pro golfing

Question
dear skip
what kind of grades do you need to make to be able to play on the pga tour

Answer
Dear Christopher,

Grades?  Not sure exactly what you are asking but I'll make a stab at it anyway.

Here's one way to look at it:  If you're in high school you need to make good enough grades to get into a college with a good golf program.  The best golf programs are at schools like Arizona State, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, Wake Forest, Florida, USC, etc.  Mostly southern schools.  No college coach wants a player on his team that may be ruled ineligible due to poor grades.

Plus, being smart and attending to your responsibilities in the classroom means you are more likely to be a mature person.  It takes a certain amount of maturity to play and compete at the higher levels.

Once you get into a good school you have the opportunity to compete against the best competition.  That's why the good college players have such an advantage when they get to the Tours.  They've been competing against stiff competition and their games are more seasoned than someone playing at a junior college or in other amateur events.

So, yes, making good grades can be important to your future plans of playing professional golf.  Having a great game on the course and making good grades is not mutually exclusive.  You should have both in order to be successful.

Good luck!

Paul Dolman
PGA Professional