When to leave the desk job?

For those that have worked as a cubicle monkey and then decided it wasn't for them and went the golf route, can you explain how you were able to make your decision to take that leap?  At what point does working at a golf course and being able to practice as much as you'd like to see how good you can get outweigh the decision of trying to build a different career?  At 25, I know the next job I take I will have to put a lot of work in to be successful and I'm afraid (kind of a no brainer) that it will take away from the quality of golf I've been playing lately.

I love playing in the local amateur tournaments, as I never played college golf and love the competition now, but I wonder how good someone can get if they actually are put in a position to really work on their game.  I'd love to find a job where I can still make some decent money and have the time to practice a bit on the side, wouldn't everyone, but I'm not necessarily stoked on going back to the insurance industry where I was before.  I need to find a hookup like that guy Nathan Smith and become a relationship manager type guy, do those jobs even exist?

Any ideas?

I think it's more about talent than time. I say keep your job and focus on your career, if you have the game for the next level then it will show.

A job is a job.  I used to love fishing when I was younger so I went to work on charter boats one summer.  I found out quickly that fishing wasn't as much fun as a job as it was as a hobby.  Having a job with fixed hours allows you to set a practice schedule around it.  If you're working 8 hours a day that leaves you at least 8 to focus on golf, which should be more than enough if you're serious about it.

I'm sorry, I just mean if you have easy access to practice before or after work or even during breaks.  I know working in golf is tough and although some may get sick of being around the golf course and not want to stay there any longer than you have to, given the opportunity, how much do you think it helps your game to be at or around the course as much as you are?

I read the book about Rich Beem, "Bud, Sweat and Tees" and he worked at El Paso CC I believe and his boss basically made him play in the big money game with members because Beem had insane game.  Are there certain courses on the west coast that talented club pros aspire to work at for similar reasons?

Even just to be able to play a couple times a week and practice for an hour or two a day, is that reasonable?  From his thread it still sounds like Ben is able to play a pretty good amount of tournaments and get enough practice in to compete in them, no?

Working at a golf course isn't always going to make you be able to play all the time.  If you are really serious of becoming a "pro", (and i am no expert in the subject) I would think you would have to save up 50k or more, quit your job, practice/play every single day and play tournaments with prize money every weekend.  I worked at a country club from age 12-22 and our pro's (head and assistants) played golf MAYBE once or twice a week.  If you really want to try becoming a pro you need to quit your job and do it.  But you better have money saved to #1 live, #2 practice and #3 play tournaments and maybe even Qschool qualifiers.  Each stage costs like 3k.  Its expensive!!!

When I took a job on a golf course I stopped playing. The last thing I wanted to do on my free time was be on a golf course.

Also employee play was not unlimited. It was very limited, not that anyone other then the cart boys were taking advantage of it.

After I quit I started playing again.

I think the deciding factor is whether or not you can work at the course and still be able to pay the bills.  Even if you love your job, you probably arent going to be happy if you are broke all the time and cant afford to live a comfortable life.

If you think having a desk job sucks you should try working in a factory sometime: getting up at 5am every day, no a/c in the summer, no heat in the winter, dirty, loud; its not a nice life.  Id love to have a desk job.

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That description also fits golf course maintenance work. Climbing on a huge fairway mower while it's still dark.

If you think you're a heck of salesman you could go into commission only insurance sales. Most places that pay commission only don't care when you work since they only pay you on the policies you sell. The flip side is if you most likely wouldn't have health insurance and if you can't produce you won't make any money. I don't think working at a golf course would be the answer to improving your game since you would probably not get to play much and could be broke.

At my club, the pro, trainee and assistant might play once a fortnight. If they are lucky.

I was an Art/Creative Director for 15 years and needed a change. At 35 I just got burnt out. A couple buddies of mine and I started LeviTee because golf is a passion for us and we love what we do and believe in our product. Anyways, you are still a young guy and if you can afford to follow your passion, go for it.

Some of these things are quite the opposite of what I would expect to hear. It seems odd to me that working at a course would make you quit golfing or give you substantially less time to play because my experience has been radically different.

I, personally, have never worked at a course, but I have several friends who have. When we all got to that age in high school where we were getting cars and such, we all started looking for part time jobs. In my small town, you really only had two choices. You could work at a grocery store or you could work at a restaurant. However, there was one other choice that a few people decided on, and that was working maintenance at the local course. I've had 5 or 6 good friends that took that job just to make a little spending money who had never even picked up a club. They all ended up picking up the game and loving it. Of course, they didn't have any limits out there. They could play whenever they wanted, as much as they wanted. All for free.

My experience may be a lot different from many people's, I guess. But, I remember the pro at the course when I was in high school seemed to be on the course all the time. It seemed like, if he wasn't giving a lesson, he was on the course. And he didn't give many lessons!

I was a golf course superintendent from 1990-2003. Long days in the sun and being on the course all day, I didn't want to golf at all. Since I got out of that career, I golf so much more than I used to, and I enjoy the game again. My handicap has gone down too! Make money while you can, and enjoy golf away from being in it. Good Luck and play well

Yep, that seems to be pretty common.  Between the course management duties and giving lessons, there is little time left for a full time pro to actually practice or play, assuming that he has a family and a life outside of golf.  I work part time as a starter so I can afford to play as much as I want, but I'm retired and don't really need the income.  I do it mostly for the cheap golf.  Even then I sometimes seem to spend half my life at the course.  And you don't make any money at it unless you are lucky.  Our head pro works full time 5 days a week at the course, and in the winter he works part time at DIA (Denver International Airport) de-icing jets before takeoff.  He needs the extra income in the winter because he doesn't have any revenue from lessons.

I suspect that working at a municipal course gives more access to play then a select private club like the one I worked at. The problem is that unless your in upper management it doesn't pay. I took the job because I was burnt out and figured a few months mowing a huge lawn would be relaxing.

What a fool!

Want forearms like Popeye?  Rake sand traps.

Mowing greens and fringe is nerve wracking, a precise dance with the mower accurate to less then 1/4 inch. It has to be done before the first players get to the hole, often in the dark, and the early birds play FAST!

When I did get to relax on a fairway or rough mower the sun would be up and baking.

The pay?  1/3  of what I was used to making. But, they did serve a nice hot free lunch.