The PGA Playing criteria

As promised I have found out a bit more about the process of turning professional. I have found out the standard you have to play at to maintain your PGA Professional status. The whole process has changed...

In the past, all you had to do within three years of turning pro was to complete 5 (I think!!) scores within 2 of the course standard scratch (course rating). Considering that most active pro golfers will play at least 15 tournaments a year this is pretty much a piece of piss!

Now, upon turning professional the objective is to maintain a playing handicap of 4 or better for your first three years. THIS IS DAMN CONFUSING as the distinction between being an amateur or professional is that when you turn pro is that you are supposed to lose your handicap!

You have to play a minimum of 7 tournaments a year and get a buffer of 2 shots (thus you can shoot 6 over par) and not go up .1. It operates in the same way as normal handicap so anything better than +4 gets cut .1 depending on how many better than +4 you are and after three years your 'handicap' must not have gone above 4. If you do, then your performances will be 'discussed' by the PGA to establish whether or not you get another chance.

This has really baffled me. I can't understand how a handicap can be allocated to a professional golfer. From a selfish point of view this is not so bad as I play off 2 so am effectively getting 2 more shots to play with but I want to be able to be able to go out and play, on that day, BEST SCORE WINS, whatever it is and without worrying about handicaps. Its a strange system of doing things but hopefully it shouldnt be a problem.

I'm not overly bothered though in honesty because in realistic terms, if my playdoesnt match up to the above criteria, how can I ever hope of making a succesful career out of playing golf??!

There you go, stay tuned..........