Can you make a living as Tour Pro Golfer?

Have a chat with young golfer, who keen now on ASEAN tour. Talking about life as a golfer.

I mean, if you are in the US or EU, you could make a living with the sponsors contracts, wins, start a school and etc.. But in Singapore, can you really survive with just wins alone. Unless, you are the Creme of the Creme, i.e. MM, LCB, MuruG, I guess it is pretty tough. Golf tour professionally, is a tough career.

What is the career path of professional golfer? What is the options?

I rather have a good paying job and play golf as a hobby.....

shotah wrote:

I rather have a good paying job and play golf as a hobby.....

i second this..

tour players will not have the luxury of changing shafts and putters like we do. hahahhaha...

they do and its mostly free from their sponsors..

But if they are sponsored by callaway, then they cannot buy ikasu right?

i guess that is true... but they can play with shafts and theirs is prototypes and exotics.. one of the perks of being a Touring Pro.

Just my view and observations, no offence to anyone etc.

In Singapore making Sports as a career is very tough as i know a lots of Sportman in various sports. These are some of the common reasons they faces....

1) Career path is short as you reach your prime, another younger sportman overtake you and you are in the closet. Even you cont. to compete, you are never sure of a win. AGE is a enemy to a Sportman especially in sports like football, table Tennis etc, where stamina, speed and skill all comes in. Few make it, eg Fandi Ahmad...but how many Fandi we have, where is 70's Kim Song now ??? Remember every Sportman will age one day.....

2) Singapore everyday is producing young pro of every sports, Singapore got only 4 million in population, can any Pro confirm full lessons everyday ?

3) Trying to teach Uni, JC and other institutions are getting very difficult as every Institution are working very closely with Singapore Sport Council, "SEP" programm. This SEP programm is where SSC will pay 50% , Institutions 50% of fees to the Pro. The Pro also have to sits for countless of course including NACAP levels course. It don't end here as whether the Pro can teach or not depend Highly on the sport NCA ( National Sport Assn) If the NSA don't approved you even you are a member, the Pro CANNOT teach as Institution will have a Online portal for them to chose and if you name is not there, the Pro have to start all over again.
If the pro is approved by NSA, it also don't GURANTEE the Pro will get a job.

4) Back to golf pros, a golf pro if he or she wants to start to teach at a golf range, i heard that the pro must pay the range upfront $$$$ for a space and time even for that month he don't teach enough to cover. ( Citation needed)

Hope this don't spoil any Pro plans out there, the world out there is real and harsh, if you don't make the mark another younger chaps comes in.

My advice is if any Pro wants to make his or her Sports as a career, 1st study hard, have a good Degree etc so if the sports you teach don't work out, at least you have a Degree to fall back to. Always have a BACK DOOR.

my two cents.... as what MM tells us during our last game with DGman & Bryan.. they find it tough and they have to see which tours to play in and also the expenses involves... playing in Europe and UK where the exchange is 2 times.... but we admire MM for his approach to the game, his humility, work ethics and we wish him all the very best in his career.

Like most sports, you have to be the best of the best to succeed. Golf is one of those sports where the rewards/payouts are unbelievable (from winnings and mostly from endorsements) but you tend to only get there if you're top of the league. Otherwise, it's not easy.

I've read lots of stories of players who had to live out of their cars and cheap motels just trying to scrimp and save since earnings are low. We all idolize the likes of Woods, Mickelson, Singh etc but they are the exception rather than the norm... and a minuscule exception too. While many pro golfers will make a decent living, most tend to fall by the wayside and suffer.

For Asians, I think we have a disadvantage in that the tours here are not as fancy as the ones in the US or Europe. Accordingly, prize money is also lower as well as recognition. Breaking into the US Tours is tough but once you're in, you can make some money and survive. But staying in is another problem. It's not easy from what I've read and it requires total 110% commitment to the game.

In any case, I agree with shotah that having a good job and enjoying golf as a pastime is ideal. Nothing stops you from excelling at golf but I would be fearful to make it my bread and butter unless I was nothing short of exceptional.

My 2 cents.

But... there is only one Shotah and one Technospaz...

Lamts18 wrote:

But... there is only one Shotah and one Technospaz...

Thank goodness... any more Technospazes and the world will implode.

and all will be recreated and reborn..... i wish to be a very good golf player with a good job and understanding wife and considerate girlfriends

Lamts18 wrote:

and all will be recreated and reborn..... i wish to be a very good golf player with a good job and understanding wife and considerate girlfriends

Take a number and get in line, Mr. Lam

Lamts18 wrote:

and all will be recreated and reborn..... i wish to be a very good golf player with a good job and understanding wife and considerate girlfriends

Bro ! you are TOO MODEST LAH ! Your career path is just too Amazing lor.......YES only one and only Mr Lam.....it an honour to have you as a friend ! But your Q no still stand, case by case....

I wonder then how did the Thais and Korean made it in their own country?

Khorkar wrote:

I wonder then how did the Thais and Korean made it in their own country?

It's not impossible but exceedingly difficult. I guess in their case, they worked hard and got sufficient support from their countries etc.

I think its the same in every sport. I remember that when i was going around playing touranments in the game of pool and snooker, it seems that most of the top players, some of them even singapore national players, are making ends meet. Hence I finally realise that its very difficult to succeed in sport not only in Singapore but in all the other countries. Bottom line is you must have the luck and make sure someone spotted you, if not, you are just like a average joe who plays better in that particluar sport.

If you guys have ever catch a glimpse of Autralian tour on GOlf channel, you will know what i mean, some of those guys cannot even afford to get a caddie and they have to pull their own cart.

Not all sports cause players to suffer so much. Golf, basketball, tennis and F1 racing are some of the most rewarding (financially) sports out there. Snooker and pool (both of which I love) tend to fall in the lower end of the spectrum, unfortunately.

I think we are just seeing the better side of sports on TV. Snooker is actually not the lower spectrum if you are like James wattana of thailand. Do you know he is treated like a king in thailand? This is becase he brought glory to asia as well as thailand as being the first asian to be in the world league against people like henry, davis etc.

shotah wrote:

I think we are just seeing the better side of sports on TV. Snooker is actually not the lower spectrum if you are like James wattana of thailand. Do you know he is treated like a king in thailand? This is becase he brought glory to asia as well as thailand as being the first asian to be in the world league against people like henry, davis etc.

As I mentioned, if you can break into the super league of any sport, you would have found success. However, if you can't, then it's more difficult. Even then, with sports like snooker, the super league isn't as rewarding as that of golf.

Yah true... but for me, i think snooker is more rewarding than golf in terms of betting. hehe

shotah wrote:

Yah true... but for me, i think snooker is more rewarding than golf in terms of betting. hehe

Play more "money medals" lor..

I think it's tough to be a touring pro. If you're not that good or just starting out, you need to finance your own travel and stay, entry fees to play the tournaments, etc.
Then if you don't make the cut, then you don't get paid.

Yah, maybe next time find some kaki play one stroke $5. But standard definitely must be around the same or else confirm jia lat.

shotah wrote:

Yah true... but for me, i think snooker is more rewarding than golf in terms of betting. hehe

Haha. I was going to ask you to play... but I just remembered your post about you playing in local snooker/pool tournaments.

I think I'll stick to playing Killzone 2 for the time being.