With enough practice can anybody become a pro?

[kfowler]

Can anyone become a PGA Tour pro by simply working harder at it? Absolutely positively not. If you think anyone can, then you believe that there's no element of athleticism to golf. Some people simply aren't athletic/coordinated enough to compete at the highest level. Perhaps 50 years ago it was different. Now I'll say no way.

It's a kin to saying anyone can be a pro football player or basketball player. Some people just cannot overcome their physical limitations.

[James_Black]

Can anyone become a PGA Tour pro by simply working harder at it? Absolutely positively not. If you think anyone can, then you believe that there's no element of athleticism to golf. Some people simply aren't athletic/coordinated enough to compete at the highest level. Perhaps 50 years ago it was different. Now I'll say no way.

What do you mean by that?

Not being fit enough?

[sean_miller]

What do you mean by that?

OMFG - are you really still of the opinion that anybody can be among the best in any given field if they apply themselves and try hard enough? That sounds like something you'd read in a childrens bedtime story book. For every pro golfer on the planet there are a ton of good golfers whose ass he could kick. And those guys could easily kick the ass of the guys who could kick our asses on their worst day. If you need to further pursue this ridiculous topic, maybe you need to write letter to a the PGA (or European PGA) and ask them for the exact training and exercise regime that will guarantee you a spot on the tour.

[Shorty]

What do you mean by that?

It is pretty obvious to me that you have never seen a top level player hit the ball. These guys play a different game.

Imagine if every one of the millions of kids or adults hammering out Chopsticks on the piano was led to believe that they could be a concert pianist. There are several thousand people in the world who make a living playing golf. After expenses, all but a couple of hundred would make less than your average nurse or teacher.

[65withatriple]

I think some people assume because there is no running, jumping, or throwing in golf that anyone can master it. Its just not the case. The PGA Tour Pros are the best of the best. They may not look like superior athletes, because golf does not require it, but they are. They have the extra something that others who aspire to be on their level don't. I'm sure they can't tell you what it is.....they have it. I'm sure they will say practice and hardwork......but others who cannot make it have given the same amount of time if not more to the game.

You can get better at anything with practice......you can't become elite at anything without the necessary skill sets required. I have played golf my entire life and have become pretty good. I shot under par 7 consecutive rounds this summer on 4 different golf courses......I am not even close to being good enough to be successful on the Hooters Tour much less the Nationwide or PGA Tour.

If your question would have been....Can anyone with the proper mindset and physical attributes practice hard enough to play professional golf???? I would have answered maybe.......but anyone??? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[airball7]

Grew up playing a fair amount of junior golf with a guy who was ridiculously talented. Long story short is he's basically a journeyman; played the Euro Tour for about 5 years, came back to the states and made it through Q school at least twice, but with mediocre results the following year on tour once he'd earned the card.

Screwing off playing twilight at my club in 2008 he was something like -10 through 15 not paying any attention and the track is no joke - 72.8/142. Quit because it was getting dark. At that time he had absolutely no status on any tour but in 2009 Monday qualified into a NW event and finished solo 2, then won one shortly thereafter and in 2010 had a very respectable year back on the PGA Tour. He's never going to be a big name but he's one of the best 80 or 100 players on the planet right now. To see him play is to wonder how there could possibly be anyone alive better, but they're out there. His talent and ability is one in ten million, where the guys at the top of the money list are one in a hundred million. Tom Coyne's talent is one in fifty thousand. His book is a terrific read and he's got it right; these guys - even down through the mini-tours - are frighteningly good at golf. I know part of his purpose in doing what he did was to write a book and he wrote a really good one, but I knew how it would turn out before finishing the first page, not because anybody told me but because the premise is insane. He's a really good golfer but he could have taken ten years instead of fifteen months and never gotten close to qualifying for the Nationwide. It's not for mortals, no matter how hard they work. Elkington can get as mad as he wants, and I understand that he's offended by the notion that he falls out of bed and shoots 63, but in addition to putting in his ten thousand hours he was born with qualities that enable that work to pay off on a level that is unreachable for all but a handful of men roaming the earth. To deny that is about as silly as arguing about someone's eye color.

[whatwhatwhat]

Any chance you will tell us who this guy is? Remember if you consider him in the top 80 on the planet I hope you werent just thinking about the uspga tour only

Not sure it anyone mentioned this but ridiculous talent isnt enough on the majority of these tours, most pros say 80% of pro golf is mental strenght, I sure their are plenty of guys out there just as talented as some pga tours but cant handle the mental pressure, I mean do any of you guys play in small region tournaments and get pretty nervous on the first tee? I do and I could only imagine the levels of mental strain these guys deal with at such a level, and thats something you cant practice you either got it or you dont

[CassinoNorth]

But I think your question relates more to can anyone with enough practice, play golf at a high level. I say no. Some people just do not have the physical athleticism required.

The average club head speed is around 110-115. Most people with simply a year or two of lifting and practicing could easily get to that threshhold of 110 mph swing. Athleticism isn't really keeping anyone out of the tour, I'll tell you that.

I do think starting at the right age, anyone can make the tour. But you'll need a pretty nice backing to get you the proper instruction and guidance through it.

[steelernation]

A great philosopher once said "the only impossibilites are square shaped triangles and triangular shaped squares."

Im not a thoroughly religous man, but divine intervention (if you believe in such things) and chaos theory can play havoc with the themes similar to this post.

The best way to address a post like this are using odds.

The key issues in developing a pro imo are in order of importance: physical ability, passion(drive), resources(money/time/coaching).

I think if any of the posters on this forum have(had) better than 1 in 100,000 odds to be pro at one time in their lives.

A good formula for the odds makers is the US open tournament structure. first the odds of any person eventually getting to that scratch level and qualifying, from there it takes 1000 to 2000 exceptional strokes in a row(or one bad shot and two good ones) to win the US Open..........from there it would be all downhill!

[LongballGer]

"Talent" is just a made up word by the lazy to justify their failures. It doesn´t exist.

Theoretically anyone can become a pga tour player. Being athletic or mentally tough is simply a bonus. A lot of guys on tour are not athletes or mentally tough. They are just regular people.

The secret is practicing all day long at an early age under world class instruction. It is even possible to make it on tour when you pick up the game later in life (Y.E. Yang). However only very, very few people have the intrinsic drive to really put in the work.

Golfing is a skill and just like any skill you get better at it with proper practice. Nothing magical about it.

Success in golf is like success in life.

The only difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is extraordinary determination.


You´re welcome.

[wrx_junki]

The average club head speed is around 110-115. Most people with simply a year or two of lifting and practicing could easily get to that threshhold of 110 mph swing. Athleticism isn't really keeping anyone out of the tour, I'll tell you that.

Athleticism doesn't mean just being in top physical shape but I do agree that athleticism isn't keeping people out of the tour. Just because you start golf at an early age does not guarantee that you will make it on tour. I know of a junior that has had formal instruction since he was 5 years of age and now at the age of 13 he still plays and practices every day. Does this mean that if he continues he will automatically make it on tour? No.

"Talent" is just a made up word by the lazy to justify their failures.

Talent is a made up word by the lazy? Are you serious?

[steelernation]

yes talent is something that exists, see my first post it just improves the odds. I have 1st hand knowledge of a prodigy, a 7 year old that can hit a golf ball over 180 yards with driver.

[whatwhatwhat]

"Talent" is just a made up word by the lazy to justify their failures. It doesn´t exist.

No thats complete rubbish, NOBODY on the pga tour is not mentally tough absolutely nobody, all pros and commentators say it even guys are mini tours are very mentally tough, this just shows me you either havent played in any decent tournament or you feel no pressure

[CassinoNorth]

Athleticism doesn't mean just being in top physical shape but I do agree that athleticism isn't keeping people out of the tour. Just because you start golf at an early age does not guarantee that you will make it on tour. I know of a junior that has had formal instruction since he was 5 years of age and now at the age of 13 he still plays and practices every day. Does this mean that if he continues he will automatically make it on tour? No.

If he has the right coaches, it certainly is a possibility.

Get the kid on the right high school team, a high D1 college team, the sky's the limit.

[65withatriple]

"Talent" is just a made up word by the lazy to justify their failures. It doesn´t exist.

Here is why your wrong.......when everyone works equally hard, the one with talent will be on top.

Your silly. Being on the PGA tour would be like being on the Fortune 500 if your compairing life success and golf success. And I know a many determined people who are not near "that successful".

[Brant17]

"Talent" is just a made up word by the lazy to justify their failures. It doesn´t exist.

Not true at all! Talent does exist! I was a D1 college/pro baseball player and now that my career is over I picked up golf. I average 70 to 75 on most courses and I have been playing golf for only a year and a half. All of my buddies who did not play pro ball and who have been playing golf for the last ten years may break into the high 70s every once in a while. I am not trying to brag on myself because I really dont care and I no that I will probably never be a touring pro. This is just an example of natural ability taking over to make me a better golfer than the average person.

[sean_miller]

He was trolling, even going back to add the bit about talent to stir the pot.

This part:

"Talent" is just a made up word by the lazy to justify their failures. It doesn´t exist. . . . Success in golf is like success in life. The only difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is extraordinary determination. You´re welcome.

[i-Guy]

I heard this saying somewhere that it takes 10-15 years for "Instant Success" ...I think the underlying point of this saying is that for all the guys currently on tour if you walked in their shoes through all of what it took to get where they are today, that it has been about 10-15 years of hard work. There is no one on the PGA Tour that just woke up one day with no experience and within 2-3 years was on the tour...no matter what story they told or you have heard. So to the OP question...I say the answer is YES! But it is different for each person on what their journey may be to get to that point...and if not starting out as a junior with your parents financial support...you will need to win the lotto to be able to quit your job and do the things (lessons, practicing, playing, etc...) to get good enough in 10-15 years to make it on the PGA Tour...

Just my 2 cents!