reality check. odds on making the Nationwide Tour

[brick]

I'm currently an 8 handicap but I don't work on my game and only play once a week in the summer. I've never played a tournament before. I can hit my drives 300 yards and I have a pretty natural swing. I have good feel putting and chipping but need practice. I'm 27yo, 6ft. 180lbs.

Assuming a large # of players similar to my skill level took 1-2 years off work to to seriously training and practice for 6 hours per day. How many players would need to attempt this before one was talented enough to make the Nationwide tour?

for example 1/10,000

[LBJ]

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1/10,000

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[tuq]

Well good luck mang. I don't have an exact number but from experience can tell you that the difference between an 8 and say a 2 is HUGE. Absolutely huge. So is the difference between 2 and scratch. And I imagine most of those Nationwide guys are around +2 or better.

The issue is you'll probably reach several mental roadblocks along the way that would take a while to clear. And GOD FORBID your putting starts to go south.

I'm not saying don't do it - it's something you'd never forget (by the way, are you just curious or seriously considering it?), but I have enough friends on minitours to know it's way more of a "job" than us outsiders see. Countless hours at the range. Constant tweaking of swing and equipment. Winning the battles with the mind. Stiff competition. Battling the elements. Callouses and blisters. Fighting through long slumps.

I don't know if it's 1/10,000 but it's gotta be closer to that than 1/1000.

[antidan444]

I'll give you props for getting the odds about right IMO. If anything, you may have put them too low. First thing I thought when I read "8 handicap" was "no chance."

[brick]

Hey. thanks for the reply.
I guess I'm seriously considering it among other options regarding what to do with the next few years of my life.
I've been working for 5 years and I'm ready for a change.

One option would be to buy a fixer-upper house to work on part time and play golf the rest of the time.

[jthegreat]

Unless you're loaded with natural talent that's just going to suddenly blossom... forget about it. My brother is 21, scratch golfer, has a pro card, etc... and he's nowhere near ready for that tour. Considering that you've never played in a tournament before, I'm guessing that you have no idea how brutal competitive golf can be.

[brick]

I do have lots of natural talents that I'd like to let loose.

[Annulus]

practice is part of the equation, but the other part is do you have 'it'? 'it' is the variables, the ability to perform under pressure (hardest part about golf, anyone can play good with their boys, but how do you play in front of a gallery?) not to mention golf is not like poker, in the sense that you can improve enough to be a "pro"in 2 years. lol.

[brick]

I agree with you 100%.

I think I have "it", otherwise I would consider trying. I'm 100% sure I could be a scratch golfer in a year. I'm just wondering what the chances are that I actually have "it".

[RacersEdge]

I think you are going to need to love to practice. I am that way - I love going to the range, working on differnt stuff, but some people don't get into it.

I would go for it though, even if the odds are not good to turn pro. You could still get a lot out of it - maybe end up being a teaching pro or something related to golf.