HEEEELP, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MY FUTURE!

[FWYinReg]

Hey everyone it's been a while,

 

since I was last on, a lot has happened.  I got professionally fitted for a set of irons for the first time, I shot My low round of 38, I went to a stay away golf camp in Richmond, I had my first eagle during tryouts, and made it to number seven on my high school's golf team.  Finally, I became a senior in high school, and with that came a dilemma: What am I going to do after high school?  I have thought about doing something in medicine since I was four and this year, whilst taking two medical classes, came up with the idea of maybe pursuing physical therapy.  But since going to the stay away golf camp over the summer where a bunch of PGM students were interning, I also began messing around with the idea that I could maybe do PGM and become a PGA Professional.  This idea was furthered when my best friend from the golf team announced that he would be attending Methodist University as part of their PGM program.  This made me think about what the pros and cons of each would be, and this is what I came up with:

• PRO: Being a golf pro would allow me to further pursue my love of golf and being at a golf course.
• PRO: I would be able to work with kids, as well as teach people the game I love.
• CON: Mediocre to lousy starting pay, as well as annoying hours.
• CON: Would have to start out as an assistant pro somewhere, and that does not easily lend itself to golfing on my own during the week.
• PRO: Latest equipment from manufacturer.
• PRO: Less schooling to become a PGA pro.
• PRO: Physical therapist starting salary is around 80k.
• PRO: I'd probably be happier as a PGA pro.
• PRO: I'd get to travel with the PGA.

Let me know what you guys and gals think, cause I could really use some outside opinions.

[MmmmmmBuddy]

If you like to play golf, find a career in a different field. 

 

**voice of 25+ years of experience**

[McaseyM]

Howdy, I'm a physical therapist myself and it is a longer road, but there are lots of opportunities. There's always work either at hospitals, private clinics or Skilled Nursing facilities, plus tons of other types.  if you're just starting into college, it'll be your Bachelor's (4 years) plus grad school (2-3 years depending on which program) , so you're looking at 6 years minimum and that's if you go straight through and get into PT school right off the bat. 

 

If you're not sure, try golf at the community/city/junior college level so you can go to school and golf at the same time. You can also do a PT Assistant program at a a community college, only 2-3 years, then have the flexibility of working in rehab and golfing. PTA usually has similar opportunity at PT, but pay's not as high and sometimes you get stuck with the more challenging patients that the PT doesn't want 

[PlaidJacket]

I'd probably suggest a couple of things. Go to either college or a trade school and get educated/trained in something that will provide a very good long term career with great pay/salary opportunities. Or go give the golf gig a shot for two years. Get it out of your system. You're only young once. Personally I'd encourage my son to not pursue a golf career. Unless it's absolutely a burning desire and by God that's what I want to do for the next 50 years.

 

Reality time - A golf career at a club is not a money maker. Except for those rare few at TPC Sawgrass, Firestone, etc. type clubs. You get my drift. Even fewer Michael Breeds in the world. Most are (if lucky) head pro at Bushwood. They make mediocre salary with poor benefits. $80 to $100 grand isn't much money pal. Don't even think about dragging along a family.

 

Reality time - college ain't a road to fame and fortune either. Everyone and their dog has a college degree. IN YOUR FIELD!! Big woop. If you insist on college choose a degree field that is hard. Really hard. And graduate at the top of your class. Few people choose the hard stuff. But those that do ... and do well in class end up making a pile of money. Why? because there is always demand and little competition for smart people that do hard things. Easy stuff degrees = low pay.

 

Reality time - You're young. Taking a couple of years after HS to fiddle fart around is OK. Go get it out of your system. Then make your choice. The future is yours for the taking.

 

Have a great day!

[Dhuck Whooker]

From what I have seen and read the people who golf the least are people who work in the golf business, aside from playing professionals.

 

Now people who are involved in sales and business development, they get to play some golf.  And they develop great short games.

 

You're right about the assistant pro, my neighbor worked at Detroit Golf Club as an assistant pro, started at 6 am, home at 9 pm, got Mondays off, hard life.

 

If possible play golf in college, for sure, whatever you study.  That is a moral imperative.

 

Who knows, maybe you could get to be a therapist on the PGA tour.  

 

Whatever you decide, do what to want to do, don't worry about how much money you will get paid.  Waking up happy in the morning is priceless. 

[RookieBlue7]

If you want to enjoy golf, keep it a hobby.  I tinkered with the idea a few times, and tinkered with being a fitter and tinkered with trying to get onto a tour van.  After talking to guys in several fields, including the tour vans at a stop or 2, I decided I enjoyed golf too much to do it full time unless it was playing the game full time, and frankly, I missed that outside shot when I opted not to pursue collegiate golf and instead join the work force.  I had scholarship offers, didn't have any idea what I'd want to study in college and I didn't want to go waste a bunch of time and money throwing darts at a board of majors.  I decided to keep golf a hobby and joined the workforce.  Now, I work in a very stable field in a job that pays very well and has great benefits.Golf remains my only hobby and I couldn't be happier.  I'd find some folks in several fields that interest you (golf and non-golf) and find out what their struggles were, what they enjoy the most about their job and what they miss the most about what they did before their career, because let's face it, things change when we join the real world.

[FWYinReg]

Hey everyone thanks for the quick replies. I am also taking into consideration that golf is a serious passion of mine, and I would love to be able teach others to have the same passion as I have for the game. While I understand that going down this road means that I won't be able to golf as much, I love all aspects of the game, and that includes reorganizing the pro shop, or cleaning carts, or even just chatting with the members whatever. Basically, if I can be at a point where the course or club is my office, I'll be happy. Plus, one of the pros at my local course says that what he does is he gets out on the course at 5:30 to play a few holes before he has to open up shop, and I am OK with doing the same.

[FWYinReg]

Though the point of this post is that I am still undecided.

[NiftyNiblick]

Don't seek help with life decisions on an internet forum, son.

 

I know you can find better counsel than us.

 

It's 4:10 in the morning and I haven't fallen asleep yet.

 

Got any ideas about that?

[apprenti23]

I am a PGA Member and I've told many people- be the member, not the pro. There have been many times where I've actually hated golf over the years. This past year I played 20 rounds and it was the most golf I've played in the past five years. I was only able to play that much because I quit my job. I've been an Assistant Professional, Head Professional, Director of Golf, and have even owned my own shop.

When you're young it is the best and you don't mind working a ton of hours for no pay because you don't have time to spend money. As you become older and want to have a family and enjoy a little quality of life, being a Golf Pro is extremely difficult. You work every weekend, every holiday, and it makes it very difficult to enjoy a normal life of family parties, friend parties, and summer barbecues.

Do I have regrets? I'd be lying if I said No. I absolutely love the experiences, memories, and the people I've met through golf. At times do I wish I was a dentist? Hell yes. But happiness in life is what's it is really all about. I found a position where I remained in the golf industry but with a little bit more normal hours. I only work five days and about 50 hours a week which feels like nothing compared to my past experience.

The great thing about PGM is you get a normal degree along with being a PGA Member. You can use that if after four years you hate it. The con of PGM is after you graduate it'll be ten years of making s*** money doing Asst work before you actually make okay money even if you go into being a golf instructor vs golf professional.

The beauty of it all is that you really don't have to make this decision right now. I say try it out and see if you like it. After your first internship you should have a fair idea. You're young- you don't need to figure out the rest of your life right now. You can do PGM for a year and if it's great do year two. Reevaluate after year two. If it sucks, quit and do PT.

[apprenti23]

It's 4:10 in the morning and I haven't fallen asleep yet.

 

Got any ideas about that?

If you're asking a HS aged male on what to do to fall asleep I'm sure he'd give you some great advice! hahaha

[fozcycle]

Get a career that pays well so you can golf on the weekends with your friends.

[FWYinReg]

Don't seek help with life decisions on an internet forum, son.

 

I know you can find better counsel than us.

 

It's 4:10 in the morning and I haven't fallen asleep yet.

 

Got any ideas about that?

I'm not attemting to get people to decide for me, I'm merely asking people for advice based off of there experiences. Ultimately it is my decision, and I am going to work with my parents and my guidance counselor to come up with a plan. I really only wanted to see what people had to say about being a PGA pro, cause I had Hurd mixed reviews. Like I said, ultimately it is up to me and how I feel about what I want to wake up every morning to do, whether that be working at a golf course or helping people through PT.

[FWYinReg]

I'm not attemting to get people to decide for me, I'm merely asking people for advice based off of there experiences. Ultimately it is my decision, and I am going to work with my parents and my guidance counselor to come up with a plan. I really only wanted to see what people had to say about being a PGA pro, cause I had Hurd mixed reviews. Like I said, ultimately it is up to me and how I feel about what I want to wake up every morning to do, whether that be working at a golf course or helping people through PT.

*heard

[jbil8802]

I'm not a golf pro and I don't work in a golf related profession. My buddy was a golf pro for 15 years and gave it up. Now he owns a driving range, gives lessons, has a synthetic putting green business, and oversees a golf course and still works less than he did when he was a pro. He also gets to play a lot more often.

 

I love golf and equipment and everything about it. But mostly I love playing golf as much as I possibly can. The head pro at my club works ridiculous hours. Teaching and giving lessons is at the very bottom of his list of responsibilities. His position is probably 95% administrative. He just got his new 716 Titleist irons after putting about 15 rounds on his 714 irons in the past two years. But, he's good at his job and an asset to our club.

 

Just trying to give you some information to think about from people I know.

[Jmikecpa]

You have to decide what will make you happy and fullfilled.  I work 90+ hours a week, spend countless hours on planes all over the world and usually crash on the couch in my office two or three days a week.  Sounds like a career of fun and excitement doesn't it, but it works for me and a make a pretty darn good living doing it.  Not a life or path for most, however it is for me at this point in my life and will help me build for what I want to do with the next phase of my career.

 

When I was your age I wanted to be a lawyer and went to school and got two degrees; a BA in History and a BS in Accounting.  Applied and was accepted to an ivy league law school and deferred my admission for a year to work in the real world.  I never looked back and ended up not going to law school but instead passed the CPA exam then went onto business school for my MBA.  People still say I was crazy to not go to law school but I think I would have been miserable working at a law firm and not to mention the debt I would have racked up in those three years.  You don't have to decide the rest of your life in your teens since life will throw you a lot of curveballs along the way.

[Jmikecpa]

Don't seek help with life decisions on an internet forum, son.

 

I know you can find better counsel than us.

 

It's 4:10 in the morning and I haven't fallen asleep yet.

 

Got any ideas about that?

Vodka works for me most nights, but then again I still have not gone to bed in two nights and don't have time for a drink these days.

[revkev]

FWY - Actually there is a surprising amount of great advice for you to draw from here including advice from a PT (thanks so much for doing that important job MCasey), PGA pro and an accomplished golf retailer.

 

You obviously have your head on pretty straight because my first thought was you should be seeking advice from your parents which you clearly are - thank you!   Just remember assuming they have their heads on straight they are the ones who know you best and will always have your best interest in mind.

 

Having written those things about them they can't live your life either and they know or should know that you will make different decisions than they would some of which will turn out well others of which won't.  You have to live your life.  Because of what I do I get lots of people who come to me for advice - that amazes me but it's true.  When it's a young person I often give the advice that I'm giving here - keep the options open as long as you are able!  I don't know your financial situation but I'm guessing that you or your parents and you are able to afford college - if you can get yourself to where you regularly shoot in the low to mid 30's there's no reason why you couldn't play golf at a small school (avoid the South, think Northeast or Midwest - the South is for touring pro wanna be's - then you need to be mid to low 30's).  In that scenario you could be enrolled in a PT program and both possibilities that you've mentioned would remain on the table.

 

Best wishes on your future, be sure to work hard in school and on your game but not so hard that you don't have lots of fun along the way.  Oh and always seriously consider your parent's advice even if you don't take it.

[EthanSterlingPrice]

Don't seek help with life decisions on an internet forum, son.

 

I know you can find better counsel than us.

 

It's 4:10 in the morning and I haven't fallen asleep yet.

 

Got any ideas about that?

my favorite is ambien but according to tv you could ask your doctor about dozens of over the counter sleep aids so long as you don't operate heavy machinery

[silver & black]

I've stayed out of this, so far. I knew there would be numerous responses.... and they would be great ones because of the membership we have here. I was not disappointed!

 

At close to 57 years of age, I now know I could have done much better with my life.... in all aspects.

 

I grew up the son of an executive. I watched my parents entertain a lot of other company "big shots" over the years. I found most of them to be fake, phony, power hungry, ruthless, miserable examples of human beings. I knew there was no way that I was ever going to be part of that. 

 

My grand father was an old school painter/paper hanger. He was always happy, even though he didn't make much money. He built his own fishing boat. He built all kinds of kites from scratch, and took me out to fly them. My father was always stressed out. We did things together, and I loved him dearly, but, I decided I would much rather BE like my grandfather.

 

I decided to learn a trade instead of being an office guy. I'm a Cabinetmaker. I came up under the old guys, in the old ways, in a traditional 4 year apprenticeship. I truly like what I do. Yes, there are deadlines and stress involved with it at times. I doubt there are many "jobs" out there that this isn't true for.

 

I guess the point is: do you want to make a lot of money, or do you want to be happy, and truly enjoy what you do? Maybe you can have both!

 

Good luck in your journey young man. You never know what lies ahead.