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

[hendog]

Wow. Bunch of haters here. What difference does it make to anyone what he wants or thinks he can do. Did any tour professional ever say, "Ah, I might be a professional but whatever man". You certainly need to be realistic but if you got the game then you got the game. Heck I sometimes daydream about winning an amateur tourney and then maybe getting into the Open and then maybe winning. I'm 37 but a fella can dream right? There is a 99.9% chance it won't happen but there is a 100% chance it won't happen if I don't try. What do they say, "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take". Bingo. Go for it.

[Mr3Wiggle]

Originally Posted by Jason M Henley

Wow. Bunch of haters here. What difference does it make to anyone what he wants or thinks he can do. Did any tour professional ever say, "Ah, I might be a professional but whatever man". You certainly need to be realistic but if you got the game then you got the game. Heck I sometimes daydream about winning an amateur tourney and then maybe getting into the Open and then maybe winning. I'm 37 but a fella can dream right? There is a 99.9% chance it won't happen but there is a 100% chance it won't happen if I don't try. What do they say, "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take". Bingo. Go for it.

Check his swing out.

[Remark37]

Originally Posted by Jason M Henley

Wow. Bunch of haters here. What difference does it make to anyone what he wants or thinks he can do. Did any tour professional ever say, "Ah, I might be a professional but whatever man". You certainly need to be realistic but if you got the game then you got the game. Heck I sometimes daydream about winning an amateur tourney and then maybe getting into the Open and then maybe winning. I'm 37 but a fella can dream right? There is a 99.9% chance it won't happen but there is a 100% chance it won't happen if I don't try. What do they say, "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take". Bingo. Go for it.

Couldn't agree more with you, but Mr3wiggle is right. Normally I wouldn't say anything but I've read way too many posts and it gets annoying.

[TN94z]

I am all for encouraging someone at anything they want to do.  The mind is a powerful too and really makes the human body do amazing things.  The problem now is the "new" generation.  It's happening in all sports.  It is becoming more and more difficult to get to a professional level in anything. Kids are now being "raised" from very young ages with one particular sport in mind.  From your 17 year old kids playing in the US Open (and competing at the top), to your well rounded fighters in MMA, to your 19 year old 500lb bench press college football players. It is really getting amazing!!  So I think if you have the work ethic, money, time, and natural talent....go for it

[hendog]

Originally Posted by Remark37

Couldn't agree more with you, but Mr3wiggle is right. Normally I wouldn't say anything but I've read way too many posts and it gets annoying.

Ok. I watched the swing and I will say this. There are a lot of unorthodox swings on the tour. I personally have seen Tommy "Two Gloves" and Furyk has been around forever. These guys look weird when they swing. I thought "Two Gloves" was going to fall over when he set up but he crushed it down the pipe. If you (Future Pro Boy) are going out there and shooting 68, 69, 70 and doing it legitimately with no gimmes and no foot wedges and can get better to the point where you can do it on 7500+ yard courses then I don't really care what you look like. Your score after 18 is what matters. Seems you are in high school so you have 5-10 years to get better. Between college and mini-tours there is no reason you can't get there. I started playing when I was 25. 12 years ago. I've gotten so much better and learned so much but I am past my prime. You are still young. Stay humble and never get complacent. Don't step up on the first tee and tell people you are going to qualify for the Open and then shoot 88. Let your scores do the talking (legal, honest scores). After that, you won't have to tell people you are going to be on Tour, they will tell you.

[divot dave]

Originally Posted by Jason M Henley

After that, you won't have to tell people you are going to be on Tour, they will tell you.

I think that's the missing ingredient in threads like this... and possibly why people feel compelled to jeer. Bottom line is, if you're even remotely good enough to be considered a future tour pro, you won't have to jump on golf threads and announce it to anyone, because people will be going out of their way to tell you... at your club, in your local paper, at tournaments, etc...

That said, assuming his 3+ handicap is an honest one... that's good no matter who you are, what your swing looks like. With the right mixture of OCD, training, mental toughness... there's a chance.... (ugh, i feel dumb even uttering those words in this thread but whatever...).

I gotta wonder tho if that score is based on multiple courses with various degrees of difficulty or if its based on 1 super easy local course that he's played 1000 times, memorized and could make par while sleep walking.... just sayin

[Shorty]

Originally Posted by Jason M Henley

Wow. Bunch of haters here. What difference does it make to anyone what he wants or thinks he can do.

The criticism is based on his "logic" that he will succeed because he has no back up plan.

People who start these threads have never seen really good players and think that if they want it bad enough they can achieve it.

Imagine saying to a child:

"Make sure you are only focusing on one goal because you have no option but success."

Noone starts these threads by saying they are planning to be the best player/junior/whatever in their club.

And....as has been stated there has NEVER EVER been a follow up post where there is any mention of progress,

(unless of course they're changing to guitar and want to know what swanky brand axe to get rather than learning to actually play).

Just questions on how to fix a slice and how now they've got their DIY handicap down to some BS number they are topping and having air swings on the range and wondering how to fix it.

The cart is always before the horse.

Does this sound reasonable? "I have only just started playing tennis and I plan to be on the ATP Tour and noone can stop me because I really want it."  You'd laugh, right?

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Shorty

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason M Henley

Wow. Bunch of haters here. What difference does it make to anyone what he wants or thinks he can do.

The criticism is based on his "logic" that he will succeed because he has no back up plan.

People who start these threads have never seen really good players and think that if they want it bad enough they can achieve it.

Imagine saying to a child:

"Make sure you are only focusing on one goal because you have no option but success."

Noone starts these threads by saying they are planning to be the best player/junior/whatever in their club.

And....as has been stated there has NEVER EVER been a follow up post where there is any mention of progress,

(unless of course they're changing to guitar and want to know what swanky brand axe to get rather than learning to actually play).

Just questions on how to fix a slice and how now they've got their DIY handicap down to some BS number they are topping and having air swings on the range and wondering how to fix it.

The cart is always before the horse.

Does this sound reasonable? "I have only just started playing tennis and I plan to be on the ATP Tour and noone can stop me because I really want it."  You'd laugh, right?

There was that one guy who just wants to make his high school varsity team - how'd that go?

[hendog]

Originally Posted by Shorty

The criticism is based on his "logic" that he will succeed because he has no back up plan.

People who start these threads have never seen really good players and think that if they want it bad enough they can achieve it.

Imagine saying to a child:

"Make sure you are only focusing on one goal because you have no option but success."

Noone starts these threads by saying they are planning to be the best player/junior/whatever in their club.

And....as has been stated there has NEVER EVER been a follow up post where there is any mention of progress,

(unless of course they're changing to guitar and want to know what swanky brand axe to get rather than learning to actually play).

Just questions on how to fix a slice and how now they've got their DIY handicap down to some BS number they are topping and having air swings on the range and wondering how to fix it.

The cart is always before the horse.

Does this sound reasonable? "I have only just started playing tennis and I plan to be on the ATP Tour and noone can stop me because I really want it."  You'd laugh, right?

I understand your point and why its frustrating to hear/see people get ahead of themselves. He's a kid though and I guess I just take the approach of redirecting people like this in the right direction rather than kicking them in the sack. When I was young playing baseball, I thought I was the bomb. No one ever said to me, hey, just work hard and keep your head down and good things will happen. Its wasn't until I was 21 years old and cocky as could be (and subsequently getting mad every time I didn't get a hit) that my college coach said "Hey, just relax. You are really good but you need to just stay within yourself and play hard". The transformation from there to where I ended up was unbelievable. Unfortunately it was too late and the book had been written on me and I didn't get drafted and gave up the sport for my degree and family. Reflecting on that I simply want to try and do for others what was missed on me :)

[the19thhole]

Here we go again. LOL

[Shorty]

Originally Posted by Jason M Henley

. He's a kid though and I guess I just take the approach of redirecting people like this in the right direction rather than kicking them in the sack.

The right direction is to day "Have a back up plan".

His logic is that if you don't give yourself a way out you have to press on and achieve the goal because there is nothing else you CAN do.

Unfortunately, it's real life and not a movie.

[Shorty]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

There was that one guy who just wants to make his high school varsity team - how'd that go?

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.

[Sandy Trap]

I am usually really nice about these threads and encourage anyone to go for a dream.

With that said, the fact that your entire post was in bold makes me want to give you a dose of reality.

You have been playing for 5 years and you are shooting a 75, and your swing looks gross.  I don't see any natural talent.  Just my opinion.  Do yourself a favor and stay in school.

[Tomboys]

Originally Posted by FutureTourPro

I know that a lot of people might think I am cocky for saying that I'll become a professional. I am not being cocky, I am setting high to reach goals and on my way to completing them, and How I intend to complete them is to give my best effort everyday. People say I am setting myself up to fail. It is actually the opposite. By giving myself a one way ticket, it means I have to commit and make sure I do everything in my power to get there. Nobody played it safe to become successful, look at Bill Gates, a ivy league drop out and that took a risk, look where he is today. I am taking risk by choosing one path instead of two. You can count on me to make the most of it.

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:

Originally Posted by BuckeyeNut

Everybody has to start somewhere!!!

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

[Jwat381]

I'm gonna be a tour pro, too. Just think, someday you can all say that you used to talk to me on TST.

[ZigZag]

Good Luck. I hope it works out.

[lostmyballs]

Originally Posted by Sandy Trap

You have been playing for 5 years and you are shooting a 75, and your swing looks gross.  I don't see any natural talent.  Just my opinion.  Do yourself a favor and stay in school.

Dude shoots 3 over after 5 years and that's bad? How high are your standards? I'll break 100 this year I hope (in my second year).

EDIT: But I am inclined to agree with "stay in school". Not because I doubt the guy (there are enough people to do that without me), but because education is priceless (and you can golf in college).

[Chetster]

I thought this thread looked familiar (or maybe it was the make out session avatar that I recognized). Couldn't figure out how it was only a day old.

http://thesandtrap.com/t/57563/going-to-become-a-tour-pro-in-a-few-years