Shooting in the 70s

[golf55]

if I shoot between 70-80 every round. Where does this get me? How many % of golfers can play at this level in 6850yard course? Could I play in D1 college? Any chance of turning pro.

I had 3-4 different pga pro giving me lesson. I don't really like any of them but they're the best in my area. I feel like I have the talent to make it to pro not PGA pro but at least WEB tour or smaller tours. It would be a waste to not use my talent. I'm trying very very hard to lower my score. I believe this is my season. I'm pretty sure I can shoot under par if I practice like crazy this season. My driving is very good, about 70%, GIR about 50%, I 3putt 1-2 every round. I feel like I'm pretty close to shoot under par. I didn't play too well today though, shot 81 today.

[Harmonious]

April Fools Day was yesterday.

[blankwall]

your a joke brother come talk to us when you can shoot in the 60s every round

[WUTiger]

If you're stuck in the upper 70s, you need to find a teaching pro who can help you develop your game. This is just to have a shot at college. If you don't like any of your first four pros, what seems to be the problem?

I am a college professor, and have taught at Div. II, NAIA and now a Div. III school. I got to know the golf coach at all three levels, and I frequently have golfers in my classes.

Div. I schools generally have great scholarship offers. Div. II usually has scholarships for starters and partials for others. NAIA for the most part have partial scholarships for better golfers. Div. III schools offer no athletic scholarships whatever.

College golfers need to have excellent time-management skills. In the spring semester, you will miss class frequently for matches, on occasion for a week if you go on the road to a tournament.  This means getting assignments done by due date, and having to get outside help from the professors to keep up with your courses. You need the discipline to do class prep and homework when the team bus is rolling down the highway.

Even when you're back at campus, you are expected to practice and play nine holes most days.

Use your HS coach to help you make contacts for possible college opportunities.

Realistically, if you play to a 5 HDCP your senior year of HS, you're looking at NAIA or Div. III.

[golf55]

Originally Posted by blankwall

your a joke brother come talk to us when you can shoot in the 60s every round

Even tiger cant' shoot in the 60s every round. I'm only 10 stroke behind from pro level. That's A LOT but I'm also making tons of mistakes that can be fixed.

Originally Posted by WUTiger

If you're stuck in the upper 70s, you need to find a teaching pro who can help you develop your game. This is just to have a shot at college. If you don't like any of your first four pros, what seems to be the problem?

I am a college professor, and have taught at Div. II, NAIA and now a Div. III school. I got to know the golf coach at all three levels, and I frequently have golfers in my classes.

Div. I schools generally have great scholarship offers. Div. II usually has scholarships for starters and partials for others. NAIA for the most part have partial scholarships for better golfers. Div. III schools offer no athletic scholarships whatever.

College golfers need to have excellent time-management skills. In the spring semester, you will miss class frequently for matches, on occasion for a week if you go on the road to a tournament.  This means getting assignments done by due date, and having to get outside help from the professors to keep up with your courses. You need the discipline to do class prep and homework when the team bus is rolling down the highway.

Even when you're back at campus, you are expected to practice and play nine holes most days.

Use your HS coach to help you make contacts for possible college opportunities.

Realistically, if you play to a 5 HDCP your senior year of HS, you're looking at NAIA or Div. III.

It's hard to find a teaching pro that I like. Most of the method doesn't work well with my swing. It's also expensive and they give you the same lesson every single time.

I checked D1/D2 colleges and majority of these guys don't go under par. only 2-3 players from each team shoot under while rest shoot in mid 70s and high 70s. I'm not really sure why that guy thinks you have to shoot 60s to go somewhere with golf. I practice almost everyday.

[MS256]

Originally Posted by golf55

Even tiger cant' shoot in the 60s every round. I'm only 10 stroke behind from pro level. That's A LOT but I'm also making tons of mistakes that can be fixed.

If you are serious (?) a reality check is in order:

Shooting in the 60s on the courses that most of us are playing (and set up for public play) has absolutely nothing in common with shooting in the 60s on a course set up for PGA Tour play.

Those rounds in the 60s and 70s that we shoot every Saturday in our local games would turn into rounds in the 80s and 90s (or MORE) on those PGA set ups. Then add tournament pressure to make a cut on a new course every week and it would get even worse.

[Harmonious]

To the OP:  If you want to get better, play in local tournaments, play in junior tournaments, play against kids like yourself who will be competing with you for those college spots.

You are not the first youngster who has come here saying what a great player they will be, because they practice a lot and really really really want to be a pro. Results are what matter. Come back after you have won some tournaments and you will get some better advice.

[stealthduffer]

I remember back in the 80's someone wrote to one of the golf magazines and asked if they should "invest" (i.e. front money) to the local hot-shot player. Their response was to take him to a course that he's never played, tee it up from the tips and if (and only if) he shot in the 60's should they even consider putting in a dime.  THAT'S the standard for being a pro.

If you want to play college golf you need to be playing tournaments - I'm assuming you are in High School so play for your team (if they have one).  Play all the local and state tournaments that you can. A college coach is only going to be interested in someone with a history of solid tournament play. Find a coach that you are compatible with.  Read and learn the rules - and play by them unfailingly.  Play as many different courses as you can or can afford to.  And once you start playing well in tournaments and have an established track record get yourself noticed by college coaches - make a golf resume of your accomplishements. Contact coaches of colleges you'd like to attend and find out what tournaments they'll be attending to recruit players.  Then play those tournaments.  Work with your high school coach or local pro (if applicable) to find out what contacts they have.

When I coached girls' soccer coaches would sometimes approach me about certain of my players - did I know where they wanted to go to college? Did they have good grades? Were they a hard worker?  Since we played at a pretty modest level they were mostly D3 and NAIA schools - D3 schools can't offer scholarships but can provide academic scholarships to supplement their (frequently) higher costs.  Not a lot of schools are going to offer "free ride" scholarships for golf - they have too few and can get more mileage by splitting the scholarships among several players - one might get tuition, another housing and a third books.  All really help to make school more affordable - but not too many are going to get the brass ring.  And also recognize that a "free ride" is usually anything but.  Being a student/athlete is a tough way to go through college.  Practice, tournaments and travel along with your class load makes for long days.

But good luck to you.  Lay out a plan - development, tournaments, contacts - and work it.  We'd all be pleasantly surprised to hear that you succeeded.

[wedge head]

There are many excellent players who aspire to be a pro. There is a huge difference in the way a PGA player hits the ball. If you want to see and hear the difference, simply go to a PGA tournament and get on the caddy wall and loop for some corp. guy and watch the pro play. I had the privilege of looping for Justin Leonard at a Tues. pro am years ago at the B.C. Open. He was a 1st year pro and needed to earn 30k to keep his card. The following year he had a fist full of top 10's and the next year he won the British. My point is this...his ball striking was incredible. He missed the cut. That doesn't speak to the life of a 1st year pro on the road. Not what it appears to be.

If you're not in the low 70's to high 60's more often than not on familiar courses, you have no chance of getting through to the tour...even the minys.

[Parker0065]

All Right......Another I'm so good I should turn pro thread!!!!

To the OP, I'm going to assume your a kid, if not then you might want to consider stronger medication!

In my area we have a well organized Junior PGA Tour program that covers all of Northeast NY. My son plays on it and I have volunteered as a marshal and gotten to know many of the kids and their games. This past season there were two high school seniors from our region that received scholarships for college this coming fall. Both of those kids generally shoot under par every round at their home courses and always around par or better everywhere else. There are plenty of other kids that are right on their heels that didn't receive scholarships and will more than likely also have the opportunity to play college level golf.

With the stats you quoted they aren't to bad if your in that 13-15 year old range but if your 16-18 years old or older your way behind the curve and you better get moving at break neck speed.  You quoted a scoring range from 70 to 80, that's about the same distance as from here to China! Consistently breaking 80 is a great accomplishment but going from there to shooting par or better(in tournament conditions) is a whole different level.

Also to be honest with you there aren't to many kids that play at the level you want to achieve that don't have a qualified Pro to teach and guide them through the process. Find a qualified Pro you like and work your butt off and see what happens. You also need to put as much work into your regular school studies as you do into your golf game so you have another career to fall back on. You don't want to end up living in a cement drainage pipe somewhere in Palm Springs with delusional thoughts of grandeur!!!!

[Spyder]

I'm too tired to feed into this.

All I can say is that you really need to go spend a decent dime and play the tips from a PGA rated course in your area (if there is one). Also, watch some documentaries on professional golfers. The glamour that is surrounding the top 10 golfers in the world really overshadows what it means to even be ranked 100 or 150th in the world. You're not "10 behind Tiger Woods" either - please don't ever say that in public.

[golf55]

Originally Posted by Parker0065

To the OP, I'm going to assume your a kid, if not then you might want to consider stronger medication!

Quote:

Originally Posted by MS256

If you are serious (?) a reality check is in order:

Thanks for the encouragement guys.

Originally Posted by stealthduffer

But good luck to you.  Lay out a plan - development, tournaments, contacts - and work it.  We'd all be pleasantly surprised to hear that you succeeded.

I played in high school and finished with school. Right now my main focus is golf, I don't have a fall out plan. If you're making a plan B you're already letting yourself to fail. I know I won't fail. I'm not really sure how teaching pros can help me, there's a tons of pga pros who are self taught(like bubba). I really don't need any negativity from you guys!

I will get better, play in local tours, win and keep moving forward. That's my game plan

[NM Golf]

Dreams are good to have as long as your feet touch the ground on occasion. If you are 12 years old you are looking okay. If you are 17, you can look forward to enjoying playing this great game of ours just like we do, as amateurs. (Well most of us)

Originally Posted by Spyder

Also, watch some documentaries on professional golfers. The glamour that is surrounding the top 10 golfers in the world really overshadows what it means to even be ranked 100 or 150th in the world.

No kidding, for every guy on TV making big money there are 50 that can barely eat.

Originally Posted by Spyder

You're not "10 behind Tiger Woods" either - please don't ever say that in public.

LOL well said

[SWells]

A friend of my golfed div 1 in college. And he rarely plays now 10 years out of school, wife, kids, and work prevent him from playing much, but he still shoots low 70's to mid 60's on our local course. Now he has been in some big tournaments and played against some of the best in the world. And as he says in his hay day he would be breaking 60 on our local course. Your best bet practice the short game and concentrate on hitting fairways. Find a PGA level course when you are consistently shooting par, and give it a go and see how it affects your score. Place well in your high school state tournament and you should get some scholarship offers.

[Harmonious]

Originally Posted by golf55

Thanks for the encouragement guys.

I played in high school and finished with school. Right now my main focus is golf, I don't have a fall out plan. If you're making a plan B you're already letting yourself to fail. I know I won't fail. I'm not really sure how teaching pros can help me, there's a tons of pga pros who are self taught(like bubba). I really don't need any negativity from you guys!

I will get better, play in local tours, win and keep moving forward. That's my game plan

If you played in high school, you must have played in conference, regional or state championships.  How did you do? Did you finish high in them, and did college coaches contact you and/or your high school coach? If not, then I think you have your answer.

Not too long ago, there was another young fellow (from Idaho, I think) who was sure he was going to make a Division 1 college team.  He even bragged about how he was going to play in a tournament where many coaches were going to see him.  I think he shot something like 85-89. He hasn't been heard from since.

[golf55]

Originally Posted by Harmonious

If you played in high school, you must have played in conference, regional or state championships.  How did you do? Did you finish high in them, and did college coaches contact you and/or your high school coach? If not, then I think you have your answer.

Not too long ago, there was another young fellow (from Idaho, I think) who was sure he was going to make a Division 1 college team.  He even bragged about how he was going to play in a tournament where many coaches were going to see him.  I think he shot something like 85-89. He hasn't been heard from since.

I didn't get to play in my state championship. I played pretty badly during high school, I was lucky enough to even play because we had such a small field. Just because I played poorly during my youth doesn't mean my game stayed the same. I'll just keep practicing till I get better! If I don't, than all of you are right. but if I can shoot the score I know I can play than I'll make it. Golf isn't a joke, it's extremely difficult to play at high level.  How I'm playing right now I'm guessing I'm in the top 5% and you need to be in.5% to make it. It's a long shot but this is what I want to do. I love playing competitive golf. I don't want to work at a golf shop or do course management. I want to play for living so that's what I been trying to do for last couple years.

[hendog]

Here's the thing my man: At some point you have to make a living. Not sure what you do now to make money but eventually you will want to get married, have some kids, maybe buy a house, car, boat. Maybe not but that's what a lot of people end up doing. Having a plan B is not giving up as you mentioned previously. Its simply smart and if you want to be the golfer you say you do you better be smart. It doesn't have to be "go to law school" smart but maybe train to be a PGA professional while you are working on your game. Or maybe take some night classes towards a business degree or auto mechanics. Whatever works for you.

Go hard at the golf thing if you want. This would not be the great country it is if people did not have big dreams and go after them but tight rope walking without a net doesn't necessarily make you more focused and thus more likely to succeed. It could very well make you nervous as hell and keep you from being the best you can be. If you have a fall back you can relax and not put so much pressure on yourself that you can't make a 3 ft putt and lets face it, you don't need to be tense and nervous knowing that this putt determines if you eat or not. Only guys named Tiger can thrive under pressure like that and he's a little weird (in a good way).

I love playing competitive golf too, but I love living in the suburbs in a nice house with a pool, going to my children's school plays and watching my beautiful wife take a bath a heck of a lot more.

Just be smart. That's all I am saying because if you aren't smart, you have already failed.

[NM Golf]

Originally Posted by golf55

Thanks for the encouragement guys.

I played in high school and finished with school. Right now my main focus is golf, I don't have a fall out plan. If you're making a plan B you're already letting yourself to fail. I know I won't fail. I'm not really sure how teaching pros can help me, there's a tons of pga pros who are self taught(like bubba). I really don't need any negativity from you guys!

I will get better, play in local tours, win and keep moving forward. That's my game plan

You need a plan B. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you have no chance. You are out of high school and and still shooting 81 on a muni. There are literally thousands of players, some half your age, who are substantially better that you. Worse news is 90+% of them won't make it either. Future Tour players are breaking par early in their teens and tearing up golf courses by the time they graduate from high school. You still have years to go before you would even be considered scratch, and there is a big difference between a scratch golfer and a Tour pro.

Learn to enjoy the game, work on your game with an attainable goal like becoming the Club Champion. Golf is a great sport, but it is extremely difficult.