playing professionally

wat do you think my odds are of playing pro im 19 play a 5 handicap only really played for about 2 years and im completley self taught

Have you played in any competitive tournaments?

BTW, 5 handicap after 2 years is impressive no matter what age.

Not trying to pop your balloon, but you will have to improve by at least 7 or 8 strokes on average to even have a chance. And you'll need to be able to shoot those scores on hard courses with difficult setups on greens faster than you have probably ever played. You need to be competition tested, and I'd seriously recommend some one on one lessons with a good instructor.

Otherwise, a 5 handicap is very good for only 2 years playing, but it's still a long way from professional caliber.

Tell us more about the rest of your life - finances, commitments, school, employment, and so on.

If you are independently wealthy and can do nothing but prepare and play tournaments for the next 3-4 years, I'd say you have a good chance. If you are in debt and are caring for a wife and three kids while working two jobs, I'd say you have almost no chance. I suspect you're at neither of those two extremes. Tell us more so we can tell you more. I'll be happy to comment, once I know a bit more about your situation, about what I'd do if I were in your shoes.

I don't see why not. When I first starting working at the club where I am now I was around a 4hdcp. That was 5 years ago, and now I'm a +1.5. I jumped into competing on the Southern California mini-tours 2 years ago after having not played tournament golf since high school. I've done alright, a handful of cashes and a win. I'm 32 now and looking forward to what this season will bring.

At just 19 you should consider finding yourself a job on the course that will allow you access, and practice practice practice.

Your odds are 1:1

All you have to do is register and pay your entry fees.

how can you still have a handicap if you have played on a pro tour? i am confused!

k

huh? the guy hasn't played on a pro tour.. he just wants to know what is the likeliness of him possibly making it to the pro tour, so he told us his handicap.

If you really devote yourself to it, I think that you can. Your already a great player after only playing for 2 years. If you play college golf, you could keep chipping off of your handicap. Than after that you could become a PGA Professional at a golf course, continuously shaving strokes off your game. You could definitely compete in mini-tours. Whatever happens, happens. But best of luck.

Lee Trevino once said that if a person is thinking about turning pro they better have a +3 handicap or better and be able to walk on a very good course and shoot 64 the first time on the track. If a person can do that, they just might have the talent to play professional golf.

I once carried a 2 handicap without really working on my short game (60 yards in). I could have worked a bit and been scratch. I played a little college golf so I have a little tournament experience. All I know is that even though I was a decent player, at least locally, I was light years away, in terms of talent and mental ability, to consider turning pro. The thought never crossed my mind because I knew mentally I could never cut it. It is one thing to play a casual round, even with some money on the line, and be able to execute a shot. Chances were that I was a better player than the other local guy I was playing with. I could pull off a shot when there was no pressure on but that really is not tournament golf.

That being said, what is in a person's head and heart does indeed make up a lot in being a professional golfer. If this is your desire then go after the dream and make sure at the end of the day you have done your very best to attain that goal. There are a lot of good amateurs at the local muny. If a good amateur really wants to see what they are made of, compete in the state amateur tournaments, USGA amateurs (US Amateur, Public Links, and Mid-Amateur if older than 25). See if a local pro (with stature) can sponsor your request for invitation to some of the prestigious national amateur tournaments like the Sunnehanna, North/South, the Western Amateur, etc. If a person plays very well in these tournaments then a person might have a future in professional golf.

Unless you're very lucky and happen to have a technically perfect swing, a self-taught swing generally requires many years of practice under competitive situations in order to be ready to compete professionally. If there are any flaws, your swing will break down under pressure.

So, although you've made fantastic progress on your own, I would say that you may experience a plateau that will make it difficult to get to the "next" level. BTW, you'll know you're ready to play professionally when everyone you play with says you're the best player they've ever seen and that you make more putts than humanely possible. Have fun! jg

Even Tiger has a handicap. This is the only measure that I could play Tiger in a non-sanctioned match. I believe Tiger is a +7 or so. If this is the case, he would have to give me pretty much a stroke a hole and yet he would still kick my butt.

tiger does not have a handicap

I knew a guy way back when who was a +2 and thought about turning pro. He found a financial backer and they agreed to this test which seems pretty good to me - Go play for 2 weeks on PGA caliber courses from the back tees. At the end of those 2 weeks if you are under par give it a go. If not...well the world needs ditch diggers too.

BTW - not trying to be a smart ass - that last sentence is from caddy shack.

Good luck,

working in card rooms you meet people from all walks of life. Ive had conversations with people who have played in the big time and been around people who have as well.

The one comment that always stuck in my head was from a former US Open contestant. He told me that in most cases unless your consitantly shooting in the 65-68 range on your home course that you see constantly, your not going to have a prayer of competing on the world class scale.


That being said Im finishing up a book called tales from Q school, and it seems to me that if you can just put it all together for those 3 stages Youll have a spot on tour. And if you just make it through the first 2 you will at least have a job on the nationwide.

Start off playing the mini tours. There are several local guys here who play or have played them, and they've told me as long as your game is solid, you can gain the experience as well as have the chance to win money and work your way to the bigger tours.

If you have the desire, go for it. If you don't try when you have the opportunity, you will regret it later!

Good Luck to you!

ps: Heres a link for mini tour information.
http://www.golfsminitours.com

I heard Justin Rose was scratch at the age of 11 and +2 by the age of 14.

Sounds like a good long term goal after college.