I will become a tour professional! (Know I am going to get a lot of smack)

[Kapanda]

Originally Posted by Tomboys

Well, not to be a Debbie Downer, but how many people are in the software business?  Hundreds of thousands?  Perhaps millions?  Not all these people played it safe and I'm sure many of them have risked it all to succeed.  Yet, there's more failures than successes even on a relative scale.  That's why it's lucrative for those that are successful.  And, that's why there's only one Bill Gates.  If success was as simple as, "walking a tightrope without a safety net", then a loaf of bread would cost $1000.00.  Besides, what's the risk in stating your goals to a bunch of no-name individuals on an internet forum?  There's no consequences for failure.  While it's great to use Gates as a source of inspiration, don't fall into the belief that his success will be transferable to you just because you adopt the same mental approach that he did.  The most successful people that I know all share one main quality, they execute.  Whether it's acheiving certain financial figures in the business world, or scoring well in the sports world.  It's all about performance.  And, that performance has to be quantifiable because results are measured.  Which leads to below:

This.  Either you're good enough or you aren't.  Everything else is moot.

This was a great post!

Think it's a reality check, not a downer.

I am definitely rooting for you, OP!

[FutureTourPro]

Originally Posted by Kieran123

I am a senior in Highschool

[FutureTourPro]

Originally Posted by Remark37

These two previous posts below about sum up the chances you have. Like Shorty, I didn't take the bait before, but couldn't resist. I am all for people pursuing their dreams and playing on the PGA is one of mine, but I think I'll stick to playing a few times a week and work my day job. If you worked really hard for several years, you might make it to that 3.8 handicap you claim, but not the PGA.

This swing:

http://thesandtrap.com/t/58313/my-swing-futuretourpro

And these distances: (with the above swing, come on)

5/11/12

FutureTourPro

Driver 290

3wood 260

3hybrid 230

4iron 220

5iron 210

6iron 200

7iron 190

8iron 180

9iron 165

Pitching wedge 150

50* 135

54* 125

58* 110

Have you played with me? no. those are my distances and my swing speed is 115

[Mr3Wiggle]

Originally Posted by FutureTourPro

Have you played with me? no. those are my distances and my swing speed is 115

Well we have seen your swing...

[Remark37]

Originally Posted by FutureTourPro

Have you played with me? no. those are my distances and my swing speed is 115

No and there is no doubt that you can potentially beat me. I'm not saying I'm better than you, by any means. But you are telling me that from that video that your swing speed is only 8 mph lower than Bubba's?

I hope that you reach your dream, but I think you need to start being honest with yourself before you can start getting better to compete with amateurs let alone pro's.

[FutureTourPro]

Originally Posted by Shorty

Fair call. I meant that they don't say that they want to reach step one and then reach step 100.

The ones who want to play for their school aren't saying that they then want to start winning majors the year after graduating.

I'm criticising the ones who want to go straight to the Tour and think that all you need is the desire to be rich and famous.

I am not in it for the riches and the fame it is my passion! Why should I do something I don't love?

[FutureTourPro]

Originally Posted by Remark37

No and there is no doubt that you can potentially beat me. I'm not saying I'm better than you, by any means. But you are telling me that from that video that your swing speed is only 8 mph lower than Bubba's?

I hope that you reach your dream, but I think you need to start being honest with yourself before you can start getting better to compete with amateurs let alone pro's.

I am being honest with myself, not to sound arrogant or anything, but I am able to compete with some of the best amateurs and I've played with the local golf pro and he only beat me by two he shot 68 and I shot 70. I am changing basically everything about my swing to become the best player I can be! thank you for the support.

[Gresh24]

Originally Posted by FutureTourPro

Why should I do something I don't love?

Keep doing what you love while you can.  99% of people don't make a living doing what they love...

[Remark37]

Originally Posted by FutureTourPro

I am being honest with myself, not to sound arrogant or anything, but I am able to compete with some of the best amateurs and I've played with the local golf pro and he only beat me by two he shot 68 and I shot 70. I am changing basically everything about my swing to become the best player I can be! thank you for the support.

If that's true, I think it would be good to work with a reputable instructor to get your swing in competition mode and enter a few local tournaments this summer. See how you do in a real tournament situation.

That looks like a rough swing on that video and not necessarily a power generating swing. The yardages seem really high. I am a big guy and can't come close to those iron yardages let alone consistently. And I know technique beats size every day, but I am fairly good technically let alone being 6'5" helps produce a bigger arc with higher potential power.

Post your videos of the swing as you progress, would be interested to see it.

[Mr3Wiggle]

Originally Posted by Remark37

If that's true, I think it would be good to work with a reputable instructor to get your swing in competition mode and enter a few local tournaments this summer. See how you do in a real tournament situation.

That looks like a rough swing on that video and not necessarily a power generating swing. The yardages seem really high. I am a big guy and can't come close to those iron yardages let alone consistently. And I know technique beats size every day, but I am fairly good technically let alone being 6'5" helps produce a bigger arc with higher potential power.

Post your videos of the swing as you progress, would be interested to see it.

The swing he posted is not likely capable of playing consistently good golf.  It is certainly not capable of producing the power he claims in any controllable way.  He's either delusional or trolling.

[dak4n6]

I agree, the swing in the video and the listed yardages don't seem to match up.

[Gresh24]

Agree.  No way that swing is 115 MPH or getting those distances.

[Remark37]

Originally Posted by Mr3Wiggle

The swing he posted is not likely capable of playing consistently good golf.  It is certainly not capable of producing the power he claims in any controllable way.  He's either delusional or trolling.

I agree, but I can only argue and be an a-hole so long. I think there is potential (and by potential I mean to be a good golfer, not PGA) especially still being in high school. But those yardages, 3 handicap, and 115 mph swing speed, no way. That's why I said he can only get better when he is truthful with himself.

[Sandy Trap]

I have been playing golf for a few months and I think my swing is better than yours.  That thing looks terrible.

I am 24 years old, 6' tall and pretty strong/played sports my entire life.  My swing speed ranges from low 90's to 110 depending on the club.  Those distances you posted seem a little strange to me.  I can drive the ball 290 or hit my 3 hybrid 230 on the sweet spot like you, but some of those iron distances seem wacky.  I'm not saying you are lying, they just seem fishy to me.

Even though I am new to playing, I have been a fan for a while.  I also am already shooting in the 90s on my rounds so I consider myself to have some natural talent for the game and be a fast learner.  I also practice or play almost every day because I love it and I am having a blast.

Go watch a PGA Tour event in person and you will realize how much of a gap there is between yourself and those guys.  Setting goals is important, but fibbing about things on the internet will not help you reach your goals.  Shoot for a club championship or something before you start posting threads about the PGA tour.

[Clambake]

The single best advice you've gotten so far here is to have a backup plan.     The second best advice is to make sure you also understand the reality.

You use Bill Gates as an example of someone who took the risk and went all in.    He didn't.    He was already well versed in software and microcomputing before he took a leave of college to give his BASIC software business a shot, and backed by money from his father, he wasn't really risking anything.   If Microsoft didn't succeed, he could still continue in the software business easily, and he could have easily returned to college to finish his degree.   He had a very strong solid backup plan, even though the consequence of Microsoft's failure was minimal.

In your case, if you go all in on trying to become a Tour pro, you have significant consequences if you fail.   If you're lucky perhaps you can stay in the golf industry, helping people try on shoes in a golf store.    But you won't have any real transferable skills to other businesses or industries, and the skills you have in the golf industry will be sufficiently narrow to greatly limit your future career options.   You'll be a decent amateur player without a degree, competing for jobs with other good players who have degrees.    Welcome to a lifelong career in minimum wage.

Regarding the reality, I'm not going to comment on your swing or your ability to play well with your local golf pro.   But what's your amateur tournament pedigree?     Are you #1 on your school's golf team?  Have you been playing AJGA events and winning?   Placing high in state championships?     As a high school senior, you're at an age where there are seemingly endless outstanding players out there your age and younger who have been competing nationally for years.   They can already smoke a tough course in the low to mid 60s when playing recreation golf.    But as Ben Hogan said, there is golf and there is tournament golf, and the two are barely similar.    If you don't already have such a tournament pedigree, they you have to take a look at the many thousands of kids your age who are already years ahead of you down this path and recognize they are going to be competing for those same 125 spots on the PGA Tour that you covet.

And if college isn't in your plan, again take a look at the many thousands of players across the country who are competing at collegiate golf day in and day out.   These were the outstanding players in high school, who already had extensive tournament experience, and now they are playing on a bigger stage.   If those great players your age and younger are your competition, now look at the collegiate players as being the best of the best.    With the demise of Q School, it is getting harder for someone to walk into professional Tour golf without having the college experience.  How do you stack up against Beau Hossler, or Jordan Spieth?    And all those players are also getting something you aren't - an education.    They'll have a backup plan that will let them earn more than minimum wage.   You're working in the golf store shoe department, and they're managing that store, or working in the marketing department for Taylormade, or as an investment banker.

I do a lot quite a bit of mentoring work with kids for careers in engineering and science, and I never want to tell someone they can't achieve something.  It is very important that kids dream high and strive to reach things that many feel can't be attained, and it's good you have that goal.      Dreaming big with an understanding of what it requires translates into lofty yet achievable goals.   But there is a word for dreams without a sense of reality; they're called delusions.

[Precis1on]

You need a process. Are you in a good position to win your state champ? Are you in the position that you're the best scorer on your team? Are COLLEGES looking to recruit you?

If the answer to any the above questions is "no", then get ready to work your tail off, find a swing coach (I don't consider high school coaches swing coaches in general, unless they're certified in some way), and by the time you're done with high school hopefully you have won or placed in the top 5 in your state, lead your team, and have gotten recruitment offers from colleges.

I think it's fine to have the PGA be your end goal, but you need to be able to do the little things too. Like for me, this summer I'm playing in my first tournament. It's for charity, but it's my first go at some real golf with some really good players. Baby steps to your goal.

*edit* - small chuckle because the above poster posted pretty much my point.

[newtogolf]

That's great you've taken the first baby step in life after H.S.  You have found a field you have a passion for and you want to be exceptional in it.  How many college scholarships have you been offered?  A guy that can compete with the best amatuers and local pro's had to get some attention from scouts?

If you're not going the college route how do you plan to get to the pro level?  Are you well financed or do you have someone that will be putting up the entry fees and travel costs for you to compete in tournaments?   Becoming a pro isn't cheap and without exposure at an amateur level (college) you're going to have a tough time attracting sponsors.

I'm not qualified to critique your swing but the consensus here is your swing needs work, do you have money for lessons or a swing coach?

Passion is critical to success, without passion for what you're doing it's very hard to do well but passion doesn't take the place of a good plan, money and a backup plan in case things don't go as you expect.  Something totally outside your control could occur and totally derail your plans.

Originally Posted by FutureTourPro

I am being honest with myself, not to sound arrogant or anything, but I am able to compete with some of the best amateurs and I've played with the local golf pro and he only beat me by two he shot 68 and I shot 70. I am changing basically everything about my swing to become the best player I can be! thank you for the support.

[Artimas]

When I first read this, I chuckled and thought this guy is either a troll or totally clueless.

But I thought about it for a while and changed my mind a bit.

I still think he's totally clueless, but it's because he's just an enthusiastic kid. I remember how I felt about achieving my dream position in life (an astronaut)  at that age. I was enthusiastic, completely serious, but totally unrealistic and naive. That's what's going on here. A sincere kid who is just naive because of his age, and complete lack of worldly experience.

It's nice to chase a dream. Go for it. But have some realistic expectations and a solid backup plan, because the chance of this working out is... (being gentle)...pretty unlikely.