opinions on my potential??

[Ill St. golfer]

yes i see ur point although i NEVER do gimmes, i putt everything out, i never touch the ball, play it as it lies, and i ALWAYs count every stroke. this means playing provisionals in case of lost ball, taking penaltys and being honest.

Ok, well there you go. You should have no problem then. I guess you just need to keep practicing then.

[804golfer]

Ok, well there you go. You should have no problem then. I guess you just need to keep practicing then.

yea definitely, but i think i need to focus on putting cuz like i seriously do not know how these pros putt like they do. I mean i rarely EVER make a putt that is 10+ feet, once in a blue moon, maybe every other round. u know what im saying?

edit: maybe its cuz i dont play that often and have just started playing consistently in the past year or so

[Ill St. golfer]

yea definitely, but i think i need to focus on putting cuz like i seriously do not know how these pros putt like they do. I mean i rarely EVER make a putt that is 10+ feet, once in a blue moon, maybe every other round. u know what im saying?

Refer to my first post about practicing this summer.

[Paddymaster]

Being a tour pro, I doubt it (sorry) but there are great possibilities to working in the field of golf. I recommend getting lessons because they help your game universally. Make sure you get to know them before you commit, and make sure they can get you where you want. I also recommend playing a lot more. I personally play 6 times a week, and thats helped my game enormously. That is key. So, good luck.

[JetFan1983]

yes, this is exactly what i was thinking. it would be really cool if someone could find out like the top 150 players on the pga tour money list and at what age they broke 80. that would be very interesting to see the percent of players who were just a prodigy to begin with and how many actually went from a mid level handicap to pro.

I do know that Tiger shot a 71 (par 72) at his local muni when he was 11 years old. Justin Leonard first broke 80 when he was 12 years old, and he considered himself "old" at the time, when compared with when other tour pros first broke 80 as children. Jeff Sluman broke 80 at age 10.

However Paul Azinger was quoted as saying he "had a hard time breaking 80 on consecutive days" when he was a freshman in college. I think he ended up breaking 70 that year though, giving a lot of credit to being introduced to a great coach named John Redman who he says was key in bringing his game to the next level. That's all I can think of right now.

[Troof.]

o and i have another question. say i got my handicap in the 4-6 range. Is there any place in the world where u could play and make money off that? or hell no?

sorry to break it to you, but no. especially if you are asking this question and have never had a lesson. you could be a descent amateur and bring home some extra money at amateur tournaments, but other than that, no.

[Pat007]

That G10 irons line was priceless...

I would say you wouldn't have a snowball's chance in hell. As your handicap goes down, it gets harder and harder to keep bringing it down...keep that in mind. Going from an 18 to a 15 won't be anywhere as easy as going from a 3 to a scratch.

[steve8820]

shot a 41(+5) for nine holes today. best round ever.

Your chances are about as good as anybody looking to make it in to professional sports.......slim to none. You need to go watch a pro event. In particular, watch the guys warming up on the range. TV coverage does not do any justice to how truly good those guys are.

Hell, go watch a decent High School event somewhere warm like Florida. A couple years back when I was just getting in to the game I would practice at the city course in Port Orange, FL. The local high school team practiced there. ALL of them, just about EVERY shot....solid, straight, and LONG. I looked up some of their handicaps on GHIN. One was a +3.2, Wesley Graham. I think he was the top ranked US junior coming out a few years back. Another was +1.5. These kids are 15-18 years old......... I am not saying it cannot be done, but it is important to get a reality check. Anyone who takes this game seriously and has went out and had a great day has thought "what if?". The "what if?" is answered the next day when we go out and shoot a 95. :)

[laconic517]

DIII doesnt have scholarships from what I understand.

Also, you are carrying your 9 iron WAYY too far if you really hit it 170, Gotta throttle back and get some control.

A few of my friends and myself got to low single digits after 3 years of playing and I started at 15 so I dont think how fast has much to do with it unless you have been stuck at your handicap for YEARS.

[verse214]

Hey 804Golfer,

I wouldn't take it to heart when you read about all of these "no"s and "slim to no chances"....

Reason being it is extremely difficult to become a tour pro and if anyone said "yea you could do it" would probably catch a verbal beat down from everyone else on this forum.

I'll bet you that when almost every tour pro (including tiger) started playing golf, no matter what age they were (2 or 20), they didn't know whether or not they would make it to the PGA Tour and they probably all asked themselves (and others) the exact same question you're asking now.

There's nothing you can do but keep asking yourself that question and then take the steps to bring yourself closer to the answer that you want to hear . That goes for everything in life (not just golf). Who knows, one day you might ask yourself the question and realize that you don't want to play on the tour.

Good luck regardless!

[ryohazuki222]

I read a quote on here I think from palmer or someone that if your thinking about playing golf professionally you should at least be able to shoot low to mid sixties on all of you local courses.

I've been wondering if there was some sort of opinion on this.

[verse214]

I've been wondering if there was some sort of opinion on this.

yea, it's probably true

[pittpanther]

age: 19

Because you've only been playing for a year or so, the data you provide is almost meaningless. It doesn't matter what your club distances are, or what you scored the last time you played. Basically you are a rank beginner.

The real question here: Can someone pick up golf at the age of 18 and have a realistic chance of becoming a professional in the sport? Well, if you were asking about tennis, I would say you already missed your window, since tennis pros are in their late teens and early 20s - tennis pros in their late 20s are already at the end of their careers. But fortunately you asked about golf. The good news I believe, is that you are young enough, probably flexible enough, and strong enough, to become a good golfer in a short time. It will require similar dedication as if you wanted to be a pro football or baseball player. Please look up Tiger's daily practice routine. Spend a year doing something similar, coupled with playing in amatuer tournaments in your area. After a year, reassess. Going to college is not an option - you need to practice and play golf all day, every day.

[804golfer]

Thanks guys! Look for me on the NGA Hooters Tour in 8-12 months!!!

[becksfan2185]

Being a tour pro, I doubt it (sorry) but there are great possibilities to working in the field of golf.

Couldn't agree more. I absolutely love the game of golf, but am realistic about my own chances of playing professionally (which are zero). I haven't given up hope on working in the world of golf, though. I hope someday to be able to make a living as a club pro, instructor, etc.

Set realistic expectations for yourself - you can certainly have a future with the game of golf, it just may not be on the PGA Tour.

[atrapasuenos]

shot a 41(+5) for nine holes today. best round ever.

I don't know if you can just convert that +5 in 9 holes to 18 holes, I had some rounds that for the fisrt 9 holes I shot 38 - 39 and on the back 9 I scored 40 - 42.

About making a carrer... well I'm quite sure the guys in here know a lot more than me... but I've always think that... "Possible takes time, impossible just take a bit more". Good luck! Greetings!

[804golfer]

What tour would yall suggest trying to play in once i get my handicap down?? pepsi tour, hooters tour, tarheel tour, etc????

[verse214]

Thanks guys! Look for me on the NGA Hooters Tour in 8-12 months!!!

It's risk versus reward, let's say you practice and don't goto college and end up breakin something.. or not making it.. you just screwed yourself and will be stuck making 30k a year doing something you hate... then you won't have a good job

and you won't have money to even play golf goto school.... don't be an idiot... unless it's going to be community college... then play golf...