Careers in Golf
There’s lots of ways you can have a career in golf!
There are two main types of Golf Professional, the Tournament Professional and the Club Professional.
Being a tour pro is certainly my dream! Travelling the world, entering all the competitions and winning loads of money doing something you love - what could be better?
But I know the reality is a bit different!
You first have to find the money to even get a small chance at entering the open competitions - the entry fees are pretty steep. Then you will have to find the cash for all the flights and accommodation. You are up against hundreds of other elite golfers. But don’t be put off - just make sure you get all the facts so that you can go for your dream!
Other Options..
And if you don’t quite “cut it” as a tour pro, or you are still waiting for your parents lottery win to fund you, then you can always become a pro golfer at a Golf Club and set yourself up as a coach and the Club Professional.
If you are not interested in becoming a golf professional, you can always consider other jobs and careers in the golfing industry. How about being a Manager of a Golf Club or a Caddie or even a Greenkeeper, or specialist golf photographer. There are lots of different jobs that you could do that involve golf.
What’s important is that you get a good all round education to help you keep your options open.
Further and Higher Education
If you leave school at 16, many colleges now offer two year full-time courses in Sport, specialising in golf. There is the BTEC National Diploma, which is the equivalent of three GCSE A Levels. Or there is the BTEC First Diploma in Sport, Golf and Outdoor Education.
If you leave school at 18, there are many Universities that offer a Degree course in Golf.The English Golf Union produce a booklet about all the different courses and colleges and you can download it from the website.
You can always think about going to America to study golf at a University there. It’s quite expensive and can be difficult to get grants or funding. The English Golf Union can point you in the right direction so just email them with your questions.
There are now a number of universities and colleges in both the UK and America that offer golf scholarships or bursaries to help you train and participate in golf to the highest level, while you continue your education. This means you are able to keep your options open and get a more general education for future careers, yet still develop your golfing skills.