If you had the talent,

[Hairy Feet]

If I had the talent...?

I'd stay an amatuer. I'd be home every night in my own bed, I'd be home when the kids are born, and I'd be able to play with my friends every week rather than people I may not even want to play with. At 40 my career wouldn't be on the slide, and at 53 I'd be around to play with the grandkids...

[RayG]

Playing golf as a mid-level Pro? Making a living as a mid level pro? Two distinctly different things. A lot would depend on your personality and how "TV" or "Fan" friendly you are deemed by a sponsor. Some pretty mediocre golfers out there get a nice sum from various companies based on their personality and not necessarily their abilities. Go out and put a decent showing once in awhile and be seen doing quirky things to keep your name out there and you can do pretty well. Sponsors will pay to get you various tourny's to get that recognition factor out there. Fowler as an example- he wears odd clothes and ill-fitting hats. Hasn't really won anything of consequence on a regular basis, yet he's always plastered in ads. I doubt he pays for much travel. Granted he's a young single man with few distractions (other than the usual distractions a young man with plenty of TV time and money might encounter), but a married father of two could live comfortably on what Fowler receives for being Fowler. You go out and earn the "journeyman" title by not creating any waves and finishing mid-pack or lower every week, and that will count against you and you will need that secondary income to make ends meet.

[1puttit]

If I had the talent... I'd give it at least 10 years to "make it" on tour. My definition of "making it on tour" is playing on the PGA Tour and being in the top 125 money list each year so I don't have to revisit Q school.

I'm assuming I'm 22 and fresh out of college golf and ready to chase my dream. As long as I can clear $40-50K a year after expenses I'd be happy chasing the dream, playing great golf courses, and seeing the world. Now I understand making $40k on the nationwide tour is easier said than done and you'd probably have to make $80k to cover expenses. Still, $80k in winnings is #73 on the Nationwide tour (Doug Labelle II, played 23 events, won $81,717) and might be doable after a year or two of experience.

Although it is a ton of travel, let's not forget that most of these guys are playing 25 events a year and basically have half the year "off". Now I'm not saying they aren't practicing, working out, etc.. but they are home for half the year and can set their own schedule.

Of course the real payoff is if you can manage to make it to the PGA Tour and stay there.  For 2011, #125 on the PGA Tour was David Mathis who made $715,404 playing in 25 events. Not a bad way to make a living.

[Meddle]

It really is a tough question. You would have to give up so much time with your family, and it would be so much pressure on a weekly basis. Golf would be your job, and I'm not sure it would be the beautiful and enjoyable game it is now if I were a pro.

Maybe in a previous era I would, when it wasn't so cutthroat. But now, no I wouldn't.

[GaijinGolfer]

As long as I could still make enough money to get by and didnt neglect my obligations to my wife and kids, Id keep trying.  Making a living playing golf beats making a living doing just about anything else.

Thats what seperates tour pros from wannabes though: how bad do you want it and how hard are you willing to work to get there?

I mean, who wouldnt want to get up and, "go to work" every day where going to work meant going to the golf course or the driving range?  Not to say that its easy, but its a heck of a lot better than going to work in a loud, noisy, dusty factory or sitting in a cubicle staring at a computer and sitting in boring meetings all day long!