Could use some advice

Hello everyone, I am new to this site and just wanted to try and get some advice from any pros or experienced golfers out there. Little background, I am 23 years old, 5'9 180lbs. I have been golfing for two years, (minus the last 6 months of not playing) In that time I went from shooting 130's to shooting my best score of 86 on par 72. I have had three lessons and am very addicted to playing. Everything my instructor shows me I get in the half hour we're on the range. ex: added 30 yards to drive in half hour. OK, my question is about the likelihood that I could make a career in the golf industry. I'm thinking of attending a two year school and would love to be the one giving lessons someday. In your experience, is this likely or might I see my gains level out and get stuck shooting in 80's? Any advice, bad or good, is appreciated. I have heard, most good golfers start very young, did I start too late? Thanks
James

Not Too Late To Became A Pro. But I Think Beside Two Years You Need More Experience In The Field...cheers

Justin, if you have got to that level in such a short time, then I would have to say you have a natural ability. What you are thinking is a hard quest. Realisticly, you would probably have to get to + 4 or 5 h/cap to even start thinking about pro. But if you think you are in that league, go for it

That's where my question lies I guess. I know I haven't been playing long, so I am curious as to whether I should expect a decrease in my gains or whether my scores might just keep getting lower. I know some of you with the 2 handicaps started where I did and may have had the quick gains at first also. Once you guys got down to shooting in the mid 80's, did getting into the 70's happen just as quickly or did it take a long time?
Thanks for the replies. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

I play golf to get as good as I can. I dont have a goal of becoming pro, but if trying to get as good as I can got me there I would not object. Get as good as you can get, and then if you get to the point of pro then worry about it. As far as golf school? I live near a big one and I can tell you that from what I have seen the golf instruction is not very good, one of the better players at the school said he did not/would not, take lessons from the people there. If you want to learn about golf I will warn that it is sometimes hard to figure out who does and does not know what they are talking about.

To be Pro standerd you need to be shooting around -6 easy around your local club courses! Remember tour courses are set up alot harder. Also it costs alot of money to be a pro golfer, travelling and everything alot of people struggle! But you could try and become a golf instructor, david leadbetter plays off like a 10 handicap i heard, so you dont need to be a great player to be a golf instructor!

If I was you id go and watch a PGA Tour event and then you will see how good they really are. Its scary! Your local scratch golfer or something who everyone thinks is real real good wouldent have a chance playing on tour!

Touring pro - that seems like a stretch. To even consider this, you would need to get your handicapp down to 2 and then compete in some high level local events and see how you stack up. Touring pro is very expensive route requiring hours of practice a day and access to practice facilities with greens, bunkers etc.

Teaching pro - more likely - you have to pass the playability test - something like 150 for 2 rounds on an average course without difficult pin placements. I would simply ask the pro your are with how you could achieve this goal.

Msklar you are thinking of PGA Pro's with the Playability tests. PGA Pro next to your name sounds good but it isnt always really important when being a Golf instructor. Type in on google, the golf world teaching federation. This is good I think.

This maybe true, but we live in a world where letters after your name are important in demonstrating at least minimun expertise in your field. I personally would not go to a teacher without PGA credentials. However, I'm sure there are many expert golfers who are excellent teaches without these credentials.

Yeah I probably actually wouldent go to a coach without pga as well LOL but I still dont think it is a MUST! Like David Leadbetter I dont see PGA PRO after his name? Or Butch Harmon because I dont think they would be good enough to pass the playability test, I heard neither of them are great golfers. So maybe I would go to a teacher without PGA by there name :-)!

Both of the players you mention were excellent golfers when younger. I'm sure they had no trouble passing the playability test and are both members of the PGA. In addition, they probably both have master teacher credentials, plus tons of publications.

Yeah I think that the PGA's Pro's the ones with the test. The better route might be to learn as much about the game as well as what it would take to become a greens keeper. There are a ton of smaler courses who hire the club pro to do both. I know our course for years had a Course manager who would give lessons and over see the up keep of the course. He was about a 17 handicapper. But his primary duties was the course. He moved on to a better course afte a few years.

Then 2 years ago it was sold to a former Greenskeeper at one of the big fancey courses. The new owner does not give lessons but allows the High School coach to do it part time.

Such a job would give you income and allow you to work on your game, teach and get experience.

Because the impediments as I see them most likely the Big courses are going to look for a new teacher it is going to be someone with a college playing experience on their back ground and a PGA teaching pro license. Most of the smaller courses have trouble hiring both a PRo and manager the ones that can afford both hire someone with experience.

Bob

As for a Tour Pro like I said the only way to get there is to find a way to work non stop on your game then even that might not be good enough. But to answer your question yes your gains you realize start to slow down and it will get harder to keep moving your handicap down.

Well im doing golf full time for the next 2 years im 16 and doing golf full time till im 18 when im 18 if my golf doesent seem to be going like i want it too then ill go and do something else lol. But what im doing is basically playing in as high level competitions as possible and practicing 5 times a week.

Too me that is the big advantage of starting when your young and in school as opposed to at 23. You can devote full time work to your game while your parents pick up the bills and if your not good enough can still pursue other avenues.

Could a 23 year old make it, sure. I believe there are several tour pro in the past who have late starts on the game (Calvin Peete I believe did not start playing until he was 23) and If Wie can get to her level by 16 surely a 23 year old can reach thier maximum potential by 30 but finding the time to work on your game and pay your bills is the hard part.

Bob

I really appreciate all of your advice. I wasn't even considering PGA pro. I don't think I have the time to do that. What I was thinking is getting to the point that I can pass the PAT. I know it is hard to devote my full time to it, but If I go to one of these schools, I should get a lot of time to spend on it. Thanks again for your replies. I think I am going to put some time into it and see what happens.