Advice Needed from some Players

[jezlax]

Call it a quarter-life crisis if you will...but I need some advice re: this wonderful game and figure this might be the best place to heed it. Note: I didn't know which board to put this is, so I chose SE Chapter because that's where I am and where I would be.

 

Long story short, I'm 24, graduated 2 years ago, and have been working your regular desk jockey job since. I played in college, and consider myself a "player." I put up a 138 in my first tourney of the year this past week, without a ton of practice, at a course which used to host a Buy.com event way back in the day.

 

Anyhow, here's my problem: Every year around this time I have this dying need to say f*ck it, pickup, move to SC/NC/GA/FL, and pound balls / pour drinks for a living.

 

My plan would be to move down to maybe Charlotte or Columbia and practice for a season while staying Amateur and then move into Egolf / Hooters world with a monday qualifier here and there when they were in the region.

 

Here's the logistics behind my situation:

1. I don't really have anyone else to pay before besides myself (no college loans - lucky, no car payments, etc...just your basic bills)

2. I have a little bit of savings from my first two years of work, but nothing astronomical, and I'd be completely supporting myself in golf.

3. My thought would be to look for a job waiting tables / bartending, which would a) allow for practice time and b) probably mesh with a tournament schedule that's usually in the middle of the week (as eGolf is)

4. My current lease where I live now (a few states north) is up in August, so I am considering moving back home for the winter and then making this push around Feb/March when the weather gets nice again.

 

Any input here would be awesome guys, I'm really trying to figure out a) am I f*****g crazy b) is there an ideal place for me to move to/practice/play if I do make this jump, c) is there any way to "raise capital" as eGolf events can be $$$ d) I've got Kuchar to win at Olympic

 

Best in golf,

 

cj

[nitram]

Give it a shot while you still can CJ.

It'll be one less regret you'll have later in your life.

[wlittle1274]

Give it a go!.. However, I highly suggest playing in as many nationwide/PGA Monday qualifiers as you can.. They're not very expensive and if you catch lightning in a bottle you actually get somewhere.. Say you shoot -20 under and win an egolf tour event.. That's great right?.. Quite a bit of money don't get me wrong but what did you gain?.. No status anywhere.. 2 months later after you've spent your winnings from that tournament on entry fees/rent/food/gas/travel you're back to square one.. Mini tours are basically a huge group of guys gambling.. Everybody puts in a huge entry fee and they all play for the money in the entry fee pot.. I get that you have to play mini tour events to try and make money because it's so difficult to Monday qualify for the big tours but just be selective about which ones you decide to play in and don't just play in all of em 'because you can'.. Most of all good luck!.. And no doubt do it.. When you're 40 you'll be glad you did..

[rulle35]

I don't want to rain on any parades, and I'm not saying you won't make it, but you need to come up with a plan. How long are you going to do it? How many events a year are you going to play in? What is your plan to get off the etour an onto the next stage? Do you have really have the means to pursue the life without backing? Did you win any events in college? Getting out there requires a track record because unless you are going to win, especially at the etour level, you aren't going to go anywhere or make any money. If you feel good about your personal answers here, go for it. I'm sure it would be a blast for a year or two, but just know that most of us go back to "real life", hat in hand, eventually.