If you were a natural athlete, and had Butch Harmon as a coach since you were four years old, what are the chances of you becoming pro?

[RetroJFrancisco]

Originally Posted by Mr. Desmond

At the highest levels, golf is a mind game.

Do you have the mentality?

I agree somewhat, I think that at the very top (actually any level seeing as golf is a game played between the ears) a strong mental game is up there with the most important things, but there is one thing that seperates winners from mid table players... Whoever putts best throughout the week will be either VERY close to winning or lifting that cup come sunday, look at the stats.

[MEfree]

I agree that the odds are relatively long BUT there is a reason that threads like this get started-  What % of PGA Pros started playing golf prior to age 18?  99%?  So starting before 18 is almost a mandatory requirement.  What % of the world's population plays golf before the age 18?  Less than 5%?  So, it is very likely that there are quite a few people that are born with the talent to become a PGA Touring pro, but never get exposed to the game (or don't get exposed until they are an adult).  Before Colleges started recruiting in Africa, this likely happened with Basketball as well.

[RonTheSavage]

Tour golfers are like elite level NFL QB's. You dont make one, they are just born that way. You can have all the talent in the world but if you lack the mental side of it you wont be successful.

[WUTiger]

Originally Posted by tmac20

What are the chances of you becoming a PGA TOUR player?

Probably not very good. Having a four-year-old practice a full golf swing, whipping that developing spinal column forward repeatedly , could give the kid back trouble by high school.

For pre-schoolers, do some fun stuff like chipping and putting, and delay the concentrated lessons until about age eight. Ask your child's pediatrician for detailed advice.

[theworldengine]

Tour golfers are like elite level NFL QB's. You dont make one, they are just born that way. You can have all the talent in the world but if you lack the mental side of it you wont be successful.

Elite qbs are born with a far narrower specific set of physical gifts

[RonTheSavage]

Right Im just saying Elite QB's like golfers have to have the talent as well as being right between the ears. No other athlete has to be built that way to be successful. Until recently LeBron made millions off his talent alone.

[Golfingdad]

This is a silly thread (actually since so many threads boil down to the same arguments, it's clear this is just "The Dan Plan" thread with a different title) but I'll bite anyways.

Absolutely not.  Not sure how you define "natural athlete" but I think by many definitions I might qualify.  But I was also one of those kids whose parents always got the "he's so smart, he just needs to apply himself" types of speeches at every parent-teacher night.  There is no reason to think that just because Butch Harmon was coaching me in golf that I would have been any less lazy or any more focused and dedicated.

I also agree with those above who say that the mental portion of this game is off-the-charts important.

[14ledo81]

Why do so many think that golf is different (easier) than the other major sports to make it to the "pros"??????

Most would not give a person near as much of a chance of starting at age 4 with (insert big name baseball, basketball, football coach here) coaching them.

Why should golf be any different?  Is it because we play the game regularly?  Even though the game we play is not even remotely close to the game the pros play.

[theworldengine]

Why do so many think that golf is different (easier) than the other major sports to make it to the "pros"?????? Most would not give a person near as much of a chance of starting at age 4 with (insert big name baseball, basketball, football coach here) coaching them.  Why should golf be any different?  Is it because we play the game regularly?  Even though the game we play is not even remotely close to the game the pros play.

They think that way because comparitavely few youngsters pursue golf seriously, and fewer physical gifts are required

[colin007]

If Butch were my coach I could have made it, unless I was having personal problems or something like that...;-)

Hey, hey!! That's not nice!

[cipher]

Originally Posted by colin007

Hey, hey!! That's not nice!

LOL, Happy I could not get that zinger by you or David in FL.

[Lihu]

Originally Posted by theworldengine

They think that way because comparitavely few youngsters pursue golf seriously, and fewer physical gifts are required

I guess it's easy for people to think that, because so many of the touring pros look like normal people.

They also forget that it takes more than just the physical gifts, too.

[dbuck]

Probably 100 times better than anyone else, so 100 in a gazillion chance as opposed to 1 in a gazillion chance.

[Lihu]

Originally Posted by dbuck

Probably 100 times better than anyone else, so 100 in a gazillion chance as opposed to 1 in a gazillion chance.

Slightly better than that, but it might as well be that low from a practical standpoint.

Even if some kid has the talent, he/she should have a good backup plan ).

[bplewis24]

I think the perception of a "natural athlete" is over-rated.  There are plenty of naturally, highly athletic people who probably would have never made a decent golf swing.  Randy Moss may have been one of the more gifted athletes of the last 30 years and who knows if he has the coordination specific to the golf swing?  And Charles Barkley was a great athlete.

You could remove the "natural athlete" from the question and I believe the answer would still be the same, incredibly small percentage.  Lots of my friends are former teammates of mine, and are natural athletes, yet most don't have the flexibility to make a decent golf swing.

[RetroJFrancisco]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

I think the perception of a "natural athlete" is over-rated.  There are plenty of naturally, highly athletic people who probably would have never made a decent golf swing.  Randy Moss may have been one of the more gifted athletes of the last 30 years and who knows if he has the coordination specific to the golf swing?  And Charles Barkley was a great athlete.

You could remove the "natural athlete" from the question and I believe the answer would still be the same, incredibly small percentage.  Lots of my friends are former teammates of mine, and are natural athletes, yet most don't have the flexibility to make a decent golf swing.

I agree entirely, and i also think there is a complete opposite to a "natural athlete" dude at my club plays off +2, must weigh 250 and is 5'7 .. Work it out! Complete opposite to a natural athlete, and an international level golfer.. Being an "athlete" is over-rated :P

[MEfree]

Originally Posted by RetroJFrancisco

I agree entirely, and i also think there is a complete opposite to a "natural athlete" dude at my club plays off +2, must weigh 250 and is 5'7 .. Work it out! Complete opposite to a natural athlete, and an international level golfer.. Being an "athlete" is over-rated :P

I'd bet he has better than average hand/eye coordination.  He might not have a good jump shot, but I bet he could have been an 80+% free throw shooter had he worked at it as a kid.

Had Charles Barkley played a lot of golf as a kid, I bet he would be a single digit handicap now...obviously he has some mental issues with the game now, but he might have avoided this had he started earlier and not ended up thinking about things so much.

[Crim]

I would consider myself a natural athlete, every time I've been coached I get praised for how fast I can pick up exactly what's being taught and apply it in pressure situations. However this and Butch Harmon is not enough for me or the majority IMO. Basically, the stars need to align. I think you NEED to have a supportive guardian AND you can't get in with the wrong crowd. I had a supportive father and natural ability that took me really far in baseball....but then I got in with the wrong crowd.

I'm not really ashamed of my choices...I had a great time, I'm a little ashamed that I never got to use my athletic ability to the fullest.

Anyway I'm getting way off track here. I would say yes, there's a possibility I could have been a PGA player if I was coached by Butch since 4. But I may have needed another coach just to keep me out of trouble...