Tour Dream - A Perspective From Close Up

[iacas]

On 2/11/2020 at 1:46 AM, Interested Party said:

Referring to Karl's results at the Junior Presidents Cup is is a bit raw of you.

They're just results.

And here's the thing… you've misread my post. I'm simply pointing out that it's tough to make it in golf, let alone become one of the top 25 in the world. Karl is doing well now, but who knows what fate awaits him? Injuries, interest, peers continuing to advance… bad luck, college…

My bet is not a bet against Karl, but a bet that simply plays the odds.

On 2/11/2020 at 1:46 AM, Interested Party said:

With him holding the number 1 ranking in every junior ranking system

Not quite:

http://rankings.golfweek.com/rankings/index.html?T=boys

Currently second there to Joey Pagdin.

[dagolfer18]

Up until about a month ago, I had a dream of making the big tour. But then I read something about how you need to have a +7 handicap or so to have a good shot at winning. Yes, that can still come, but it’ll require working on golf day in and day out. I just don’t have that kind of time right now, and probably won’t until I graduate from college in 2026. So I think getting to where most of y’all are right now (single-digit handicaps) is a much more realistic goal for my next 15 or so years of golf. 

[dennyjones]

12 minutes ago, dagolfer18 said:

So I think getting to where most of y’all are right now (single-digit handicaps) is a much more realistic goal for my next 15 or so years of golf. 

The average golfer isn't single digit.    You'll find better golfers on this site because a lot of golfers don't visit golf web sites, especially one as special as this one.     Stay focused on school, play and practice golf when you can and enjoy the journey!

[leftybutnotPM]

56 minutes ago, dagolfer18 said:

Up until about a month ago, I had a dream of making the big tour. But then I read something about how you need to have a +7 handicap or so to have a good shot at winning. Yes, that can still come, but it’ll require working on golf day in and day out. I just don’t have that kind of time right now, and probably won’t until I graduate from college in 2026. So I think getting to where most of y’all are right now (single-digit handicaps) is a much more realistic goal for my next 15 or so years of golf. 

I am assuming that this is a joke. If it isn't, you are in need of an education. If you are going to make it on the big tour you'd be 16 now with a handicap of + 2 or 3. That would put you in the company of 1000 players of a similar age of whom 5 might make it onto the Tour at some stage.

Most players are not single digit. If you get to the point of being one, you'll be  a very decent player and better than 90% of players you meet.

Again - I'll say it. Go and see Tour players on the range and you'll know after 20 seconds that you have no chance of ever being in the same stratosphere as them. 

Edited February 25, 2020 by leftybutnotPM

[iacas]

10 minutes ago, leftybutnotPM said:

I am assuming that this is a joke. If it isn't, you are in need of an education. If you are going to make it on the big tour you'd be 16 now with a handicap of + 2 or 3. That would put you in the company of 1000 players of a similar age of whom 5 might make it onto the Tour at some stage.

Not five, 14.

14 people born each year have PGA Tour status for 3+ years.

[Interested Party]

2 hours ago, iacas said:

They're just results.

And here's the thing… you've misread my post. I'm simply pointing out that it's tough to make it in golf, let alone become one of the top 25 in the world. Karl is doing well now, but who knows what fate awaits him? Injuries, interest, peers continuing to advance… bad luck, college…

My bet is not a bet against Karl, but a bet that simply plays the odds.

Not quite:

http://rankings.golfweek.com/rankings/index.html?T=boys

Currently second there to Joey Pagdin.

Joe Pagdin is Number 1 only as of this week. I made my comment 2 weeks ago when Karl was atop all 3 rankings. If you're going to take pot shots at the kid, at least get your facts right. Any money that Karl and Joe make it on the tour. Joe gets taught his Putting by Ian Poulter at Lake Nona and has also been a standout year after year. If you take a peak at what those boys are doing to prepare themselves you'll see that they're the face of the players born in this millennium no less Morikawa, Hovland and Niemann are the the new kids on the block from the last batch of the previous Millenium.

[iacas]

Just now, Interested Party said:

Joe Pagdin is Number 1 only as of this week.

Be fair, it's as of February 18. Last Tuesday.

Just now, Interested Party said:

If you're going to take pot shots at the kid

I haven't done that. If you feel I have, you're misreading things quite badly.

---

Again, my comments are more about odds, just like my earlier wager.

I wish Karl good luck, good health, etc.

[mvmac]

22 minutes ago, iacas said:

Again, my comments are more about odds, just like my earlier wager.

I wish Karl good luck, good health, etc.

Right @Interested Party, just as @iacas just said

27 minutes ago, iacas said:

Not five, 14.

14 people born each year have PGA Tour status for 3+ years.

I grew up in he Bay Area and every hot new recruit going to Stanford was going to be the next Tiger Woods. Now, who can name a PGA Tour player off the top of their heads that went to Stanford?

I even grew up playing almost every week with a kid who was the top junior in the country, went to Stanford, got on the PGA Tour (huge accomplishment) but only lasted one year, now he's got a "regular" job.

Not to say these players aren't exceptionally good, they are, but those guys in the top 25 are stupid good.

[leftybutnotPM]

2 hours ago, Interested Party said:

 Any money that Karl and Joe make it on the tour. 

Vilips is  a terrific player. No-one contests that.

History tells us that success as a junior is by no means an indicator of success as a professional golfer.

You have absolutely zero idea of what his fate a s a professional is. Hopefully he'll do really well. But historically, he has more chance of fading away than becoming successful. It's a sad but true fact of life when it comes to golf.

There are many people on this site who cold name a dozen players who were absolute guns at a young age who didn't even get close to making it on the PGATour.

Vilips is one of many very talented young players.

Look at all of the final 8 in the US Amateur over the last 20 years and see how many names you (don't) recognise.

 

 

[Slim_Pivot]

6 hours ago, iacas said:

Not five, 14.

14 people born each year have PGA Tour status for 3+ years.

That is a crazy number! I didn’t know it was that rare. 

And of course you guys know the numbers, lol

[dagolfer18]

8 hours ago, leftybutnotPM said:

I am assuming that this is a joke. If it isn't, you are in need of an education. If you are going to make it on the big tour you'd be 16 now with a handicap of + 2 or 3. That would put you in the company of 1000 players of a similar age of whom 5 might make it onto the Tour at some stage.

Most players are not single digit. If you get to the point of being one, you'll be  a very decent player and better than 90% of players you meet.

Again - I'll say it. Go and see Tour players on the range and you'll know after 20 seconds that you have no chance of ever being in the same stratosphere as them. 

This was not a joke. I really did have a goal to make it to the PGA Tour. But I realized that it’s most likely not gonna happen. I realized that getting my handicap down to mid single digits is more realistic.

[mcanadiens]

9 hours ago, leftybutnotPM said:

I am assuming that this is a joke.

Be nice.

People can dream big and that was what @dagolfer18 was surely doing. When you are young you should have big dreams.

The realities of work and age come fast enough as it is.

 

Edited February 25, 2020 by mcanadiens

[3jacker]

Yup.  It's not as if by dreaming of becoming a pro golfer as a young person you forego all hope of selling insurance or building houses if you change course.