<p>I'm currently a senior in high school, tutoring a freshman who takes all regular courses. He doesn't seem to have any interest in any of his subjects, and also lacks the motivation to try hard, so I'm trying to instill this sense into him a bit. As of now, I'm trying to make him an independant learner so he will never need another tutor again....</p>
<p>But here's the thing: It may be immature thinking, or something a lot more serious, but he wants to join the Pro Golf Association (PGA). He currently plays on the freshman golf team, and sometimes on JV, and this is his one passion. And I use the word passion to a strong extent...like it's such an obsession that it's his one escape from the real world, something that relieves him of a lot of stress. </p>
<p>I want to make his dreams come true and for him to be really happy, but to me, the PGA seems like such a futile goal...and I don't want him to be dissapointed in the end. </p>
<p>One friend of mine actually did want to join the PGA once, and was ranked like 700 / 6000 players in the national Junior rankings, and he will be attending Penn State University for Pro Golf Management. Are there any more options like this? How should I approach this...? As a tutor, I want to be a guide for the future...but I don't want to crush his one dream like how mine was crushed...</p>
<p>Here's how you handle it: he doesn't play if he's not on a college team. Soooo...</p>
<p>...that means he has to STAY in college and WORK (gasp). </p>
<p>You are his tutor, not his mother. Tell him to get his act together. He's not a child anymore. Only the best get recognized and invited to invitationals. And only the best are those kids who stay in college and make the grades.</p>
<p>He's a 14 year old freshman in high school...college is still a couple years off.</p>
<p>Of course I've been telling him to get his act together. And to an extent, this works, but you can't motivate someone to work unless he or she finds the drive within himself/herself. It's why I need other options for this kid.</p>
<p>Tell him about a career in Turfgrass Management - lots of opportunities! Just get a Bachelor's Degree - that will probably be found in a department like Horticulture - and he can spend most of his life on a golf course and make a good living!!! Gotta be fairly sharp in Basic Sciences, though. That weeds out - pun intended - a number of those who start such a program.</p>
<p>And encourage him to pursue his passion as a player, but make sure that he knows that vewwy, vewwy few people can make a living from the PGA tour.</p>
<p>Hi - I've worked at a golf course for the past 3 years, and I can tell you that pretty close to everyone who is willing to go through with years and years of apprenticeships and tests and PATs (playing ability tests) can probably become a member of the PGA and at least give lessons (which isn't such a bad profession if you are good at it). </p>
<p>First - he needs to get a job just in the bag room or something similar at a local golf club. Nearly EVERYONE who is a pro that I've known started off doing this. He can play golf for free (find a club that is more laid back), learn first-hand how things run, meet and become good friends with plenty of assistant pro's as well as the head pro, etc, etc. He'll have people who can tell him exactly what the steps are to become a PGA professional. </p>
<p>From there, well, you still have to make sure he stays in school, haha. All of the assistant pro's (and the head pro for that matter), no matter what their official major was, all went to college. To become a head professional (quite lucrative actually) it will probably help him SIGNIFICANTLY to have majored in a management- or service-related field. These guys have to effectively more or less run the golf-side of things whereever they work. It's very much like a normal managerial role, only at a golf course.</p>
<p>The money is even decent working in the bagroom - after tips, I've made about $15 an hour the past few years, before even going to college. Now, after just one year in college (which has nothing to do with it), I'll be returning as a manager of outdoor golf operations/the bag room. </p>
<p>So anyway, the thing to do is to definitely get a summer job at a local course. Either a public course or private club will do, although the better jobs (for PGA pro's) will almost always be at the private clubs, so that might be the better way to go (and it's usually not any harder to get hired at these). And even if he decides not to go into the pro golf business, he'll almost certainly meet members who just may give him a job when he graduates college or internships once he's there.</p>
<p>And to LAGator - but tons - TONS - of people make a living giving lessons or running a golf course/country club (all members of the PGA). The playing qualifications really aren't that tough, at all, if you really are dedicated. You certainly don't have to be "smart," either (although if you want to become a head professional you have to have done something right besides give good lessons).</p>
<p>give the kid a break, he is a freshman lol. Let the kid have fun.. help him keep up his grades but he will obviously start thinking differently as he gets older. 14 years old.. hes got a lot of time, push too hard they push away, dont push hard enough they fall away. Keep a balance, make a deal such as he keeps his grades up and you support his golf more and more.</p>