Becoming a Golf Pro or Pro Golfer?
Plenty of Hazards Face Those Wanting a Living From the Game of Golf
May 28, 2009
There is certainly glory and wonderful paychecks for the touring professional golfer. The major tournaments like the Masters and British Open and the $1,000,000 purses are alluring to be sure. But those are the tip of the iceberg of the pro golf world. Realistically, there is a long process involved in getting to the leaderboard or earning one's living from the game.
Pro Golf Tour Tiers
There are several tiers of professional golf tours before the vaunted PGA. In North America, pro golfers usually begin in the 3rd tier development tours for men, like the Canadian Golf Tour or NGA Hooters. The 2nd tier is the Nationwide Tour and then the PGA. Each level progresses in purse prizes and number of events.
- the Canadian Tour has 17 events and averages $150,000 for its tournament purses.
- the Nationwide has 30 events and averages $600,000 with two tournaments offering $1,000,000
- the PGA has 48 events and prizes averaging $6,000,000
- the LPGA pro women golfers play for a third of the men’s, average prizes being $2,000,000; and their developmental program, the 2nd tier Duramed Futures Tour have purses averaging $100,000.
So a pro golfer moves up the ranks depending on earnings and yearly performance, not unlike a Snakes and Ladders game. At the end of a season, the top money winners can move to the next tier or attend qualifying school. Their income can vary wildly and it may take some time to make it big. For instance,
- Jeff Klauk turned pro in 2000; on the Nationwide in 2005/2006, he earned around $50,000. His persistence paid off and in 2007 he finished #33 (the top 25 go on to the PGA Tour) and in 2008, he was #3 with earnings of over $400,000. This year he is making the most of his chance, already earning over $800,000.
- Jon Mills of Oshawa turned pro in 2002 and in the 2005 Nationwide was # 5 in earnings with $325,000. On the PGA tour in 2006 he only made 6 cuts of 27 and $65,000. He got up to the big tour again in 2008 but is back on the Nationwide in 2009.
- Zach Doran, an Ohio State All-American who turned pro in 2005, was giving himself 5 years to make it. He is no longer active, making nothing in 2007 and only $2,500 after 12 events in 2008.
Being A Golf Pro in the Golf Business
Another path is to become a golf pro, i.e. a golf instructor and its attendant jobs. The Canadian Golf Professionals' Association (CPGA) is the umbrella organization for about 3,500 golf pros in Canada. It too is an arduous apprenticeship. Some of the requirements are:
- a less than 12 handicap playing ability
- an educational component - a university degree in business or a 3 year college program in Golf Management, CPGA- approved at 8 community colleges, Camosun for example, plus teaching and coaching certificates
- a tutelage component (under a Class "A" mentor) consisting of approved seminars, club fitting, and teaching hours. The CPGA mandate is to "to promote and advance the game of golf, serving the needs of both its membership and the golf public through professional and junior golf development programs and high-calibre competitive events"
Jamie Heffernan of Olympic View, the 2007 BC Junior Promoter of the Year, said that he chose the golf pro route because it offered a steady income, a chance to work with people, and an opportunity to develop his own game through golf pro tournaments. He started his career in 2003 and eventually he hopes to be a head pro or director, adding with a smile, "Ya gotta love the golf industry".
So the dilemma - get a sponsor and pay out money until you make it big as a pro golfer or be a golf professional. Both are trying to make golf their life.
