How good do you need to be to play on PGA tour?

[stebed]

Not sure that being a + handicap is really needed. Ian Poulter turned pro at handicap 4 and worked really hard to win money. I know he is the guy people love to hate but he earns a decent living on tour. If you look at the winning scores on the nationwide tour they are often -18 plus, yet you look at the pga and you would win/ earn a decent living at -3 per round. So what is the difference between the 2? Pressure! I don't think we can appreciate how tough a course is set up for a PGA event.

[goblue107501]

I think between the ears and the flat stick.

This is pretty much what I was thinking. I watch a lot of Nationwide Tour golf when it comes to my town. I watch a lot of PGA Tour golf on TV. They can all hit it a ton and do whatever they want with the ball. I had always heard that the big difference was putting. The first time I saw the Nationwide Tour live I saw about 10 missed 6 footers in two hours. I think Tiger missed one all year. Then because of this it probably put the played into a bad mental state and things fall apart.

I watched a guy shoot even one day because he couldn't make any birdie putts. The next day he shot 10 under because he made about everything. He didn't play much better the second day, but when the putter works the score goes down.

[Crafty]

Not sure that being a + handicap is really needed. Ian Poulter turned pro at handicap 4 and worked really hard to win money. I know he is the guy people love to hate but he earns a decent living on tour. If you look at the winning scores on the nationwide tour they are often -18 plus, yet you look at the pga and you would win/ earn a decent living at -3 per round. So what is the difference between the 2? Pressure! I don't think we can appreciate how tough a course is set up for a PGA event.

Also remember though that the handicap system is different in England, Poulter's home. If i recall correctly, a four handicap in england equates to nearly a scratch player in America.

[SasQuatch<3]

one thing im still not understanding...... how do you even begin to qualify for any PGA Tour event? What procedures must you accomplish? Maybe High School to a College Team to a Spot in the high life.... Kinda like Baseball or Football?

[Shindig]

one thing im still not understanding...... how do you even begin to qualify for any PGA Tour event? What procedures must you accomplish? Maybe High School to a College Team to a Spot in the high life.... Kinda like Baseball or Football?

Nope! You can, theoretically, pick up the sport as an adult, never having played in high school or college, and find your way to the PGA Tour. You need some multi-day tournament experience to go through Q-School (Tom Coyne faced this problem), but there are enough of those that, if you're seriously considering going professional, you can find.

Step 1: Get darn good at golf.

[Parker0065]

So much goes into the answer your looking for it could take hours to write.

Having been to Pro tournaments and watching these guy's one thing stands out miles above anything else to me. These guy's are absolute "SHORT GAME MAGICIANS"! I'm not talking about Tiger or Phil, I'm talking about pretty much all of them. For example I followed Tommy Armour III around for three holes and he sprayed it all over the place but chipped up to 4 feet and saved par three holes in a row. Tommy Armour III wouldn't even get a honorable mention when it comes to having a great short game by tour standards but I saw him hit some incredible chips and pitches from really tough places.


If you want to be a PGA Tour player you better be able to consistantly get it up and down from anywhere!

Good Luck and put 75% - 80% of your practice in your short game!!!

[PEZGolf]

I would say you have to be around a +4 handicap or higher, and have that handicap on wicked courses, not just local munis. I've heard the nationwide tour and PGA tour have the same quality players, and that the difference is between the ears, but I doubt that is true.

In the first part of your answer, you are correct. To further quantify it, if a player is between the ages of 16-18, he needs to shoot between 65 and 73 consistently on a championship course that is at least 7,000 yards long. As to the second part, I would say there are two differences: mental game and short game, especially putting. To make the tour, you cannot be a good putter with a good short game. You have to be an outstanding putter with a short game to match.

[Righty to Lefty]

saw this on another board regarding what it takes to make it as a pro & thought it sounded like good advice so i thought i would pass it on:

Awesome stuff to read even though most didn't read it because it is long

[Sir Hack a-lot]

So much goes into the answer your looking for it could take hours to write.

Excellent advice.....chipping and putting can save you BIG.

[KwSipp]

So much goes into the answer your looking for it could take hours to write.

This is the only thing realistic that Ive read personally I dont care what your handicap says when it comes down to it you HAVE to get up and down, not even tour pros hit every GIR what is most of thier averages like 13-15 better or worse this is what separates dreams from reality being able to stab the pin anywhere around the green not to mention with lets just say ALOT of people watching

[JonnyGolf]

Lets put in into perspective. My dad and I are both scratch golfers. The course we play at hosts a Nationwide Tour Event. The best score I have ever shot from the tips is 71 (-1). My dad has shot 70. However, the low on the day is consistently in the low 60's during the Nationwide Tour Event.

and, that is with tournament pressure. those guys are grinding because they know the promised land is so close.

I watched Canadian Tour guys (Spencer Levin was on of the competitors) and they were just stunning. Pounding drivers in cold, blustery April day down tight fairways that I'd have a hard time pulling the trigger on a 7i.

[I <3 Titleist]

One of my good friends here in a town is on the PGA tour. He's not very long from the tee at maybe 260-275(for being in his 40's) but he's unbelievably consistent. I mean like 150 and in and he's pretty much gonna put it withing 4-5 feet. Oh, forgot to mention. He doesn't usually miss 4-5 footers.


That's my perspective though, and that's playing local courses here in town.

[Jmacgolf99]

Honestly, someone once told me you need to shoot 4-6 under everyday on your home course. Honestly that's probably about right. People don't realize how good those boys are. I'd say +5 is the minimum handicap.

[walk18]

you need to be insanely good.

[andywap]

I've been reading lots of threads on turning pro and mini tour play and I just have a few thoughts.

Imagine you shot level par in every round you ever played. Sure, you would miss a few cuts but you would also win at least 1 major per year for the rest of your life! Now theres a thought.

I turned Pro when my handicap was plus one. Now at the moment I am not good enough to compete on the main tour or even the nationwide or challenge tour. But there is no reason why someone can not keep improving once they have turned pro. Who is anyone to say that if someone puts the work in that in five years time they can't get to where they wanna be.

I think the question of is someone good enough to turn pro is to vague. ts needs to be broken down.

Someone who turns pro for example could be happy just playing mini tour golf and making a few bucks whilst also working a real job. There are guys who make a good living from some of the mini tours. Then there are the ambitious pros who wanna play on the main tour. Now this is the biggest jump.

I believe that if you work hard, work smart and have an excellent frame of mind you can achieve your goals.

[billysandy]

I've been reading lots of threads on turning pro and mini tour play and I just have a few thoughts.

I dont think you would win 1 major per year with a score of level par.

[Leftygolfer]

It isn't just how low you can shoot. There are many great players that have shot 65 but would have no chance on the PGA tour. The key is how your bad rounds are. Obviously they miss cuts but often they still make money when they are off. They have the ability to shoot 70 on a bad day.

They are stupid good even when they are playing bad.

[unabowler]

I dont think you would win 1 major per year with a score of level par.

Sometimes you'd win the US Open.