Almost every golfer has dreams of winning the US open and turning their hobby into a profession. It’s certainly an attractive career dream, but even if you’re good enough, how do you get to share the green with the best players in the world and earn those big bucks? There are some clear steps that many pro golfers take, but they may not be accessible to everyone. However, if you’ve got skill, determination, and a career roadmap all laid out, your chances of turning pro are much more likely. If you’ve got a drive to rival Tiger Woods and you’re a genius on the green, here’s what you need to know.
- Start Now
It’s never too early to start planning for your golfing career. Ideally, you want to have started playing golf as early in your life as possible and taking part in as many junior tournaments as you can. Of course, not every professional golfer starts playing golf before they’re out of diapers, so age isn’t necessarily a barrier. The earlier in life you start focusing on your golf, the more likely that you will become good enough to go pro.
- Keep Practising (and then practice some more)
It’s not enough just to have a good drive if you want to go professional. You’re going to need to excel at every part of the game, and that means making time to get in as many practice hours as possible. Make sure that your drive is a powerhouse, but don’t forget to dedicate serious time to your short game as well. When the stats show that most golf shots happen within 100 yards of the hole, that’s the swing to practice the most, but the better you are all around a course, the more likely that you’ll be able to turn your golf skills into a career.
- Get a Golf Scholarship
You don’t need a college degree to become a pro golfer, but there are advantages. Firstly, by having a golf focus during your time in education, you get to maintain your practice under the guiding hand of experienced golf tutors, and that can only be good for your game. You can also benefit by having access to certified career advice that can help you maneuver your way into a pro career, with scholarship companies like asmscholarships.com having career management modules built into their benefits. When this is the route taken by some of the biggest names in the sport, it makes sense to follow in their footsteps.
- Play Golf
This one might seem obvious, but don’t assume that even if you get the golf scholarship that you can sit back and hope for the best. Professional athletes, including golfers, need to keep playing at every opportunity. The more you play, the more confident you’ll grow. Sign up for as many pro golf tournaments as possible and start building your name. If you’re good enough to compete, you might even win some of those tournaments and walk away with some substantial prize money.
If you enjoy nothing more in life than experiencing the thrill of a birdie, and your dreams are filled with a hole in one at the US Open, then it’s time to start thinking seriously about making your sporting talent a career. Take your time to build the right plan and never stop practicing. You could be on the cover of golf magazines posing with your trophies quicker than you think.
