairs (reshafting, new grips etc).

However as a club pro you may get the chance to play more as you can employ assistants to run the shop in your absence. This means you may even get the chance to compete in your local regional professional events. Order of merit winners normally get the chance to then pre-qualify (occasionally get sponsors invites) for some of the European tour events. You may even decide to try your hand at some of the mini tours.

Another option is to go abroad and try your hand playing on other countries pro-tours or perhaps get a teaching post somewhere although these opportunities are very few and far between

 

[theeaglehunter]

Taking the game up at the age of 8 is plenty early enough, but to be honest whilst I wish you luck in your quest, if you were really going to be good enough to make it on the main tour you would be off single figures within 9 years of playing the game, whether you had a good junior section or not, just using the range would have developed your game enough to show signs of real talent.

 

[Tobyamu]

Yeah thats the thing though i never went to the range all i did was have a one hour lesson a week and went home, done for next week, i just wished i showed the interest i have now all those years ago, hehe by the way i got my handicap cut down to 15.8 after coming second in the junior open at my club

 

[level5s]

there was an article in one of the golf magazine not long ago about an irish man that went from playing to about 18 to completing a par round in a year. he wrote a book on it.

 

[forefortheday]

"Just" getting to scratch isn't enough though I believe, lot's of young pro's seem to be off + handicaps these days.

Then there's the whole mental side of the game as well, look at guys like Casey,Rose,Donald they all hit the ball superbly but do we classifying them as great golfers(?) then there must be 100's who are at the level below the European Tour then 100's below that level etc..........

Don't want to sound like I don't believe you can do it but it's going to be tough,tough,tough!

(Be a great story if you did though good luck!)