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To Those in the Golf Biz.... Do You Still Love Golf?

KellyBo said:
Does it count that I retired from my FT job and then went to work in the business PT? I handle the accounting for our county owned course and work the pro shop for a whopping 20 hours a week. I've been there a little over 2 years now. At first, I just wanted to get away from there asap when I got off work but now I never want to leave. As soon as I clock out, I'm on the course unless it's bad weather.

Pros
  • Unlimited golf and range balls
  • PT income funds my golf addiction
  • Get to meet and play with a lot of different people
  • Employee discount on Cleveland/Srixon products!!! Woohoo!!!!!
Cons
  • Catch a lot of ribbing about my game from boss, co-workers, and other golfers who like to just show up and watch me hit the ball
  • Hard to practice without interruption (unsolicited instruction from a lot of hackers)

I've learned to just ignore my buddies and laugh with them when my game is the pits. I know they are rooting for me but I guess I dish out as much as they give me back. We have a blast at our course and I love the game more than ever.
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Absolutely Kelly, I was wondering when you'd jump on here! Thanks for the input!
 
I really enjoy reading these posts and finding out just how passionate some of you are about the industry and the game, even when it's your life every day.
 
are you kidding... for a guy thats obsessed with golf... i love my job
its almost like asking a pornstar if he's getting tired of his job... there are tons of guys that are more than willing to take over hahaha
 
It also depends how deep into the company you are, the type of golf club youre working for (resort, private, public), and the seniority of your job.


If its going to be a full time job for you, and youre trying to support a family on it, Id look elsewhere(If you plan to play everyday and such).
 
bogey_russ said:
are you kidding... for a guy thats obsessed with golf... i love my job
its almost like asking a pornstar if he's getting tired of his job... there are tons of guys that are more than willing to take over hahaha
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LOL at the pornstar reference Russ! You are right about people standing in line for our jobs. Everytime I think about moaning over having to go to work, I think about how lucky I am to have this job!
 
This summer I'm working at a pro shop here in town cleaning carts and simple things like that and I get free golf at two nice courses because of it. I doubt I will lose interest but I'm young :/. The kind of interesting thing is, and this is true, is that I didn't even apply to the place. I bought a membership there last march, and was there 3-4 times a week in the summer. So, one night at like 7 I was still out on the putting green and the guy who runs it who I had talked to pretty frequently, offered me the job. This could be just a thing of him needing a person to take this, but I like to think my love of the golf game helped me get my first job.

p.s - None of my friends that don't have jobs yet don't tease me anymore for golfing so much!
 
KellyBo said:
LOL at the pornstar reference Russ! You are right about people standing in line for our jobs. Everytime I think about moaning over having to go to work, I think about how lucky I am to have this job!
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oh man... the pay sucks... but if you factor in the free benny's(golf@3 diff courses/range/discounts etc) ive pretty much made up for it hahaha
lots of ppl always ask if i can hook them up with jobs there and there is even a waiting list on volunteers
 
gbigoose1 said:
The kind of interesting thing is, and this is true, is that I didn't even apply to the place. I bought a membership there last march, and was there 3-4 times a week in the summer. So, one night at like 7 I was still out on the putting green and the guy who runs it who I had talked to pretty frequently, offered me the job. This could be just a thing of him needing a person to take this, but I like to think my love of the golf game helped me get my first job.
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that is similar to how i got started in the business. i was playing all the time with different groups. and hovering at demo day hitting all the equipment and getting to know the reps. i was always hanging around practicing until dark and someone finally asked if i was interested in getting free golf and practice privileges. HECK YES i was!! i started out volunteering one afternoon a week as a starter. and then i volunteered my time for junior golf camps and ladies golf clinics. instead of cash they paid me in equipment. then they offered me a job in the shop. that's when i got serious and starting working toward my PGA credentials. the rest is history.


if you truly love the game....more than just playing the game....it's a really rewarding profession. maybe not financially....but there is more to life than money....imo.
 
I was filling out my registration to become a CPGA member the other day when I ran into the part where you had to pay a $350 start up fee. I quit there and will resume when I actually get a job :p

I'm still quite skeptical. it seems like you have to dedicate this part of your life to becoming one and I am only looking to do this on the side as I earn my business degree.
 
Dent said:
I was filling out my registration to become a CPGA member the other day when I ran into the part where you had to pay a $350 start up fee. I quit there and will resume when I actually get a job :p

I'm still quite skeptical. it seems like you have to dedicate this part of your life to becoming one and I am only looking to do this on the side as I earn my business degree.
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Dent have a look at Holland College in PEI, if I'm not mistaken they combine the 2.
 
That's really cool SD. Maybe if I do good this summer I'll be able to do something more than wash carts but I'd really be fine either way!
 
yes i still love it... even tho my hcp has gone into the toilet the past year... but thats a diff story hahaha
 
snicker.doodles said:
we were talking about playing (or lack thereof) today. wondering if any of us could pass the PAT again......hahahahahha.
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my boss sure could... then again his "lessons" are mostly on course lessons with low cappers hahaha
 
Well will add to this have been in the golf business for 20 yrs and almost 10 yrs as a PGA professional. Would not change what I do for anything in the world, love getting up in the
morning and can't wait to go to work. Have worked in 5 different states and at all different clubs (public, resort and private) and where I'm at now for the last 2 yrs is one of the
best that I have worked at. We have a board of directors that lets us run the course the way that we want and as long as we make money and keep their dues down they are very happy. I tell assistants that they are going to make very little money and spend alot of money to get your PGA membership, but in the long run it is well worth it if you plan
on making this a carrer and not just a job.
 
Count me in the list of people who would absolutely love to get into the industry but haven't really found an opening. I have an accounting degree and experience in both manufacturing and banking but don't see a career in golf in my future. I would be interested in doing something like KB does or possibly managing a pro shop and the day to day activities of a course. Then again, I can only imagine how many business professionals with more experience than I possess would be chomping at the bits for that type of position.

I've thought about going to a type of golf school to become a teaching professional but don't see that being feasible at the moment. I'm getting married in March and will have a wife / future family to support. For now I'll stick to reading these forums and playing on the weekends!
 
I made the switch from corporate America to an assistant pro for a year, I loved it! I was 38 with a family though and couldn't do what needed to be done to get my class A. I went from 70k a year to 20k a year and emptied my savings and even dipped in the 401k to survive financially. In the end, I needed the break from the corporate grind, I got to play some incredible courses all over the east coast, I learned about the cost of going after some dreams, and I realized how important how important planning for your future while you're young is. Had I made some different choices while I was younger, I'd be a class A now and working in the industry I absolutely love! If you can afford to get in, Do It!
 
I started a golf blog here in Norway in May 2010. Nobody was testing equipment here, all the tests in magazines and websites were translated from English (Golf Monthly ++). I saw this as an opportunity and started the blog. Now, 18 months later, I'm a writer for two Norwegian golf magazines and two websites :) It has cost me quite a lot of money to buy all the clubs I've tested, but in the end it paid of.

I still love golf but I don't get to play as much as I want to. If I didn't have to spend every day writing articles my swing would propably look better.

If I could give one advice to someone - I'm not sure about the expression here - don't put all your eggs in one basket. I think it's very "american-dream-like" to do that. My golf projects - equipment testing and writing articles, translating English articles and interviews, writing general news articles about golf, helping fellow golfers find cheap places to stay when travelling to Portugal. We're moving to Portugal sometime next year and I'm planning on working as a golf host for Norwegian golfers. The point is that I have many sources of income.

Start a blog - the big companies follow golfers blogs and on facebook. Try to do interviews, write about equipment and golf gossip. There are a lot of golf websites, but someone might still be looking for someone talented to work for them. A blog can give you a good reputation both locally and nationally.
 
To me, if you want to truly enjoy playing the game of golf, dont work in it. If you love the game of golf, moreso for the enjoyment of being able to provide others with something they love, then sure, go for it.


If I could go back and do it all over again, Id get into something different, so I could truly appreciate the game for what it is. Im not dissatisfied with my current career path, but Id sure love to play alot more and not get sick of the game from being around it all day and week and month and year.
 
The golf "business" is as dirty and cut throat as the automobile industry. There's alot more to the "business" than standing behind a counter taking tee times and trying to sell somebody clubs. After 20 plus years, I still love the "game", but the "business" and "game" are 2 totally different animals. The game is about honor and integrity and the "business" is about $$$ and not much more.
 
Started in the golf biz in my 20's. 6 great years. Best time ever for no money and a lot of hours. Had kids, had to make money. Bye Bye golf biz. Kids are grown, back in the golf biz, loving every second.
 
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