What makes someone a pro?

[MonkeyClaw]

I hear a lot about tour pros, teaching pros, PGA cards, local tournaments, etc.

What qualifies someone as a PGA pro? What's a PGA card? How good does someone have to be to become a tour pro?

How does this differ from local tournaments, qualifying tournaments, and USGA stuff?

Thanks! Just trying to get a handle on all of this stuff...

[RemyM]

To become a "PGA pro" you have to pass a playing ability test http://www.pgalinks.com/patinfo/pat.cfm
and then a lot of book work to complete a written test. It is not easy.

Anyone can be a "pro" by just playing for or accepting money for giving golf lessons.

To make a living playing for money you have to be real good. If your not at least a +3.5 index then you'll never make any money on any tour. To make it on the PGA Tour you'll need to be even better then that.

[MrSandman]

Next time you are at a course, look at the slope/rating on the scorecard. The PGA Player's Ability Test requires a potential PGA of America pro to shoot no more than 15 strokes over the rating over 36 holes in one day, and it can't just be any day, the PAT must be sanctioned. This has nothing to do with the PGA Tour.

Tour pros don't have to be PGA members (most are, as to play in a Ryder Cup, you must be a member), they are just golfers who make money playing in tournaments. The PGA Tour and The PGA of America are actually two separate entities, serving two separate groups of people. PGA Tour are the guys you see on TV. PGA of America is mainly comprised of club pros, the guys you will see in person at your course or take lessons from.

PGA Card is something an aspiring tour pro must earn in order to be fully exempt on the PGA Tour. It is acheived by either qualifying in Q-School, finishing in the top 20 (maybe top 25) on the Nationwide Tour, or doing well enough in tournaments through sponsors exemptions (how Tiger and Phil got their Cards). You must finish in the top 125 on the money list, or have another reason for exemption (won a tourney in the past 2 years, won a major in the past 5 years, medical exemption) to retain your card (this is why the fall tour is fun to watch, all about guys trying to finish in the top 125). Read Feinstein's Tales From Q-School if you want an in depth look at PGA Tour Card.

(A sponsor's exemption means that the sponsor of a tournament may use some invite slots to invite whomever they want. If Jack Nicklaus wants to invite his sons to the Memorial Tournament, he can do so. If Tiger wants to invite his college roommate to the AT&T;, he can do so. If Isotoner Gloves hosts a tournament and wants to invite Dan Marino, they may do so. Sometimes a local pro might receive an exemption to a tourney in his neck of the woods. The winner of the Big Break will receive a sponsor's exemption into a tournament next year. High caliber amateur players, like Tiger and Phil, receive sponsors exemptions because sponsors want to increase the attraction of their tourneys, and those two managed to do well enough in those exemptions to earn a card without going to Q School)

[MonkeyClaw]

Thanks for the great info guys! This is helping me understand the whole thing a bit better.

[Klean]

Next time you are at a course, look at the slope/rating on the scorecard. The PGA Player's Ability Test requires a potential PGA of America pro to shoot no more than 15 strokes over the rating over 36 holes in one day, and it can't just be any day, the PAT must be sanctioned. This has nothing to do with the PGA Tour.

Great explanation, always wondered about those cards and Q-school.

[RemyM]

Tour pros don't have to be PGA members (most are, as to play in a Ryder Cup, you must be a member),

You don't have to be a member of the PGA of America or the PGA Tour to play in the Ryder Cup.

[MrSandman]

You don't have to be a member of the PGA of America or the PGA Tour to play in the Ryder Cup.

John Feinstein's Good Walk Spoiled, which was written in 1994, mentioned that the Ryder Cup is run by the PGA of America, and you are required to be a member of the PGA of America (at some level, not necessarily a Class A), to participate. That book was written nearly 15 years ago, so the information may be dated. Apologies if it is incorrect.

[MrSandman]

Great explanation, always wondered about those cards and Q-school.

2 great books that are quick reads. Good Walk Spoiled is from 1994, Tales from Q School is recent.