snapfade

I speak German and Korean (lived in Korea for 6 years so you kind of have to learn), a wee bit of Spanish and Tagalog. Now my wife is another story, She was born in Portugal grew up in Spain, went to HS in Germany so she speaks Portuguese(Spanish), French, German, Italian. She can chew me out in so many different languages I don't stand a chance.

It used to be the head pro was the man to beat but not so much anymore. They have had to "relax" standards a little to bring more prospective applicants into the business. You don't have to take Business 1 and 2 anymore. You get a little of it in Level 1 and a lot of you are in a college level PGM course. It still is by no means a handout but a little easier than 20 years ago. There was an article somewhere not to long ago about the dying age of the local club pro. It kind of hit on this subject. Salary info http://swz.salary.com/salarywizard/layouthtmls/swzl_compresult_national_HS08000238.html link should work now

http://pgajobfinder.pgalinks.com/helpwanted/empcenter/pgaandyou/pro.cfm?ctc=1678 Break down 1. Register as an apprentice. You must be working in an appropriate position at a golf course or driving range. See the link on website to view the positions 2. Take the online pre-qualifying courses. 200 bucks 3. Take the PAT. Playing Ability Test. Then enter into Level 1 and get going. The biggest thing is getting the right job to satisfy the requirements for acceptance. Also, I think you can only have 2 apprentices under a Class A pro at any given time. That may have changed. Im taking PGM through National University which is a degree program. There are independent schools that just teach trade specific classes like instruction, club fitting, etc. If you want to teach, I would get familiar with the tech that's out there today like Trackman and the like, That's the future of instruction. Good luck. Also here is the breakdown on costs. http://pdf.pgalinks.com/regmemos/PGM2.0_AssociatedCosts.pdf

So I'm on a par 5 today and pretty proud of my drive and take my second shot. Adams 3 wood ( if anyone from Adams is reading) and as I watch my ball headed for the near right side bunker guarding the green, I figure I will have a simple bunker shot onto the green and possible birdie op. Well you have to see the bunker. The bunker is cut out of the side of a nice hill. The far side is about 6 ft high from sand to top. The height to it is all bank, or grass. Well there was a rake propped up leaning on the bank and guess where my ball landed? Right on top of the handle. It looked like a lollipop. After laughing it was decided that if I move the rake and the ball falls into the bunker I should be able to drop somewhere behind the hill, no nearer the hole and take a shot. Well I moved the rake and the ball stayed put. So I had to take the most ridiculous stance and the ball was about chest high. I took a 9 iron and choked down so much that the club was under my arm pit. I though its gonna fly to the left so aim way right. I had to pitch it over the bunker I was in, and not hit into the bunker off to the side. Just a small portion of grass separates the two. Well, needless to say I have never practiced that shot on the range and popped it into the adjacent bunker. Got out, and wound up two putting and for a 6. hehe funny to me

PGA Superstore here in ATL has a set of the irons, 5-PW for like a hundred buck or less, just quickly saw them in the used section. Bought tees, box of E-6's, and for kicks a sleeve of Volvik's (yellow)

I was at the local PGA Superstore here today and the have several box sets that seem ok. Wilson and some brand I never heard of. Adams had a two sets, plus several other brands. Just kind of stuck between senior clubs and ladies. They want you to pay top dollar. But in the used section there is always descent stuff. I don't think the major players care about the beginner IMO. On a side note, I have wondered what a tour pro like TW, Mic, or the likes would shoot with a box of Wal-Mart clubs. I think they are Intech or something like that. In comparison, look at the "cheapo" clubs, the off brands or what have you, and compare them to what Jack used to win 18 majors or Sneed or Arnie.

Watch it once and your hooked for life. That's how they get you.

He invented the Lewinski.

If you could play a round with three people who would they be. Mine: 90's era John Daly Ken Green Mac O'Grady with McCord as caddie.

I had one to long ago at my course here in Georgia. My second shot on a par 5 went due NE from where I was aiming and wound up on top of the hill which is the 2nd fairway. I was left with a simple pitch over to my fairway or hit a banana ball way left and let it bend around to the green. I went for it 8 iron flew just like I wanted and hit the fringe and stopped. 2 putts later walked off with a par. I couldn't do that again if I tired. Just one of those things. Its what makes you keep playing year after year.

The Manges from Italy

Sorry if this has been started somewhere long ago, but I couldn't find anything in the search so here goes. Two things come to mind. One was the first "oversize" driver I saw. It was a Killer Whale circa 1992. It looked ridiculous. I have no idea how many cc's it was but it was bigger than my little metal wood. The second thing was seeing a stand bag around the same time in Germany. I said to myself that'll never catch on. Should have invested in that company. Just curios to see what you remember seeing for the first time( golf wise that is) and your thoughts at the time.

Nothing new to add here other than a current rule book and an good chunk of 1 dollar bills for whatever game we're playing. I hauled this am's bag during a pro-am and when I met him he had just come from the range, he dropped off his bag and took off to eat or something. So naturally I look in his bag and counted clubs, looked to see if he has balls and what not. Low and behold he had a full size, regulation video camera in his bag. It was the kind that held the old VHS tape in it. To make matters worse he had managed to make off with 3 bags of balls from the range and had them stuffed in there. Huge pro staff bag that weighed a ton. Needless to say he made a trip to the car.

I have yet to find a glove that will take strokes off my game, but if its black I'd wear the heck out of it.

John Cook. I was a caddie during the old MCI Heritage back in 2000. I was hanging around the driving range watching my guy hit boomerangs all over the place. Anyways I had grabbed an extra scorecard and was milling around asking for autographs if the pro wasn't hitting. Lots of them just hung around shootin the breeze. Well I asked John Cook and he snatched the card and grunted and singed it and gave it back. I looked him dead in the eye and told him I hope you miss the cut. Fred Funk was in my group. Laughed my butt off all 18 holes. Bet on everything. Billy Mayfair, Nick Price, all good guys. Oh and Fred's caddy at the time was Fanny, Nick Flado's old caddy. Needless to say she could make a sailor blush.

I just stumbled across this thread and thought I would add my two cents. To kind of add a little more on the cost side of things here are some interesting points. I lived in S. Korea from 04-10 and I was friends with a golf rep for a major company. He informed me that with his company 64-72% of the retail price for the product goes to player endorsement. I am sure the other companies are somewhere in line with that. Funny thing is, if you ever get a chance to go to China and see the factories and take a tour, you will see that a lot of heads are made in the same foundries. They will have a load come off the line and get divided up. The same heads go into different stalls and get stamped and decorated with different markings. That's where a lot of "clones" come from. It is the exact same head, just stamped differently. Not every brand does it this way but a lot do. The cost of manufacturing clubs in China is so cheap you would not believe it. There is a good reason why clubs are made there now and not here. Money. The foundries never shut down, assembly shops operate 24/7, workers live at the factories in dorms. It is crazy in China. Go down one street and by clone irons for 50 bucks or go over two streets and buy real ones for 200, 8 irons, bag, wedge or two and a driver. Cosmetic blems is about it. Go to Mission Hills and pay top dollar. Makes you wonder how can a 400 driver from 2013 be 129.00 today and someone still make a profit. Cost the driver only cost 2.00 to make to begin with.

I watch it. I love it. I got my reasons.......I didn't live in S. Korea for 6 years because of the food.

Well isn't this nice. I join this site. Look around for a bit and notice this thread. My wife is from Portugal and we thought of doing the same thing, but since the economy is trash there and most of the family there has moved to Germany we are looking elsewhere. Best of luck to you though.

I would say that it depends on who's lugging it around. I have played with 20 handicappers use them and they were good folks. Played with scratch guys who think they have won several majors. Like anything in life you can stereotype someone. I could care less what you use as long as you can get along with the rest of the group and don't act like an a##hole. I have a midsize staff for international travel and a stand bag for when I am home. That's all I have to say.