Club Pros deserve every spot they get in PGA Championship

This might be an unpopular opinion here, but they 100% do deserve all 20 of those spots. No, they are not taking them away from anybody. These men and women are the gatekeepers of our game, and frankly many of us wouldn't be a golfer at all if it wasn't for a PGA Pro. Show some respect!

Who said otherwise ?

So we need to send 20 of them to miss a cut at a major?

Maybe like 3. I’d prob be more on board for 1, though.

Yeah I'm ok with it

> @Hawkeye77 said:

> Well earned and so many people forget (or just don't care) - it is their organization that puts this on.

>

> Big deal for these guys to make it to this tournament and their participation is understandably celebrated by all who give a **** about golf in this country.

Agreed. The club pro's used to get 25 spots in the PGA through 2005. If it was still 25 spots I'm sure more whining/faux anger would be prevalent here.

For reference, when the PGA Tour split off in 1968, 64 spots out of 165 were reserved for club pros.

This was reduced to 40 in 1980 and 25 in 1995. The latest reduction to 20 spots was made in 2006.

> @golfer929 said:

> This might be an unpopular opinion here, but they 100% do deserve all 20 of those spots. No, they are not taking them away from anybody. These men and women are the gatekeepers of our game, and frankly many of us wouldn't be a golfer at all if it wasn't for a PGA Pro. Show some respect!

A PGA pro didn't make me take up golf. I'm sure golf would exist just fine without them. But I don't mind club pros qualifying their way in and holding spots for them. I get frustrated that the _Rules of Golf _are often weighted with professionals in mind. They make up a small fraction of players.

> @LeftArmBender said:

> So we need to send 20 of them to miss a cut at a major?

>

> Maybe like 3. I’d prob be more on board for 1, though.

Exactly. Not to mention some WD cause they know they won't make the cut. Yet they have it all over their social media, websites, etc that they competed in a major. Make them all regional qualify, then hold a Monday qualifier for, as you said, at most, 3 spots.

They do get beat pretty bad by the pros. Just an observation. Do they even get any TV time?

Nobody about the 15-20 ams, mid ams, and mini tour players who miss tge cut at the us open every year, its the same thing basically. Im a PGA pro, so i biase. I personally think the number should 10-15 range, not 20.

PGA pros playing in the PGA Championship. Crazy concept for some. I think they might be taking spots away from Smylie Kaufmanns and other athletes, ruining their careers in the process and depriving them of the luxury lifestyles they are entitled to.

> @"Santiago Golf" said:

> Nobody about the 15-20 ams, mid ams, and mini tour players who miss tge cut at the us open every year, its the same thing basically. Im a PGA pro, so i biase. I personally think the number should 10-15 range, not 20.

20 is fine. Its funny how a major with 156 spots, 136 of which are filled by touring pros, gets the crap for having 20 PGA pros, yet not a peep about a 90 person field that includes past champions, amateur and reinstated amateurs, to the point where based on the criteria put forth here, only about 45 are really "competing." Apparently the PGA of America owes something more to people other than their members.

> @rafal said:

> PGA pros playing in the PGA Championship. Crazy concept for some. I think they might be taking spots away from Smylie Kaufmanns and other athletes, ruining their careers in the process and depriving them of the luxury lifestyles they are entitled to.

Smylie Kaufmann, as comical as his tour story may be, had/(s)(?) the skill and earned his way onto the tour. And yes, while he'll likely lose his card, he passed all of the quals to make it onto the PGA tour.

PGA pro exemption spots are ridiculous. Mainly in part because 9/10 of those "pros" that play in the PGA, tout they played in a Major. They shouldn't have been there in the first place, of that how they use their experience to further their career or presence.

it's not a pga tour event ... it's a pga of america event ... they have members they want to reward for being pga of america members ... last year, ben kern made the cut and finished ahead of rory, sergio, dechambeau, jb holmes, stenson, reed & phil ... granted, most of the others were at the bottom of the leaderboard after friday, but giving 20 guys a chance to compete in a tournament that already has the toughest field hardly seems unfair ... they compete for money, just like the pga tour ... one of golf's attributes is the chance to actually play in a competition against the best, and sometimes one or two of these guys can be competitive ...

The PGA is totally disrespecting club pros with their repositioning the PGA Professional Championship to May. At the same time, they moved the PGA Club Championship - the tournament in which club pros qualify for the PGA Championship - to April!

Many, many courses in the northern part of the country are not even open for the season yet. This April date virtually eliminates northern pros from having a realistic chance to qualify, since many haven't hit a single shot since September or October the previous year - 7 months! Obviously, the PGA Club Professional Championship should be in the fall, when every qualifier has an even chance!

RIdiculously bad treatment of those members, and arguably reduces the quality of club pros playing at the PGA Championship.

Additionally, playing the PGA Championship in cold weather is short changing everyone. I certainly hope they reposition future PGAs to warmer locations.

> @"Darth Putter" said:

> For reference, when the PGA Tour split off in 1968, 64 spots out of 165 were reserved for club pros.

> This was reduced to 40 in 1980 and 25 in 1995. The latest reduction to 20 spots was made in 2006.

I find this very interesting and somewhat perplexing. Why do you think that those numbers kept getting reduced? Would it because the tour realizes that club pros actually don't play golf for a living, so they really don't belong taking a spot from tour players that make their living by playing. But offering up a minimum of spots still pays homage to the beginnings of how and why the tournament was established in the first place. Somewhere in the back of my mind is the opinion that the Players was established to eventually replace the PGA as a major.

> @Hawkeye77 said:

> Well earned and so many people forget (or just don't care) - it is their organization that puts this on.

>

> Big deal for these guys to make it to this tournament and their participation is understandably celebrated by all who give a **** about golf in this country.

You've been swearing a lot lately.

Marriage okay?

Could not agree more. Huge deal.

People just love to complain....especially about things that have zero impact on them.....nothing will satisfy them.

> @Texsport said:

> The PGA is totally disrespecting club pros with their repositioning the PGA Professional Championship to May. At the same time, they moved the PGA Club Championship - the tournament in which club pros qualify for the PGA Championship - to April!

>

> Many, many courses in the northern part of the country are not even open for the season yet. This April date virtually eliminates northern pros from having a realistic chance to qualify, since many haven't hit a single shot since September or October the previous year - 7 months! Obviously, the PGA Club Professional Championship should be in the fall, when every qualifier has an even chance!

>

> RIdiculously bad treatment of those members, and arguably reduces the quality of club pros playing at the PGA Championship.

>

> Additionally, playing the PGA Championship in cold weather is short changing everyone. I certainly hope they reposition future PGAs to warmer locations.

um. quite a few, including local pro from montclair country club (NJ) have qualified...not sure what the beef is.

> @Texsport said:

> The PGA is totally disrespecting club pros with their repositioning the PGA Professional Championship to May. At the same time, they moved the PGA Club Championship - the tournament in which club pros qualify for the PGA Championship - to April!

>

> Many, many courses in the northern part of the country are not even open for the season yet. This April date virtually eliminates northern pros from having a realistic chance to qualify, since many haven't hit a single shot since September or October the previous year - 7 months! Obviously, the PGA Club Professional Championship should be in the fall, when every qualifier has an even chance!

>

> RIdiculously bad treatment of those members, and arguably reduces the quality of club pros playing at the PGA Championship.

>

> Additionally, playing the PGA Championship in cold weather is short changing everyone. I certainly hope they reposition future PGAs to warmer locations.

A fair majority of those northern club pros, particularly the good ones that qualify for the PGA relocate for the winter when their cub closes or slows down. Go to the PGA Learning Center any random day in November, December, January or February and you’ll bump into 30 plus northern club pros who have relocated for the winter.

The real question is should we start giving PGA pros spots in the Ryder Cup....since you know the PGA puts that on as well.

> @BNGL said:

> The real question is should we start giving PGA pros spots in the Ryder Cup....since you know the PGA puts that on as well.

Absolutely, if that’s who the captain wants to select.

I think it is nice to reward people. I wonder if Michael Breed is freaking out like he was about Romo getting a sponsor's exemption. "He's taking opportunity from someone trying to make a living."

> @Bluefan75 said:

> > @"Santiago Golf" said:

> > Nobody about the 15-20 ams, mid ams, and mini tour players who miss tge cut at the us open every year, its the same thing basically. Im a PGA pro, so i biase. I personally think the number should 10-15 range, not 20.

>

> 20 is fine. Its funny how a major with 156 spots, 136 of which are filled by touring pros, gets the **** for having 20 PGA pros, _yet not a peep about a 90 person field that includes past champions, amateur and reinstated amateurs,_

Folks complain about the *weak* field at the Masters all the time. I disagree with that line of thinking, and think part of the prestige is getting to the dance.

> @"Hack Daddy" said:

>

> Smylie Kaufmann, as comical as his tour story may be, had/(s)(?) the skill and earned his way onto the tour. And yes, while he'll likely lose his card, he passed all of the quals to make it onto the PGA tour.

> PGA pro exemption spots are ridiculous. Mainly in part because 9/10 of those "pros" that play in the PGA, tout they played in a Major. They shouldn't have been there in the first place, of that how they use their experience to further their career or presence.

As others have mentioned, the PGA Championship is not a PGA Tour event. It is put on by the PGA of America...the pros are members of that organization.

> @HitEmTrue said:

> > @Bluefan75 said:

> > > @"Santiago Golf" said:

> > > Nobody about the 15-20 ams, mid ams, and mini tour players who miss tge cut at the us open every year, its the same thing basically. Im a PGA pro, so i biase. I personally think the number should 10-15 range, not 20.

> >

> > 20 is fine. Its funny how a major with 156 spots, 136 of which are filled by touring pros, gets the **** for having 20 PGA pros, _yet not a peep about a 90 person field that includes past champions, amateur and reinstated amateurs,_

>

> Folks complain about the *weak* field at the Masters all the time. I disagree with that line of thinking, and think part of the prestige is getting to the dance.

>

>

No kidding. Weak field? It's not like these guys tear off a paper finger from a flyer and sign up.

They earn their spot.

11 northern pros finished T19 or better so I don't think you can say the calendar move ruined their chances.

> @Texsport said:

> The PGA is totally disrespecting club pros with their repositioning the PGA Professional Championship to May. At the same time, they moved the PGA Club Championship - the tournament in which club pros qualify for the PGA Championship - to April!

>

> Many, many courses in the northern part of the country are not even open for the season yet. This April date virtually eliminates northern pros from having a realistic chance to qualify, since many haven't hit a single shot since September or October the previous year - 7 months! Obviously, the PGA Club Professional Championship should be in the fall, when every qualifier has an even chance!

>

> RIdiculously bad treatment of those members, and arguably reduces the quality of club pros playing at the PGA Championship.

>

> Additionally, playing the PGA Championship in cold weather is short changing everyone. I certainly hope they reposition future PGAs to warmer locations.

There are pros from the north who work warmer climates in the winter.