The Masters low amateur is a study of an urban golfer

[nevets88]

Live in the concrete jungle, practice indoors in a simulator late hours, trek out to the burbs on the weekends, wait out the winter, oh and get low am honors in the Masters. But wisely, in terms of golf, he's moving to sunny California. I'm familiar with this except for the Masters and sunny California bits.

Quote

During the day, Hagestad helped put valuations on commercial properties. Most weeknights, Hagestad would head to Golf & Body NYC, a specialized golf gym in an office building off Herald Square. The gym, which has just under 200 members, charges a $10,000 initiation fee and $7,500 in annual dues.

He spent hours there, trainers at the club said—a routine in the weight room, putting on a turf green, practicing drives in a simulator—sometimes closing the club on weeknights at 10pm. One Saturday morning, Bradley Borne, the club’s director of sports medicine, arrived to find Stewart sitting behind the golf desk, “like he worked there,” Borne said.

For weekends when the weather was warm, Hagestad joined Deepdale Golf Club in Manhasset, N.Y., just east of the city.

“It’s not exactly the sexiest thing as a 25-year-old living in New York City, but it’s genuinely what I loved to do,” he said. “I didn’t go to a lot of cocktail brunches.”

http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2017/4/13/wsj-low-amateur-at-the-masters-lines-up-his-next-shot-busine.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

[Kalnoky]

I was watching that guy. He's some kind of analyst on Wall Street? I imagine that pays well.. He must think he has a real shot at golf. I know a guy on the web.com tour and they don't make much..

The last time I was in Manhattan I noticed people walking around carrying a few clubs in a little sling, and I thought how spoiled I am here in Oregon. Aside from the horrible record setting monsoon rain this year, I get to play whenever I want for relatively inexpensive. I don't even have to make tee times.

With that being said, I am a native of Los Angeles and if I had to choose between the two cities (money being no object) I much prefer New York City. Golf is not everything in life. 

Edited April 13, 2017 by Kalnoky

[nevets88]

46 minutes ago, Kalnoky said:

I was watching that guy. He's some kind of analyst on Wall Street? I imagine that pays well.. He must think he has a real shot at golf. I know a guy on the web.com tour and they don't make much..

The last time I was in Manhattan I noticed people walking around carrying a few clubs in a little sling, and I thought how spoiled I am here in Oregon. Aside from the horrible record setting monsoon rain this year, I get to play whenever I want for relatively inexpensive. I don't even have to make tee times.

With that being said, I am a native of Los Angeles and if I had to choose between the two cities (money being no object) I much prefer New York City. Golf is not everything in life. 

He does commercial property valuations and IIRC, piece said he lived at home. Moving to California, not having to pay almost 20K/year for indoor simulator golf and whatever Deepdale CC costs, a pretty penny, anymore, all that will probably go to a place a live, car and tuition.

LPGA's Anna Rawson went to CBS, guess being a pro golfer helped with getting in as will low am at Masters help Hagestad get into a good b-school.

[krupa]

The guy in the far right of the picture looks like he's practicing his dance moves.

The story reminds me of a guy who learned to fly a Cessna with Microsoft Flight Simulator and then the first time he got in a real one took off, circled the field, and landed without help from an instructor (who was sitting next to him in case he needed help.)

[Wally Fairway]

55 minutes ago, Kalnoky said:

 Golf is not everything in life. 

Wait a minute, are you sure about that?

[kpaulhus]

I was in awe of his play during The Masters. I tried to qualify for the US Mid Am last August. The talent I saw at my local qualifier was pretty incredible. Nobody from my state advanced to the Matchplay rounds. To think that Stewart went that far and beat that many great golfers, then was Low Am at Augusta really putts it into perspective how damn good you have to be to make it on tour. 

I have a club in my hands every day, play 150+ rounds a year. Practice like a mad man and this guy would still smoke me. To say making it on tour is hard....most people really have no clue how hard it is.

[grubby98]

Didn't Matt Kucher try to stay an AM and do banking, gave up the banking because he didn't have enough time to truly practice?

[skydog]

Being a tour pro for the "average" pro is a tough life. I think this guy probably has the talent to rack up some $$ on tour, but if not and you've got the education/desire to succeed in business, I don't blame him for just wanting to stay an amateur.

[Chilli Dipper]

The Hagestad story really demonstrates what's at stake for Maverick McNealy, the top amateur golfer of the moment and son of a tech billionaire, who still doesn't know if he wants to turn pro or follow his father's footsteps. My opinion has been that McNealy should turn pro, because the door for a career in business will still be open for him if he decides the life of a tour pro isn't for him.

In Hagestad's case, he certainly looked like someone who could play golf for a living at the Masters, but he'd be crazy to walk away from his career to pursue it, even though he's only in his mid-20s.

[David in FL]

He's a financial analyst and does property valuations, but he's moving to California?!

Huh....  

[Yukari]

Isn't he in the same class as Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas? I thought they said he played with those guys in college. 

[jamo]

On 4/14/2017 at 7:59 PM, David in FL said:

He's a financial analyst and does property valuations, but he's moving to California?!

Huh....  

Out of curiosity, could you explain this one? I don't get it. 

[David in FL]

2 minutes ago, jamo said:

Out of curiosity, could you explain this one? I don't get it. 

Tongue in cheek.  One of the most expensive, volatile real estate markets in the country.  Coupled with some of the most confiscatory taxes in the country.

I'd hope he'd be more financially astute than that.  

[NCGolfer]

I've met and watched the guy he beat at the Mid-Am (Scott Harvey) hit balls.  He's the best amateur golfer I've ever seen in person.  Crazy how good some of these guys are that are not playing for money every week.

[nevets88]

I specifically remember The Dan Plan complaining about having to hit off mats when practicing. Here's a guy who hit off mats, indoors, and he was the best amateur in the Masters.

[jamo]

4 hours ago, David in FL said:

Tongue in cheek.  One of the most expensive, volatile real estate markets in the country.  Coupled with some of the most confiscatory taxes in the country.

I'd hope he'd be more financially astute than that.  

[Buckeyebowman]

4 hours ago, David in FL said:

Tongue in cheek.  One of the most expensive, volatile real estate markets in the country.  Coupled with some of the most confiscatory taxes in the country.

I'd hope he'd be more financially astute than that.  

Maybe that's why whoever hired him wanted him there! New York isn't exactly light on taxes either!

[boogielicious]

16 hours ago, David in FL said:

Tongue in cheek.  One of the most expensive, volatile real estate markets in the country.  Coupled with some of the most confiscatory taxes in the country.

I'd hope he'd be more financially astute than that.  

"volatile" is only bad for those that make mistakes. Volatile is good for everyone else involved in the transactions. There is a lot of money to be made in place were people want to live an work, which translates to lots of transactions. It would be worse to move to a place where there isn't a lot of movement, a stagnant market. I'm sure he has been counseled on this.