Looking To Pursue Golf Career

[freshmanUTA]

I volunteered to teach a children's golf clinic, and after showing up and being given the curriculum I would be teaching the kids I realized that teaching the game of golf made me truly happy and seeing the smiles on some kids faces and their joy in being able to hit a ball properly made me feel so proud of myself. I volunteered for 2 more clinics and had the same feeling. I've put a lot of thought into it and I think I would like to pursue a career in being a Golf Professional. 

There are many ways I could go about doing this, and I've ultimately found 5 ways I would be able to get started on this. Obviously there's the PGA Apprentice Program which I would need to take qualifying tests for and then pass the PAT. The problem is, in my current state as a golfer I wouldn't pass the PAT. This makes me interested in the likes of GAA and PGCC which I've read extremely mixed reviews for but the positive would be Id be taking classes and working on my golf game as opposed to having to work on my game before taking the PAT. The fourth option would be Keiser University, which has no minimum handicap and would allow me to take classes while working on my golf game. The fifth option would be a PGM Accredited program which requires a handicap of 12 to enter which at the moment I will not pass as my most recent rounds have been in the 90s. 

I know I'm realistically just a 'hack', but the joy I felt in teaching was unlike anything I've ever felt. I've thought for a while and I know that a career of teaching people to be better would be what I want. 

If you guys have any input I would love to hear what you guys think I should do.

[David in FL]

Crud.  I'm likely to get beat up for this, but tough love time....

If you're struggling to break 90, you're not good enough yet to teach the game.  Get better first.  Learn to play at least moderately well before you try to teach, let alone charge to teach others.  There's a reason why there are playing aptitude standards before programs will consider accrediting someone to teach others.  You have no credibility otherwise.

Alternatively, you might consider academic teaching as a career option that could give you the same sense of accomplishment and "joy" that you found working with the kids.  As an added benefit, you'd have summers off to play golf!  

 

 

[freshmanUTA]

5 minutes ago, David in FL said:

Crud.  I'm likely to get beat up for this, but tough love time....

If you're struggling to break 90, you're not good enough yet to teach the game.  Get better first.  Learn to play at least moderately well before you try to teach, let alone charge to teach others.  There's a reason why there are playing aptitude standards before programs will consider accrediting someone to teach others.  You have no credibility otherwise.

Alternatively, you might consider academic teaching as a career option that could give you the same sense of accomplishment and "joy" that you found working with the kids.  

 

 

Yeah this is kinda what I was expecting. I guess my main question was more of "Where should I start?" I've broken 80 before, heck I shot 76 in my last tournament in high school but after graduating and spending more time working and going to school, I've progressively gotten worse. No excuses for my play, but more of a belief in my ability to shoot good scores eventually.

[SavvySwede]

2 minutes ago, freshmanUTA said:

Yeah this is kinda what I was expecting. I guess my main question was more of "Where should I start?" I've broken 80 before, heck I shot 76 in my last tournament in high school but after graduating and spending more time working and going to school, I've progressively gotten worse. No excuses for my play, but more of a belief in my ability to shoot good scores eventually.

Just work on your game first. You can't start on the PGA path with the expectation that the scores will come down eventually. Your time for practice will only go down the deeper you get into the industry.

[dennyjones]

Ferris State University in Michigan has a great golf program but you have to be at least a 7 hdcp to get into the program I believe.

[sirsteveo55]

I don't know much about becoming a golf pro or what route you should take. What I do know is that you are very early on in your teaching career and the more you learn the better you will get. I don't believe you have to shoot in the 70s to be a good golf teacher.  If you understand the details and use proper modern technology and can make players better that is all that matters. If your handicap is 0 but you can't make players better then no one will continue with their lessons. If it's 20 and you can make players better they will continue to pay you for lessons. A lower handicap will give you more credibility and can get you that initial lesson but as I said if you don't make them better they will stop coming. All in all if you love it and it's a real passion I would pursue it now because life is short. Hopefully you have a passion for the game, and that passion can be passed on. I wish you good luck!

[freshmanUTA]

I think I'm going to work on my golf game a lot this semester and strive for the 12hcp required to get into the PGM program in one of the universities. That would allow me to enter into a true PGM program the proper way, and that's how I can start this career path.

[Buckeyebowman]

I'm reminded of a TV telecast I saw featuring Tiger Woods and Butch Harmon. Tiger was kind of "needling" Harmon because Harmon didn't want him "crossing the line" at the top. Yet, Harmon couldn't make a backswing without doing so! So, Tiger needled him about it.

Just because you can't do it, doesn't mean you can't spot it, and correct it!

And it's not like you're going to start out coaching Dustin Johnson and Adam Scott! You will be coaching kids and adult amateurs. As Shawn Foley said, "There's nothing like facing 30 different students a day on your practice tee to teach you how to instruct golf!"

You're a young man. If that's what floats your boat, go for it. I made a career change much later in life that turned out to be the best thing I ever did!

[WUTiger]

1 hour ago, SavvySwede said:

Just work on your game first. You can't start on the PGA path with the expectation that the scores will come down eventually. Your time for practice will only go down the deeper you get into the industry.

Be sure to check out colleges that offer one of the 19  Professional Golf Management programs. You earn a business degree with a PGA-related curriculum, and get to work on your game.

Business skills combined with developing teaching ability make these grads attractive to the golf industry.

[Lihu]

1 hour ago, freshmanUTA said:

I think I'm going to work on my golf game a lot this semester and strive for the 12hcp required to get into the PGM program in one of the universities. That would allow me to enter into a true PGM program the proper way, and that's how I can start this career path.

If you're a good ball striker and a 12 handicap, that might be more useful than being an 8 handicap who can consistently roll balls in for par saves.

So, becoming a better golf swinger first is possibly more important than becoming a good golfer? Later on as you improve your scoring aspects you would likely improve your handicap to the point where you can even pass the PAT?

[freshmanUTA]

Just now, Lihu said:

If you're a good ball striker and a 12 handicap, that might be more useful than being an 8 handicap who can consistently roll balls in for par saves.

So, becoming a better golf swinger first is possibly more important than becoming a good golfer? Later on as you improve your scoring aspects you would likely improve your handicap to the point where you can pass the PAT?

Yeah. A 12 handicap would allow me to get into a PGM Program and from there I'd be able to work on my game while I study, so I think if I can get the feel for golf again and spend some good time on the range improving my ballstriking, I think that I'd be able to score well enough to get in.

[dennyjones]

Remember Sparky Anderson, arguably one of the best baseball managers?   He wasn't much of a player but knew people, knew the game and how to get the most of each player.

You never know.