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What handicap do you need to become a Instructor or a Pro?

James_Black

By James_Black,
in Golf Talk

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James_Black Great Member

James_Black

I heard you had to be handicap 3 or below.
If it is why do people stay amateur until they're +4 these days?

My Clubs
Driver - LV4 10* R flex
Wood - sam snead persimmon 2 wood (for windy days)
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Irons - Tour Mode 3i,4i stiffIrons - FP's 5-PW R-flexWedge - spin milled 54.14Wedge - spin milled 60.07Putter - Victoria Lowest round 2010: 79 (par 70)Latest rounds at...

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DavidFehertysBike Great Member

DavidFehertysBike

I know an assistant PGA professional and he was around a 1.5 before he got certified. I think all you have to do is shoot a certain score, though.
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DarkPrince Dedicated Member

DarkPrince

If its for a PGA professional (not tour pro) You just have to pass the Player Ability Test at around 7 over on each 18 holes, you play 36 holes in 1 day and with the calculation of slope and whatnot, theoretically you need to be less than 14-15 over par through 36? The problem is that its not usually at a course near you or that you play often, so there's the added stress of an unfamiliar course, a tournament like atmosphere, having to adhere to every single rule, and there being like 100+ people all trying to accomplish the same thing. This is probably not the most accurate assessment, but its what I've gotten from speaking to my Pro and Assistant pro, and a little bit of reading :/ But if you are talking like PGA Tour pro...Camilo Villegas is a +6, someone else said Daly slipped to maybe a +4, but you have to be damn good. I thought I remember reading that to apply for Q school you have to have a registered handicap of either 1.2 or +1.2 or better (again, could be very wrong).

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Shorty Super Member

Shorty

I heard you had to be handicap 3 or below.

Because +4 players don't want to be instructors and most of them aren't good enough to make a living on the professional tours, because a low handicap (even +4) is only part of the puzzle.

In the race of life, always back self-interest. At least you know it's trying.

 

 

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James_Black Great Member

James_Black

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also one other thing, do pro's have to play green fees? a friend of mine said they didn't

My Clubs
Driver - LV4 10* R flex
Wood - sam snead persimmon 2 wood (for windy days)
Hybrid burner tour launch 20* stiff flex.
Irons - Tour Mode 3i,4i stiffIrons - FP's 5-PW R-flexWedge - spin milled 54.14Wedge - spin milled 60.07Putter - Victoria Lowest round 2010: 79 (par 70)Latest rounds at...

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jamo Incredible Member

jamo

If it is why do people stay amateur until they're +4 these days?

So they can play in the amateur tournaments. They are usually people who are not trying to make money from the game. They can play in the US Amateur, Mid-Am, Pub-links, etc..

In my bag:

Driver: Titleist TSi3 | 15º 3-Wood: Ping G410 | 17º 2-Hybrid: Ping G410 | 19º 3-Iron: TaylorMade GAPR Lo |4-PW Irons: Nike VR Pro Combo | 54º SW, 60º LW: Titleist Vokey SM8 | Putter: Odyssey Toulon Las Vegas H7

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WUTiger Incredible Member

WUTiger

Depends on whether you're trying for your PGA card or not.

Smaller driving ranges in our area often have local amateurs with a 10 or 12 HDCP who give golf lessons on a parttime basis. Some are retirees. Also, these people sometimes help out with golf clinics for beginners or children.

Some have "specialties," say being very good at teaching short game or tee shots. A couple of them are retired high-school teachers/golf coaches.

Focus, connect and follow through!

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AzGolfGeek Member

AzGolfGeek

also one other thing, do pro's have to play green fees? a friend of mine said they didn't

It all depends on the course management. Some courses extend the invite to any pro to come play their course and to practice, some don't. There's no rule or anything, its just a courtasy.

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Fairway Wood: Titleist 910 F, set to B4 Hybrid: Titleist 910 H, set to B4
Irons: Titleist AP2 710 4-9  Project X shafts  Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM4 46deg, C-C 50, 54, & 60deg.
Putter: Scotty Cameron NewPort 2.5 Glove: Titleist Ball: Titleist ProV1x  RangeFinder: Bushnell V2

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ry1808 Established Member

ry1808

In the UK you need to be off a handicap of 4.4 or less for a continual 12 months (or something similar). To become a fully qualified PGA professional you then have to complete a player ability assessment, which I think is 13-over or better for 2 rounds. Then on top of that you have three years of study to complete, exams in club maintenance, teaching, business, etc....

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microcrayfish Dedicated Member

microcrayfish

also one other thing, do pro's have to play green fees? a friend of mine said they didn't

It probably depends on where they want to play but a mate of mine who's a teaching pro told me he doesn't pay green fees. I'm guessing as long as there's another pro behind the counter somewhere at a course then they aren't going to charge other pros to play.

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Dr. Strangeclub Well Established Member

Dr. Strangeclub

But if you are talking like PGA Tour pro...Camilo Villegas is a +6, someone else said Daly slipped to maybe a +4, but you have to be damn good. I thought I remember reading that to apply for Q school you have to have a registered handicap of either 1.2 or +1.2 or better (again, could be very wrong).

Some time back, I read that Johnny Miller achieved the alltime low handicap, possibly a +9, but maybe only +8. He got there during his swing through the desert, about 1978 or so, when he shot of slew of 61, 62, 63 scores.

Before I had to go into the service, in 1966, I was toying with joining "The Rabbits", the pros who followed the tour and tried to qualify on Monday. There were no exempt cards back then, and not all that many people were exempt into any event. You basically had to qualify every week until you actually won something. I missed a +1 by two shots, but I felt like I was really improving. At that time, +2 was the "magic number", where you had a chance of scraping out a living in tournaments. You weren't going to win anything, but you might be able to cash checks and make a minimal living. It's a lot tougher now, for sure. A +2 won't likely make a single cut, even you were to play every event -- and if you did luck out and tack two early rounds together, you'd still probably finish 40th or something, if you played your brains out on the weekend. There are lots of reasons for not trying the tour. Some don't want that life style. Some don't need the money at all. Some have families and a solid career and don't want to risk it; Don't give up your day job, as they say. Some don't play to their handicaps under pressure. Some have realistic goals of winning the US Amateur instead of the US Open, or being on the Walker Cup instead of the Ryder Cup. As for being a club pro? I think the others have explained that about right, ie, you don't need a powerhouse game at all. Beware of taking lessons from your local pro! :grin:

"If you are going to throw a club, it is important to throw it ahead of you, down the fairway, so you don't have to waste energy going back to pick it up." Tommy Bolt
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DarkPrince Dedicated Member

DarkPrince

As for being a club pro? I think the others have explained that about right, ie, you don't need a powerhouse game at all. Beware of taking lessons from your local pro! :grin:

The hard part about that is that it can go like 4 ways. You can be a horrible player, yet be a wonderful instructor. You could be like some other athletes where they are absolutely amazing, but it translates to shit as an instructor/coach because everything is "I would do this in this situation" instead of working with what the dude/dudet's got. you can also have the great player/great teacher, and the bad player/bad teacher combinations as well :P

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:adams: Idea Pro Black 21*
:callaway: XR 4 Hybrid
:callaway: Apex 5, Apex Pro 6,7 Apex MB 8,9,P
:tmade: 50° Gap Wedge
:callaway: Mack Daddy 2 54° 58°
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Gebus Established Member

Gebus

In Canada (CPGA) you need to shoot 150 or less over 36 holes calculated to an average rating and slope, along with passing the written tests. But that is just to get the card there are many levels to go after that...
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TheWookie Member

TheWookie

that's a good point....have you seen interviews with some of these top players? it like watching grass grow. Having a good eye, good communication skills, and the ability to adapt to different learning styles often doesn't have to coordinate with a tour quality game. Oh yeah...try practicing or going to a tournament after working 12 hours behind the counter and on the lesson tee....not easy.
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iacas Hall of Fame Member

iacas

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The Rules of Amateur Status are pretty clear. Technically, you become a "pro" any time you break those rules.

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