TURNING PRO/ SCRATCH

[mikep34]

Hi,

(age 22)

Played golf for around 3 years, but only casually for the first 2 years. Taken it seriously for 11months after I received my original handicap of 16, but have been cut to 7 since then. Hitting driver on a good day between 260-300, solid yardages with most of clubs down to gap wedge going around 105/110.

Really looking for a career in golf, whether it be as a club pro or a tour player (aim high!). Am going to give myself 2 years to get my handicap down to scratch/ +'s. How realistic would that be? And does anyone have any tips towards going down this road?

and what would peoples advice be in my practicing any drills and any focus areas towards achieving this goal?

cheers

[mvmac]

Good thread on practice

http://thesandtrap.com/t/58816/65-25-10-practice-ratios-where-to-devote-your-practice-time

Other than that I have no idea what your issues might be, so it's tough to say what you need to work on.  If you want to learn more about the swing, check this out http://thesandtrap.com/f/4088/swing-thoughts

If you're looking for a capable instructor, then it would be good to ask him these questions http://thesandtrap.com/b/playing_tips/the_instructor_quiz_nine_questions_youve_gotta_ask

[BirdieNumNums]

Work on putting. I accept Paypal.

[Mulligan Jeff]

Tune your game from 100 yards and in and tune that part between your ears. Precise short game, become mentally tough and good luck.

[peela1027]

The only way to get good is to go play guys for some money and play in tournaments. Tournament golf is a totally different animal. Golf is all about how to handle pressure and have a swing that will stand under pressure.

[WUTiger]

To succeed on the pro tour, you need:

1. A solidly productive golf swing.
2. Financial backing.

As a former caddie, I've seen (in the 1970s, at least) several people who had 1, but not 2.

[turtleback]

Hi,

(age 22)

Played golf for around 3 years, but only casually for the first 2 years. Taken it seriously for 11months after I received my original handicap of 16, but have been cut to 7 since then. Hitting driver on a good day between 260-300, solid yardages with most of clubs down to gap wedge going around 105/110.

Really looking for a career in golf, whether it be as a club pro or a tour player (aim high!). Am going to give myself 2 years to get my handicap down to scratch/ +'s. How realistic would that be? And does anyone have any tips towards going down this road?

and what would peoples advice be in my practicing any drills and any focus areas towards achieving this goal?

cheers

Obviously it is a huge difference between club pro level ability and touring pro.  Due respect, but the odds of a 22 year old 7 getting good enough to be a touring pro are vanishingly small.  Not impossible, but not something you want to build a life plan around.

The club pro is more possible, but somewhere along the line you will not only have to improve your game you will have to learn the golf swing (being able to play doesn't necessarily tell us whether you are a swing expert or you know diddly about the swing - either way, stick around here and you will learn a lot about the swing), how to teach, and unless you are going to be a virtually full time instructor, how to run a pro shop and market your products, your services, and your course.  And then you should reflect that a common plight I have heard from club pros and their assistants is that they do not have much time for playing golf.  You are focused on golf and its playing, but that is really not how club pros spend most of their days.  If that is OK for you then great.  But if you are expecting something else, you might want to give it more thought.

IAC, good luck.

[colin007]

Due respect, but the odds of a 22 year old 7 getting good enough to be a touring pro are vanishingly small.  Not impossible, but not something you want to build a life plan around.

Actually I'm going to go ahead and say it's impossible. Not mathematically speaking, but in practical terms, yeah, it's impossible.

[billchao]

Obviously it is a huge difference between club pro level ability and touring pro.  Due respect, but the odds of a 22 year old 7 getting good enough to be a touring pro are vanishingly small.  Not impossible, but not something you want to build a life plan around. The club pro is more possible, but somewhere along the line you will not only have to improve your game you will have to learn the golf swing (being able to play doesn't necessarily tell us whether you are a swing expert or you know diddly about the swing - either way, stick around here and you will learn a lot about the swing), how to teach, and unless you are going to be a virtually full time instructor, how to run a pro shop and market your products, your services, and your course.  And then you should reflect that a common plight I have heard from club pros and their assistants is that they do not have much time for playing golf.  You are focused on golf and its playing, but that is really not how club pros spend most of their days.  If that is OK for you then great.  But if you are expecting something else, you might want to give it more thought. IAC, good luck.

Great advice, Rich, but somebody dug this old thread up. The OP hasn't logged on since 11/2013...:-)

[turtleback]

Great advice, Rich, but somebody dug this old thread up. The OP hasn't logged on since 11/2013...

Ah, I didn't see that.

Well maybe our 16 year old 8 handicap guy will read it.  And if not, don't worry, another wannabe will come along any minute now to read it.

[RandallT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by billchao

Great advice, Rich, but somebody dug this old thread up. The OP hasn't logged on since 11/2013...

Ah, I didn't see that.

Well maybe our 16 year old 8 handicap guy will read it.  And if not, don't worry, another wannabe will come along any minute now to read it.

I think that was my fault. I responded to a recent aspiring pro with this --> http://thesandtrap.com/t/79126/want-to-try-to-turn-pro#post_1093301

I hoped he would read the nice easy links I provided to all the previous threads I could find about other young guys wanting to turn pro. I think people took some trips down memory lane, reviewing those threads, and some came back alive because some couldn't resist commenting on those dead threads.  All in all, it was entertaining to revisit these old ones though.  I think there were nearly 20 of them, all over maybe 7 years or so?  They're nearly identical, but funny every time.