Plenty of opportunities for young players in overseas tours

FRIDAY, MAY 18: Daniel Augustus dismantling of the field at this week’s Jack Daniels Tour has brought forth an impassioned cry to have him playing overseas.

He certainly isn’t the only Bermudian who has the potential to make his mark in the golf.

For many young Bermudian golfers their goal is to emulate the players they see on TV and play tournament golf.

Professional golf offers a range of career choices for talented golfers to pursue from tournament player to rewarding roles as club professionals, coaches or director of golf management positions.

European Tours

If playing full time is an ultimate goal then the European tour, the Challenge Tour and PGA Europro Tour — the tour I played, but not very successfully unfortunately — all offer opportunities.

PGA Professional

For golfers keen on playing but also intent on making a career as a club professional, coach or in some other area of the golf industry, becoming a PGA member offers the preferred route, Some players, such as Ian Poulter, elect to become PGA professionals first and then pursue a full time tournament career, safe in the knowledge they have other career options to fall back on. Poulter in my opinion is a real star, finishing his PGA studies before becoming a huge success on the World Tours.

The PGA & European Tour

The PGA and European Tour are two separate bodies, although with close historical ties. The current European Tour was created when the PGA’s tournament playing division became independent in 1984.

The PGA, which looks after the interests and training of club professionals and coaches, is based at The Belfry while the European Tour is situated at Wentworth in Surrey and is solely concerned with running tournaments for its members. The PGA of America had a similar split to create the PGA Tour.

When young golfers talk about ‘becoming a golf pro’ it’s highly likely they are referring to playing on the European or PGA Tour. The prospect of playing the world’s best courses, in front of Matt Kuchar won the Players Championship last week to win over $2 million dollars in one week.

The reality is that competition is extremely fierce.

Each year just 150 tour cards are available for either of the Tours and the standard of play is very high. The annual pilgrimage to Tour School, remains one of golf’s most daunting trips with literally thousands of great golfers battling it out for just 35 or so cards.

Developmental Tours & Other Routes

Players keen to make their way in tournament golf are best advised to try the developmental tours, namely the Challenge Tour and below that the PGA Europro Tour.

These provide a stepping stone with the Challenge Tour feeding the European Tour, and the PGA Europro Tour feeding the Challenge Tour.

If you have got your heart set on following in Ian Poulter’s footsteps and becoming a full time tournament player, good luck!  Golfers sometimes don’t make the grade until as late as their mid-30s. If it’s your dream - don’t give up.

However, the bottom line for many golfers eager to pursue a career as a full time tournament professional is money. Quite simply it costs money to compete - entry fees, equipment, hotels, travel expenses, paying for expert coaching - it all adds up. Most players have to generate sponsorship to cover the expense of competing full time or rely on generous parents.

However to blame that fact that you don’t have any money in Bermuda to play competitive golf is not appropriate, there are many stories on the PGA tour where the players work nights to sustain there dream of playing it just requires hard work on and off the golf course.

Finally in terms of practice to make it to the highest level a minimum of 40 hours per week is required, if you’re not doing that, you’re not going to make it, or even come close.