If you had to choose one (just for fun)

[Northwoods88]

Tonight as I was practicing I had this thought and found it kind of interesting. So you have to use your imagination but I am going to present two options to you and you can only choose one.

Option A: you are given a magic pill that allows you to make a living playing on the PGA tour. You make a good living and have all the endorsements and sponsors you could ever dream of. You compete against the tops players in the world on the best courses in the world. You finish your career with top 10 and top 5 finishes but you will never win a tournament. The flip side is you can never play any local golf with your friends or family again.

Option B: You pretty much continue your golf career where you are now, never make it to any professional level. You get to spend your life playing golf in beer leagues with friends and family. You don't make a living from it, no fancy sponsorships or endorsements.

I can go back and forth between both options, I think I finally settled on option B. I don't make a lot of money now so I know I can be happy with out ever being rich. I think spending the time with friends and family means more to me.

So what option would you choose and why?

[JonMA1]

I'm 58, I'll take option A. Friends and family are overrated. 

Seriously, I'm pretty happy playing crappy golf with the prospect of improving a little and playing the game beyond the age of doing much of anything else. That, and I really, really hate airports. I think I'm too much of a homebody to travel for a living.

Definitely, option B. 

 

 

Then again, the money would be nice.

 

 

Of course, I couldn't spend any of it on golf equipment. 

 

 

But there's always fishing....

[MrGolfguy67]

Option A, have you seen the typical PGA Tour wife? Plus i'd be about a 10x better golfer than i am now and i would make my current annual salary in one 50th place finish. Traveling the world and playing the best courses seals the deal.

[billchao]

Poll added. https://thesandtrap.com/how-to/create-a-poll/

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I went with option A. I don't have many friends who I play golf with and with all due respect to any members who I have played with from here, but the financial security for my family is something I can't pass up. I'm sure we can find something else to get together and do 

48 minutes ago, Northwoods88 said:

I think spending the time with friends and family means more to me.

Your options didn't say we can't spend time with friends and family, just that we can't golf with them.

[GrandStranded]

Do you really think these guys are happy? There's more to life then making tons of money, having beautiful women chase you, travel the world in style, all the while playing great golf on great courses. I know I said there's more to life, I just need time to think what else...

Edited September 8, 2018 by GrandStranded

[Northwoods88]

1 minute ago, billchao said:

 

Your options didn't say we can't spend time with friends and family, just that we can't golf with them.

Good point! I still think I have to go with option B, I golf with friends from work a couple times a month. I don't know if I would want to give that up. Also I am an introvert so I don't think I would like the spot light.

[Vinsk]

I'll take the magic pill. I play alone as it is. Smoke show wife, travel the world, golf for a living..who needs to play golf with friends. We'll have plenty other things to do.

3 minutes ago, GrandStranded said:

Do you really think these guys are happy? There's more to life then making tons of money,

Money isn't everything....as long you have enough.

[billchao]

1 minute ago, Northwoods88 said:

Good point! I still think I have to go with option B, I golf with friends from work a couple times a month. I don't know if I would want to give that up.

If you become a tour player, your become friends with tour players. Oh wait, does that mean you won't be able to play with them due to the magic pill, either? Does that mean they have to WD every time I enter a tournament? No wonder I make so many top 10 finishes 

3 minutes ago, Northwoods88 said:

Also I am an introvert so I don't think I would like the spot light.

I'm sure lots of tour golfers are introverts.

[Northwoods88]

I think it would be a lot of stress, remember you never will win a tournament. The thought of always chasing a win and never getting it would drive me nuts.

[GrandStranded]

3 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

I'll take the magic pill. I play alone as it is. Smoke show wife, travel the world, golf for a living..who needs to play golf with friends. We'll have plenty other things to do.

Money isn't everything....as long you have enough.

You had me at "smoke show wife"

[Vinsk]

14 minutes ago, Northwoods88 said:

I think it would be a lot of stress, remember you never will win a tournament. The thought of always chasing a win and never getting it would drive me nuts.

I have plenty of stress now. Chasing a win? Big deal. Better than chasing around shanks all day hoping you don't knock the beer cart girl in the head with a wild shot while she insists on watching your approach.

[Piz]

Trade my life for something else?...No way.  We all get to go around once...that's it.  If there is a cosmic mulligan...then none of this shit makes sense.  Personal history is not a reliable reference for understanding.  It is all we have to go on....but it doesn't make it relevant outside our own experience.  For example: the web sight is trying to sell me a ukulele.

[Patch]

If I could make a living playing golf on a tour some where, I'd take the pill. That said, I wouldn't have minded being a long term caddy for a top 50 player. I would have been good at it. 

My job before retirement vs being a tour player would not have changed my life that much. Maybe a few tweaks here, and there. All my current friends would all still be there for me. I still would have went to the same college. Met, and married my wife the same way most likely.  

[bkuehn1952]

I am content with the life I have lived.  If I were 18 years old, I might have to think about that pill but not now.

[Carl3]

On 9/7/2018 at 9:33 PM, JonMA1 said:

really hate airports

Wheels Up or Netjets is a little different experience 😃

On 9/8/2018 at 12:10 AM, Patch said:

My job before retirement vs being a tour player would not have changed my life that much

What were you before retirement? Jet setting CEO?

[RussUK]

B without a second thought. I have family who turned down the chance to go pro plus a former work colleague who played on the EuroPro and challenge Tours. The latter said being a tour pro is no fun when all you have on your mind is whether you are going to win enough to cover the rent or be able to feed the family. The guy quit during an event and stopped playing competetive golf.

Being good enough to play on tour doesn't mean you are good enough to make a decent living on tour.

[billchao]

7 hours ago, RussUK said:

Being good enough to play on tour doesn't mean you are good enough to make a decent living on tour.

I understand where you're coming from, but that's not exactly the scenario presented in the OP:

On 9/7/2018 at 9:05 PM, Northwoods88 said:

Option A: you are given a magic pill that allows you to make a living playing on the PGA tour. You make a good living and have all the endorsements and sponsors you could ever dream of. You compete against the tops players in the world on the best courses in the world. You finish your career with top 10 and top 5 finishes but you will never win a tournament.

It explicitly states the magic pill will grant you a good living with endorsements as well as top 10 and top 5 finishes. Being good enough to make a decent living is magically guaranteed.

[p1n9183]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 100% sure.

I can still have a beer with my family and friends when I wanted to and make new friends on tour and play with them on practice rounds before the events. 

Plus a lot more money, travel around the world, play the most beautifull and challenging courses. Have a beautiful wife or a lot of beautifull one nigth stands jeje. 

No brainer here.