Table of Contents
Why do you need to become a professional golfer?
Before you get started, give honest answers to questions. First, why do you want to play golf? Do you need this to boost your career or expand the circle of friends? In the latest case, you may find that a few basic lessons and the help of patient friends are enough. If you dream of victories and want quick progress, then you should think about personal training with leading golf trainers.
The next question is – how much are you willing to invest in this hobby or future career? I mean not just money but also effort and time. There is a huge difference between playing golf just for fun and playing to become a professional golfer. Are you sure that achieving the career of a professional golfer is what you want? Then let’s start.
How to be a pro golfer: the first steps
Become a pro golfer in the short game. You will do about half of all your hits on the field within a radius of 100 yards from the green and directly on it. And that means – about half of your training time you should devote to practicing hits with putters. Set several baskets on the lawn at different distances from each other and try to send the ball into them. Put the ball on a flat surface, then hit from the inconvenient areas.
Master the basics. Golf can really make you overthink. An average golf player receives a huge amount of information but sometimes it is wrong. Novice golfers cannot resist reading tips and watching video lessons, but the quantity does not always turn into quality. If you realize that you are confused in your thoughts about swing, return to the basics. Try to take the right stance – check the position of the ball and your body – and then perform a calm and relaxed swing with full completion. Many thoughts generate tension, so control your stress level: slightly swing the club before starting a strike and try to deflect it as smoothly as possible.
Find the best golf trainer. Working with a coach that you truly trust can greatly boost your progress. Of course, the trainer must be great in theory and have solid practical skills, better if he or she had a professional golf career. If you do not like to suffer, then you will like the trainer who practices a soft approach. If you have a good imagination, then it will be easier for you to work with a specialist who explains the techniques with visual images, rather than angles and positions. The most important thing is that you should be comfortable and you should enjoy the process. You will learn much faster if you do not hesitate to ask even those questions that seem silly to pro golfers.
How much time do you need to invest to become a pro golfer?
- practice your golf skills as much as you can. You can “overpractice” when it comes to golf. At least, you have to play 5-6 times a month in the beginning;
- practice your short game and putting – these are the most important techniques a professional golf player must develop to perfection. I would also recommend paying attention to hitting fairways and greens;
- new players should dedicate at least 10 hours per week and practice different golf settings. Gradually increase the practice up to 20 hours per week;
- slowly but steadily teach such skills as putting, full swing, bunker, chip, lob, pitch, wedge. Listen to your instructor and you will be fine. Start from dedicating 1 hour per week to each of the mentioned skills.
Where to play to become a pro golfer?
Before explaining where you can play golf to practice, I’d like to say that it is better to find a reliable “partner in crime” who shares your passion for golf. Preferably find a partner who is better in golf than you, so you can teach from him or her. Maybe your family members or friends can help with this mission.
As for the places where you can play golf. Start from your local golf club – the membership can deliver many social benefits as well. You will get to know the best golfers in your area. Also, the membership in a local club may bring you an invitation to the local tournaments. Compete and socialize to boost your status locally and then regionally.
If you are a student, consider playing golf in college. By the way, participation in golf tournaments may pay to give you some benefits like a partial scholarship.
Before taking part in professional tournaments, compete in local, regional and national tournaments. This is the only way to get a positive or negative competitive experience.
Going pro tournaments is obligatory!
After beating local tournaments, you are ready to compete in professional golf tournaments. Try to play as many tournaments as your skills and budget allow. At such tournaments, sponsors may notice you and offer partnerships. Some popular professional tournaments are the Moonlight Tour, NGA Pro Golf Tour, and the eGolf Professional Tour.
Then you need to take part in the qualifying tournament (Q School) of PGA. PGA is the Professional Golf Association. Every professional golfer has a PGA rating as well as intra-tour ratings. This rating shows the personal tournament’s success. The Q School is played in 4 stages. Only 144 players can make it to the final stage. After this stage, only 25 players can qualify for the tour by Web.com.
To become a true professional golfer you need to earn the PGA Tour card by participating in 3 different events held by Web.com.
Last, but not least: 3 major rules of golf to remember
- Do not complain about the field: play as it is;
- Do not complain about the ball: play it the way it flies and lands;
- In other cases, stay honest;
Final thoughts
What does it mean to play golf like a pro? Your personal definition of a pro golf player here is the most important thing. Someone just wants to learn how to hit the ball with a club. Someone wants to win Wimbledon. However, there are fundamental and generally accepted criteria that define a professional golf game. As for me, playing golf is all about controlling the ball and hitting the target without mistakes. It is generally accepted that you play golf well if your handicap is only one digit. Anyway, if you like golf, invest your time in more practice hours and the result will be obvious in a few weeks.