PGA Level 3 Done… Membership Next

[Bucki1968]

Jeeze...when I did it (25 years ago), you went to business 1, business 2, took playing test and were done. I’m sure this is something of a money maker for the pga?

[davechen]

Congrats!

And now you can qualify to play in the PGA Championship, right?

[iacas]

8 minutes ago, davechen said:

Congrats!

And now you can qualify to play in the PGA Championship, right?

I suppose. But that ain’t happenin’.

[PeterB]

Super. Congrats! Best of luck with the remaining journey 

[lastings]

On 6/18/2018 at 6:32 PM, iacas said:

 

Why did it take me so long?

Though I appreciate that the PGA trains you in all facets of a golf operation, I sometimes found it difficult to work up the motivation to complete a work-study portion on Food & Beverage or Golf Car Fleet Management when I don't believe I'll ever want to do those things. I want to be an instructor, a teacher, a coach, and I've devoted ALL of my energy to that. I don't want to be a head pro, or a general manager.

 

While I certainly understand your point of view here, I think I understand where the PGA is coming from as well.  While you see yourself as a instructor for life, those things can change for people.   People can change, motivations can change, or certain opportunities arise.   The PGA wants to make sure all of it's members are well equipped to handle those situations and manage those things up to PGA standards.      

Not to say that this will happen, but you could turn 55 and be burned out of the teaching grind, but still want to remain in the golf industry.   then, by coincidence, some connection you've made along the way recommends you as the head pro position at Winged Foot is opening up.   While you may have never had aspirations of being a head pro or GM, a combination of changing motivations and unexpected opportunity has thrust you into the position.   Fortunately, the PGA prepared you for this.   

As someone who went to school for journalism and put myself on that track from the moment I started college, then got to the real world and found that I was better suited for business, I found myself pretty happy that my first two years I was in college they forced you to be well-rounded and forced me to log quite a few business courses.   It ended up making the burden considerably smaller when I went back and added an accounting degree. 

 

Also, Congratulations!

 

 

Edited July 9, 2018 by lastings

[iacas]

2 hours ago, lastings said:

While I certainly understand your point of view here, I think I understand where the PGA is coming from as well.  While you see yourself as a instructor for life, those things can change for people.

Then you can go back and get more education. They (were creating) "jack of all trades master of none" types.

The PGM 3.0 program changing these things indicates to me that they agreed somewhat.

2 hours ago, lastings said:

Not to say that this will happen, but you could turn 55 and be burned out of the teaching grind, but still want to remain in the golf industry.   then, by coincidence, some connection you've made along the way recommends you as the head pro position at Winged Foot is opening up.

I doubt that the shit I learned 20 years ago would not apply or be relevant or even be anything I remember at that point.

2 hours ago, lastings said:

Fortunately, the PGA prepared you for this.

Not really. They didn't really prepare me for anything.

I know what you're saying… but I don't think you understand how pointless the classes are.

[lastings]

59 minutes ago, iacas said:

Then you can go back and get more education. They (were creating) "jack of all trades master of none" types.

The PGM 3.0 program changing these things indicates to me that they agreed somewhat.

I doubt that the shit I learned 20 years ago would not apply or be relevant or even be anything I remember at that point.

Not really. They didn't really prepare me for anything.

I know what you're saying… but I don't think you understand how pointless the classes are.

All fair points, and you know better than I as you have the experience.   

[Aguirre]

Great job. Must feel rewarding.

[iacas]

39 minutes ago, Aguirre said:

Great job. Must feel rewarding.

It feels good to be done.

[Vinsk]

2 hours ago, iacas said:

It feels good to be done.

I bet it does! I certainly felt this way once medical school then residency ended. Residency was very much on point and necessary. However I'd say about 65-75% of medical school was useless knowledge and just academical torture. Congrats Erik!

[Moxley]

Congratulations, I'm amazed that it took 8 years, but I guess good things are worth waiting for. 

Out of Interest, how much did your golf improve once you were working on it full time?

[paperclip]

On 7/9/2018 at 1:38 AM, turtleback said:

Wow, I had no idea.  What a great perk!!!

Congratulations!  And you can play in the PGA Championship too?

[iacas]

3 hours ago, Moxley said:

Congratulations, I'm amazed that it took 8 years, but I guess good things are worth waiting for. 

Out of Interest, how much did your golf improve once you were working on it full time?

I've known people that can do it in 24 months. They require 36 credits of work, but count a four-year college degree as 12, so 24 months = 24 more credits.

I work on my game less now than I ever have. If you want to play a lot of golf, don't get a job in the golf industry.

1 hour ago, paperclip said:

Congratulations!  And you can play in the PGA Championship too?

Yes, but since you're the third person to mention it… it's not gonna happen.  I'd have to not only finish high enough in our section PGA championship, but I'd have to finish top 20 nationally out of about 340 players. The first might happen some day (not this year). The second… no.

[paperclip]

7 hours ago, iacas said:

Yes, but since you're the third person to mention it… it's not gonna happen.  I'd have to not only finish high enough in our section PGA championship, but I'd have to finish top 20 nationally out of about 340 players. The first might happen some day (not this year). The second… no.

Hey, this is a funny game, you never know what's possible until you try 🙂

 

[Shindig]

1 hour ago, paperclip said:

Hey, this is a funny game, you never know what's possible until you try 🙂

Sure, but I think a lot of the 20 players who make it to the PGA Championship don't do much other than work on their own games.  I haven't checked, but I bet they're mostly from that point in the Coyne Hierarchy where they're attached to a club because the members like seeing their name in the press or something.  They're probably not fixing Aunt Betsy's slice or running junior golf camps or selling drivers.  And most of those 20 don't make the cut at the main event anyway.  A +2 handicap is spotting the worst of the participants in the PGA Championship something like three shots in an average round on one of those courses. 

[paperclip]

7 hours ago, Shindig said:

Sure, but I think a lot of the 20 players who make it to the PGA Championship don't do much other than work on their own games.  I haven't checked, but I bet they're mostly from that point in the Coyne Hierarchy where they're attached to a club because the members like seeing their name in the press or something.  They're probably not fixing Aunt Betsy's slice or running junior golf camps or selling drivers.  And most of those 20 don't make the cut at the main event anyway.  A +2 handicap is spotting the worst of the participants in the PGA Championship something like three shots in an average round on one of those courses. 

Maybe touring pros should not be allowed to play in the PGA Championship?  But isn't there another one for club pros only?

[iacas]

1 minute ago, paperclip said:

Maybe touring pros should not be allowed to play in the PGA Championship?  But isn't there another one for club pros only?

That's the one that has 320 people in it, where the top 20 make the PGA Championship.

[paperclip]

Ah ok