Pro handicap

[augafan48]

what koind of handicap should you get to before even considering going pro. I know that Tiger, on all the tough courses he plays, has about a +7, but anyone have any ideas?

[lamebums]

what koind of handicap should you get to before even considering going pro. I know that Tiger, on all the tough courses he plays, has about a +7, but anyone have any ideas?

I'd say +3 or better, but that's me. Thing is, most tour pros aren't that far apart in handicap, if you think about it, and consider most scores are over four days (+5 versus say, +5.5 would yield a margin of two strokes). If I get anywhere close to scratch I'll be trying my luck at local tours and stuff, though. Always the outside chance of being on my A game and pulling a victory out of nowhere.

[Shindig]

what koind of handicap should you get to before even considering going pro. I know that Tiger, on all the tough courses he plays, has about a +7, but anyone have any ideas?

You need something like a 2 before being able to attempt Monday qualifying or Q-School. You have to be much better than that to have a real chance of success.

[FIJIGolf23]

http://thesandtrap.com/columns/the_n...es_of_the_pros

According to that article, Tiger is actually a +8.x handicap.

lamebums is right. Usually something in the +3.x handicap region to have some success and make some money.

[TourSpoon]

I would go with a +3 from the tips (playing on set-ups of 7,000 yards or better).

[ram22592]

You have to remember that these guys on tour are playing courses with ratings of 75.2 or even 77 at times, and they still shoot under par on those very difficult courses, which would (if you averaged this) make them about +7 or so. So, I would say that you would have to be able to play the toughest and longest courses in your area averaging under par to think about going pro or becoming competitive on tour.

[TourSpoon]

You have to remember that these guys on tour are playing courses with ratings of 75.2 or even 77 at times, and they still shoot under par on those very difficult courses, which would (if you averaged this) make them about +7 or so. So, I would say that you would have to be able to play the toughest and longest courses in your area averaging under par to think about going pro or becoming competitive on tour.

Being competitive on tour would be another 2 at least making my estimate a +5 or better. They are playing a different game...

[JonnyGolf]

I actually don't think handicap has anything to do with going pro. Here's when I think you need to think about going pro:

1) You can beat the best local players in money games. Check with your club pro and find out when they play the no handicap games.

2) When every person you play with says that you're the best player they've ever played with and ask you when you're turning pro.

3) You start winning amateur tournaments regularly. Shooting low scores and winning tournaments are completely different.

[TourSpoon]

3) You start winning amateur tournaments regularly. Shooting low scores and winning tournaments are completely different.

True, but you need low scores to win tournaments. I think JonnyGolf makes a good point about the am tournies. All the guys on tour played somewhere before the tour. Mark Calcavecchia is from my town and he was a great high school golfer, played college golf at UF, and he won a lot of local amatuer tournaments in Florida. I am sure he was in the plus handicap numbers when he decided he had what it took to play professionally.

[Jeepthrills]

I actually don't think handicap has anything to do with going pro. Here's when I think you need to think about going pro:

I think this one should be number one. The real key is regularly. Not necessarily winning every time out, but contending. Look at Colt Knost. He had about as good a year as an amateur could have and still didn't get his card. In fact, I don't think he even earned full status on the Nationwide Tour.

I just think too often people take for granted how good these guys really are. I also don't think a lot of people, not necessarily here, give the LPGA players the respect they should. Those ladies can flat out play.

[DaveLeeNC]

As another data point, Darron Stiles maintains a handicap at my club. He was exempt on the PGA Tour for 2007 (one of those lower level exemptions where you don't get your choice of tournament entries). He ended up winning a little over $200K. And since he didn't place well in Q school in 2007 I assume that he'll be playing the Nationwide in 2008.

Just for grins I glance at his handicap occasionally. It typically bounces around in the 4-6 range. They are all "T" scores, BTW.

dave

[michaeljames92]

my 2nd cousin is about 23 and plays at the western australia golf club. he currently plays off scratch and had a go at qualifying for the asian tour. unfortunately he missed out by 1 shot. basically he is going back to the drawing board and has to get a job and that is almost his chance at getting into a tour circuit.

on a completely different subject: i heard rory mcilroy plays of +6 at his home course.

[ram22592]

I live in South Carolina, the state Tommy Gainey is from, and I have the ability to look up his handicap through my clubs online handicap program. I just searched for it, and found it. It's only a +2.4, but the course has a rating of just 68.9. So, he doesn't get much for shooting a really low score at that course. For example: he shot 63 on June 29, 2007, which only put +5.6 towards his handicap. It's a par 72 and it plays to 6,900+ yds. I was also suprised to see that he shot an 89 on September 10, 2007! I sure hope he won't blow up like that on tour. Other than that though, most of his scores are in the mid-high 60's with some low seventies sprinkled in.

[3Putt]

I don't think it should be based on handicap.

If you're dominating the local amateur scene then try satellite pro events. If you're successful then keep climbing the ladder.

[neudi]

I always thought that +3.5 was the lowest handicap you could have on the computer system. Am I just drunk or flat out wrong lol... I'm not drunk right now by the way.

[DaveLeeNC]

I always thought that +3.5 was the lowest handicap you could have on the computer system. Am I just drunk or flat out wrong lol... I'm not drunk right now by the way.

There is a 'maximum handicap' for me of 36.4, but that is in the other direction. At a glance I did not see any limitations for plus handicaps in the USGA Handicap Manual - and you certainly can continue the calculations well past +3.4. Our computer system definitely will allow indexes in the plus 6 range.

dave

[neudi]

There is a 'maximum handicap' for me of 36.4, but that is in the other direction. At a glance I did not see any limitations for plus handicaps in the USGA Handicap Manual - and you certainly can continue the calculations well past +3.4. Our computer system definitely will allow indexes in the plus 6 range.

HMmm.. Thanks for the info

[Bluenoser67]

What you need to turn Pro.

1/ A god given talent.

2/ The good fortune to be born to money.

And thats it.

The boys that make it aren't from the hood. It costs a tonne of money to dedicate your life to golf. And even with god given talent thats what you have to do to make the tour.