Becoming a PGA professional after 50

[ev780]

Seems like PGA membership and training programs are all geared to the youngsters.  Is it doable later in life?  I know the process, PAT then schooling then apprenticeship, but that is only part of the story.  Anybody done it as a second career?  Care to share your experiences?

[WUTiger]

I know several people who have done this.

I've met former High School coaches - here and in Oklahoma - who started working on their PGA card as they approached retirement. They had coached golf and other sports, and during summers had helped with parks and recreation youth golf programs.

The local one runs the women's and children's golf clinics for my club, and developmental summer leagues for HS and college players. Also, being that he's in his 60s, he has lots of senior men as students. He can help them adjust their swings when the body parts start to falter. And, he breaks 80 on occasion.

I know two people from another interesting group - former South Korean Army officers who migrated to the USA and opened karate dojos. Both started playing golf, and became pretty good at it. Anyway, as they got into their 40s, they realized that their sensei days were beating up their bodies. So, both got their PGA cards and became teaching pros. One teaches in Lawton, OK.

The other one was local, but tragically died about three years ago in an auto accident while visiting his native South Korea. I had played with him in a golf scramble about a month before he turned pro, and on one hole he sank a 5-hybrid from the fairway for an eagle!

[Patch]

50, like par is just a number. As long as the instruction works, age doesn't matter, nor should it. 

[Dave2512]

I know a few. The new asst pro at my parents club is a mid 50's noob. He went down to Phx for the management classes etc. 

[SavvySwede]

6 hours ago, ev780 said:

Seems like PGA membership and training programs are all geared to the youngsters.  Is it doable later in life?  I know the process, PAT then schooling then apprenticeship, but that is only part of the story.  Anybody done it as a second career?  Care to share your experiences?

From everything I've read here the PGA Program doesn't actually do much to prepare pros to be instructors, just brand recognition really.  You might want to look into other forms of instructor certification/classes to get a foothold in the business.

[Lihu]

7 hours ago, ev780 said:

Seems like PGA membership and training programs are all geared to the youngsters.  Is it doable later in life?  I know the process, PAT then schooling then apprenticeship, but that is only part of the story.  Anybody done it as a second career?  Care to share your experiences?

This does not seem trivial for a mid-capper? https://www.pga.org/articles/playing-ability-test-pat

I think they want a 36 hole score to be 15 over the CR times 2. That's 7.5 strokes over the CR per round.

[Martyn W]

15 hours ago, ev780 said:

Seems like PGA membership and training programs are all geared to the youngsters.  Is it doable later in life?  I know the process, PAT then schooling then apprenticeship, but that is only part of the story.  Anybody done it as a second career?  Care to share your experiences?

I am a 35 year PGA member and have been an instructor at Golf Academy of America for 13 years. We have had many (over 100) second career students go on to become PGA members so yes, it is very do-able. The education you get at GAA is geared towards PGA membership and you will be well prepared to get through the levels required for membership upon graduation. As far as getting a job, we have a 90% placement rate.

Feel free to message me if I can help.

[Dave325]

15 hours ago, ev780 said:

Seems like PGA membership and training programs are all geared to the youngsters.  Is it doable later in life?  I know the process, PAT then schooling then apprenticeship, but that is only part of the story.  Anybody done it as a second career?  Care to share your experiences?

I don't know much on this, but it seems that there a few path that one might take here depending what you want to do....  Touring pro, golf course management or resident pro or instruction. 

If you are looking at the instruction path, you might want to check out the 5sk.com website. There is a link on the page about becoming and instructor, where you fill out your contact info. The site is of course, Erik's and Dave's site.... So maybe they might want to chime in here about the path that one would have to take to become an instructor with 5SK.

[DaveP043]

I think it depends on what part of PGA Professional life is attracting you.  As others have said, you can become an instructor without being in the PGA, and PGA qualifications won't necessarily make you a good instructor.  However, instruction is only a small part of what PGA members do.  For the head pro at our course, he's a merchandiser, stocking and selling golf clothing and equipment.  He markets, books and runs outings.  He runs club tournaments.  He's financially responsible for golf operations in general.  Obviously he has help, two assistants, and usually a couple of "store clerk/bag boy" types in the busy seasons.  Our best head pros have all been graduates of a 4-year college program in golf management, and have spent time as relatively low-paid and overworked assistant pros.  For those who really want it, all the build-up to being a head pro is worth it, but its a long road at little or no pay to get there, but it may not be the path for someone getting to the second-career stage of his life.

[inthehole]

I keep telling my wife its our retirement plan ... peaking at 11 hcp, don't think I could quite take Langer or Freddie yet tho

[ev780]

On 1/10/2016 at 11:28 PM, Lihu said:

This does not seem trivial for a mid-capper? https://www.pga.org/articles/playing-ability-test-pat

I think they want a 36 hole score to be 15 over the CR times 2. That's 7.5 strokes over the CR per round.

Certainly my game is not there.  And actually regressing a bit.   GRRRRRRRRR!!

Anyway, thanks for the replies everyone.  I am not sure teaching is my thing I am more of a business guy, but who knows.  

I hope this thread gets a life as I think this would be interesting fodder.  

[phillyk]

47 minutes ago, ev780 said:

Certainly my game is not there.  And actually regressing a bit.   GRRRRRRRRR!!

Anyway, thanks for the replies everyone.  I am not sure teaching is my thing I am more of a business guy, but who knows.  

I hope this thread gets a life as I think this would be interesting fodder.  

Well, you also don't have to be a PGA to be a head pro and run golf operations.  You can try and build up reputation by working in the industry for a long time.  Although most courses highly prefer PGA vs non-PGA for running the shop, I did know some managers at Chicago city golf courses that are not PGA.

I do want to mention that since I joined the PGA program in June 2015, I've noticed more and more that the PGA isn't just a name or group of letters after your name, it's a nation-wide community of people that all love golf and want to continuously build the game.  It's great to have joined.

Edited January 11, 2016 by phillyk

[ev780]

18 hours ago, phillyk said:

Well, you also don't have to be a PGA to be a head pro and run golf operations.  You can try and build up reputation by working in the industry for a long time.  Although most courses highly prefer PGA vs non-PGA for running the shop, I did know some managers at Chicago city golf courses that are not PGA.

I do want to mention that since I joined the PGA program in June 2015, I've noticed more and more that the PGA isn't just a name or group of letters after your name, it's a nation-wide community of people that all love golf and want to continuously build the game.  It's great to have joined.

Yeah I don't see much benefit to NOT being PGA.  Long complicated road with very limited upside.