Choosing between school or golf

[cpyne]

Alright so I'm about to graduate from a JUCO here in Illinois, and my game isn't quite where I want it to be. So walking on to a D-1 program would be one of the only options if I were to continue going to school.

 

My other option is that I've been looking at this PGCC (Professional Golfers Career College) and I'm thinking with how much they play and practice and learn there, I could possibly get my game up to where I want it to be in those 2 years. Plus I'd get my PGM and could even start working as an assistant pro right after graduation. I know I can get my PGM along with a business degree at several universities, but I'm afraid I wouldn't get the chance to play, practice, and improve nearly as much as I would at PGCC.

 

I figure I can always go back for 2 years and get the rest of my bachelors degree in whatever I want, if I need to. So.....I gotta ask......any advice?

[llamont]

Hello

 

If I were in your shoes, I would opt to complete my Bachelors Degree over the Golf College equivalent. The reason I say this, is because a degree from a traditional institution is more likely to open more doors than the Golf College degree. What happens if you decide that the golf industry isn't for you? And just like you can go back for to complete your Bachelors, you can also finish your Bachelors and then go back and do the Golf College. Although the course content of the GC will focus on the operations necessary to run and operate a golf facility, you can get your BA/BS and then go into the golf industry after college. All of the head pros / first assistants had degrees from traditional schools. I believe the degrees ranged from Business Administration to Sports Management.

 

In closing, you have to be the one to make the decision. Really think about your future and the reality of going into the golf industry. Good luck with your choice.

 

Loren

[redking]

My advice would be to get a Bachelor's degree in business and try to walk on to a golf team there. If that doesn't work, stay in school and play amateur golf in your local area.

 

My experience in the golf business is that it makes you hate being at the golf course, as you have to listen to members / customers whine and complain all day about anything and everything. Also, the pay is not good to be an assistant pro. It takes alot of years of paying dues to become a Director of Golf or Top rated instructor. If your goal is to become a tour player, you need to get yourself in a position to play as much as possible, as opposed to slaving away in the pro shop for 12 hours a day. Even going to school and playing mini tours would be better than being an assistant pro as far as developing your game.

 

If you get a full-on business degree, you have more options. Plus, if you career is away from the golf couse, you will love to be at the course, as opposed to hating being there.

 

Good luck.

[obsessedgolfer]

For most people golf will not end up paying the bills unless you take a job as a club pro or something, get into a good collage,, get a good job, and play golf for the rest of your life.

[wholeinwon]

Trust me from someone who's been in your shoes. If you REALLY love playing golf, don't get in the behind the counter proshop area.

 

Go to normal business school and get a normal job and golf in your free time like 100% of the members at golf courses. Look how much some of those guys play and they all usually have full time jobs or are retired.

 

I've come to this realization after 4 years in the golf business, a PGM degree and now I'm 22 (turning 23) and starting University over because I thought I wanted to work in the golf business.

 

If you love the other side of golf, teaching and aren't worried about playing a lot or making a lot of money until probably your early 30's at best, go for the PGM, PGCC route and work in the business.

 

If you wanna play work on your game, etc. maybe work at a course as a proshop assistant 35-40 hours a week take advantage of the free golf and free range.

 

Being a PGA Professional is probably the worst thing anyone can do for their golf game unless you are at one of those handful of courses which are usually private clubs who only have 50-100 rounds per day b/c their membership is more of a status symbol.

[SDGolfing]

The worst decission of your young life would be to turn down an education. If golf is important to you why not go to a JC like I did for a year or two and then transfer to a school of your choice and play golf or don't play golf. I transfered to one of the top business schools in CA after two year of playing golf realized I did not want to play anymore and now I make enough money in my industry to still play once or twice a week and travel etc. Working in a pro shop? Y u c k

[joey3108]

Just like golf,

 

Think about your odds and % for your long term success.

 

What ever you decide, make sure you do it 110% and be damn good at it.

 

My 2 cents!

 

joe

[Skydiver22]

Look into transferring into a 4 year PGM at a university, this will complete your BA and you will have an emphasis in Golf management. This route is better than having two assoc degrees and spending a lot of money for the accelerated PGM at one of those small strip mall schools, thats where they are here in AZ.... ASU versus strip mall school, easy decision for me.

[hattrick3518]

i think the best place for the young people to be right now is in school... getting a degree, we need brighter people out of the next generation of businessmen :black eye:

[Marrrk]

My experience in the golf business is that it makes you hate being at the golf course, as you have to listen to members / customers whine and complain all day about anything and everything. Also, the pay is not good to be an assistant pro. It takes alot of years of paying dues to become a Director of Golf or Top rated instructor. If your goal is to become a tour player, you need to get yourself in a position to play as much as possible, as opposed to slaving away in the pro shop for 12 hours a day. Even going to school and playing mini tours would be better than being an assistant pro as far as developing your game.

 

If you get a full-on business degree, you have more options. Plus, if you career is away from the golf couse, you will love to be at the course, as opposed to hating being there.

 

yeah, i couldn't agree more with this. my situation a decade ago was much like the OP. I was an inch away from going to a golf career college (SDGA) but then i landed a job as an assistant/apprentice at a local country club and decided to give that a try instead. we would get at least two phone calls a month from golf college graduates looking to see if we were hiring for ANY golf-related job at the club, let alone assistant pro. and this was back in the early 2000's, before the economy tanked. i cant speak to the particulars of the golf college, but this experience coupled with the high costs of the college made me glad i skipped it.

 

as to what is quoted above, in my case at least, it is right on. working at the country club made me hate working in the golf industry. it didn't make me hate golf, per se, but it did make me give up the game for about 4 or 5 years. take that for what it's worth, as it's different for everyone. but in many cases, dealing with members was extremely difficult because they are the customers and the owners. that's a rare dynamic, and unless you have a great membership, it can be extremely unnerving.

 

but anyway, you could have told me all that before i started and i still would have wanted it more than anything else. so i'm not trying to be discouraging at all. in fact, i miss that stupid country club job.