Hey guys. I was just wondering. At what age did all of you pros out there actually become a pro? How long had you been playing before that? Just curious. I don't know much about the professional tour. Thanks!

I went pro when I was 21, I'd been playing 2 years before that. I don't know what people consider "being on tour" really means. I played a lot of tournaments this year ( 35 PDGA ) but I never stayed out on the road for more than a week, I always went back home in between tournaments. So I don't know if that is "touring" or just playing a lot of B and C tiers . . . however I did play 14 Supertours/NT's/M's
It is a helluva lot of fun and maybe I will go out on the road more after I graduate.

Playing 35 is definitely some serious touring, you're just not "on tour" full time.

I'm going to play pro this coming season and I'm 19. I want to tour full- time eventually but I need to finish college and pay off those loans before I have enough money. :(

Right now I play as many tournaments as I can afford to. That keeps me from playing outside my region(say, 7 hour drive). It has me sometimes playing local tournaments instead of playing tournaments out of town on weekends where there are conflicts.

I don't know if there is an age that people start playing a lot of big tournaments, I think it's more when they can afford($$$) to. If you're game gets to the point where you can cash at almost every big tournament it helps a lot with costs.

Aaron Wield took 2nd in Open at Bowling Green when he was 15 and then went on to take 7th at Pro Worlds that year. I don't think it's really age that matters, it's more of when you feel ready you are able to compete at a high enough level to make it worth while touring. If you are good enough to do it when you are 18, I'd say go for it! Just make sure you've graduated high school first ;)

Any of you folks know the NCAA's take/policy on competing/cashing as a pro and how that might affect college amateur eligibility? I'm guessing it is a direct conflict...
Seems like some Ams (both male and female) have gotten the 'sandbagger' moniker when they might just be protecting their future(s)...?
Doc

I played for a year and a half b4 I went Pro. 1 year of recreational playing and then 6 months of playing in Tournaments. I think that is on the high end of the learning curve though.

My eventual goal is to tour full time and run my own disc golf supply company on the side. In the mean time i work 50 hours a week and i think last year i think i was in the top 5 for most tournaments played out of ALL PDGA members. That includes the touring pros and i pretty much only go places on the weekends :eek:

The only 2 tournament swing i will have ever made will be this year when i hit the Gentlemens Club Challenge and the Memorial all in one trip.

I dont think there is a specific age to start touring. I think if your ready to tour and you have the money you could do it at almost ANY age. I think Scott "Scooter" Slater is going to go on tour this summer once he gets out of school and hes only 17. It just depends on having the time and the money to be able to do it. Im not very good right now but if i could get the time off work and i had the money i would go on tour RIGHT NOW. I think going on tour would be able to tell you whether or not you had the ability to become a touring pro or not. I think Feldberg started touring when he was an AM.

Any of you folks know the NCAA's take/policy on competing/cashing as a pro and how that might affect college amateur eligibility?


I don't know the definitive answer, but I do know there was an NCAA college football quarterback playing in a bowl game a couple of years ago who was about 26 years old. He did a stint in minor league baseball, which is a professional sports leagues, and was able to come back to college to play another sport.

I think you would be ineligible to accept a disc golf scholarship or play NCAA disc golf. But since those don't exist...

If you realistically have a shot at a scholarship then I would suggest you check it out with the NCAA clearinghouse thing to make sure. The money available in disc golf tourneys is not worth risking it for.

I think there is/was a Wyominig football player who plays pro disc golf.

Hey guys. I was just wondering. At what age did all of you pros out there actually become a pro? How long had you been playing before that? Just curious. I don't know much about the professional tour. Thanks!




Hey I've been playing about 3 years. I'm 25, and while I'm not at Super Pro status like Schweb and Chris I'd like to think that someday I will be. I'm turning pro this year and I'm going to struggle to cash at the big ones, but I feel that the only way to get better is to play with the big dogs.
Now its time to go play in the 55 degree weather Michigan has right now.

See ya next year big dogs.

Any of you folks know the NCAA's take/policy on competing/cashing as a pro and how that might affect college amateur eligibility? I'm guessing it is a direct conflict...
Seems like some Ams (both male and female) have gotten the 'sandbagger' moniker when they might just be protecting their future(s)...?
Doc

I looked into this a couple of months ago but then got busy with more pressing issues. At the time it looked to me like a pro disc golfer would lose his eligibility to compete in NCAA sports, but an amateur would not, and that the NCAA would respect the PDGA's definitions of pro and amateur. Then it also looked like an amateur would lose his or her NCAA eligibility if he or she accepted sponsorship.

At that time I was reading NCAA documents that are publicly available on the internet. If you care about the issue and research the issue, eventually you will find a document summarizing the eligibility rules that provides a contact person for further information. That was where I was when those more pressing camtodd issues came up.

At one time I heard that the PDGA's top rated amateur woman stayed amateur because she had college scholarship prospects in a different sport.

As to that quarterback, I think there may be an exception for minor league baseball contracts.

Anyway, I'm not representing myself as an expert. I'm just saying that if you are a high schooler looking at going pro, and if you have other college scholarship prospects in another sport, you should red flag the issue.

Thanks for that info Bruce I have retained my amatuer status for just that reason and the fact I want to play Am worlds this year. This is an issue I will need to get more info from my school counsulors just to make sure but if it is true i'll be Am for quite a while. :confused: :confused:

my plan is right out of high school i am going to go on tour with a couple of guys in an RV :o.

Like who? :confused: :D:confused:

You can always spot the juniors!! They are the ones who use more than one smiley face in a row /msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif :mad::D :p ;) :) :cool::D

You can always spot a Heeren he is always stalking little kids

I was thinking myles harding, gregg barsby, me , if matt hall wants to go I am down. :D

Team PUNK :D:D

NO-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-Oooooohhhhhhhh!!!!

Ok you can have her. :D:confused: :D

Kids in an RV, nah I dont think so.

We will be older and maybe we could hire a babysitter. Oh I see what your saying your just skeered of us right. :D:D

I will babysit, at cost. Definitely skeered.

There is no wise age to start touring. I guess the real question i'm answering is "At what age do want to have money?" :D

Or lose it if your on the road. :confused: :D:confused:

Do it when you're young, when you don't mind scrimping by on ramen and flat pepsi while you are living the dream. It's hard to go on the road once you're established.

True i could live on those: LET"S DO IT /msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif :D/msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Do it when you're young, when you don't mind scrimping by on ramen and flat pepsi while you are living the dream. It's hard to go on the road once you're established.



Very true, Rhett.

For those of us who are in mid-career and mid-life, a life of touring on the road is not yet a realistic option. Many of us have jobs that pay more than the top ten disc golfers earned--combined--last year. Resultantly, we have mortgages that a win in most A-tier events couldn't pay one month's worth. We have retirement goals, which includes saving a percentage of our income month-to-month, rather than scraping by tournament-to-tournament.

I'd love to see a day when disc golf is a viable, professional living for more than 2-3 players. We're no where near that right now.

But when I do finally decide to tour full time (and someday I will)...it'll be in style...and in the senior grandmaster division...where and when money and winning won't be a concern. Just the fun of touring.

But, I'll be the first to admit...if I'd found this sport sooner; if I were a younger man unencumbered by the realities and responsiblities of job, carerr, and family...I'd dream of becoming a tour player, and do whatever it took to hit the road.

So, yeah...if you're going to do it...do it before you have any real responsibilites (unless you are capable of making more at golf than you are at any other thing). Don't wait until you have 'enough' money. The more you make, the higher your levels of responsibility and the less chance to shirk them and hit the road.

I think the best option is to get the best job you can that allows you the flexibility to travel as much as you need to. Heck , just move to Texas where you can 'tour' every weekend, and still hold down a full time job during the week (right, TBender and Gary Collier?).

Bender I haven't seen him in forever because of the TX 10's. :D:D

I played for a year and a half b4 I went Pro. 1 year of recreational playing and then 6 months of playing in Tournaments. I think that is on the high end of the learning curve though.



you think...

I was working for the same Large Pharmaceutical company for almost 10 years, making $50,000 plus, when I decided to go on tour. It does not maTTer at what point in your life you go on tour, if you have the abilty, viable resources, and time.

I've been very fortunate to be able to travel "every" weekend and it's been fun. And I'm an Amatuer who might one day play Pro if I get around to it, so I still feel like I'm having fun and the expenses aren't important.

To weekend tour properly you need:
A solid M-F job (that stays M-F -- Rooster's job sounds like it's better with the 1/2 day Fridays though :))
No kids (to eat into your $$$ and time--we have a cat for now. ;))
A minimal amount of bills
Most importantly, a spouse that understands your addiction, errr passion for the game.

Actually, Tony, I only work a 1/2 day every other Friday. Every other week I get Firday off completely.

I work 9 hours Mon-Thurs and 4 hours on Friday one week, and then the next week, I work 10 hours Mon-Thurs and take Friday off.

And the guy I alternate Fridays off with will usually switch with me if I need as specific Friday off to travel to a tournament.

Okay, I now really don't like you. :)

I once worked a 4-10s job and loved the extra day off, and that's when I didn't have a need for the extra day...

yeah, i don't like that guy either! :D:D

I have been playing 25-30 PDGA events every year since `94 and I have a full time job. Until mid June of `04 I had OT every week. We work 4 - 9's and a 4 so I'm off every Friday at 11:00. They used to make us work to noon on Fridays until they realized we were getting OT and weren't really working.

I have no job besides side bets and that is why I have my dad as a financial sponsor. :D:D

What is a Job?

It's why all the old people leave in the mornings and get home late. I think they all go out to play cards. :confused: :confused:

Oh, Is that what my Fiancee does every weekday? LOL

Where do all you guys that go to a couple dozen tournaments per year live? I live in South Dakota, so it is a lot harder to find tournaments around here.

I can imagine, I'm from WI which has a very good disc golf program. There's about 30 tournaments held here and when there's a weekend nothing is going on I just travel to a near by state.

What's a weekend where nothing's going on?

Oh, yeah. That's right...here in Texas we have one of those. I think we call it Easter.

Otherwise we have at least one, and often more than one, tournament per weekend.

yeah, i don't like that guy either! :D:D



****, Marcus...don't hate. Appreciate. Otherwise you'll get Irate. Which will make you over-rotate. And throw another Crush in the lake.

A couple dozen? I played 40 last year. Anywhere but South Dakota.

Throwing a Crush in the lake is beTTer than throwing an Innova disc in the lake.

Unless you prefer Imperial Plastic. That innova stuff is a dime a dozen. Great lake stuff. :D

Yeah..South Dakota has got to get it goin in the disc golf area. We have maybe 2 or 3 tournaments per year. Last summer, there one every weekend in june, but they were just really small tournaments. It is good to have them, but we need more courses for bigger tournaments.

oh , we have Dr. Seuss in the house. nice rap there rooster! :eek:

Throwing a Crush in the lake is beTTer than throwing an Innova disc in the lake.



definately agree on that one !! INNOVA!!!

All hail INNOVA, the plastic you do not want to lose in da water.

did someone say ' INNOVA '

What's that???????????? :confused: :confused:

All hail INNOVA, the plastic you do not want to lose in da water.


yes indeed That is what happened to the last piece of discraft in my bag!! over a year ago!!! unfortunately now i have no water disc, I must now avoid water!!

If you are not a sponsored player you can always carry another companies disc for water shots. ;) :D

well i just hate to put that stuff back in my bag!! sorry I just can not bring myself to that level again!! whats a guy to do?? I guess i will just have to layup!!! ****!! haha!!

Prolly your best be esalazar. Dont lower yorself like that. ;) :D

Bizzump :D:D

INNOVA

the choice of champions!! often imitated never duplicated!!

Team PUNK :D:D

I aint a F***in punk, i'm an angry person.

Team PUNK :D:D

I aint a F***in punk, i'm an angry person.



Yeah when we start doing well at tournaments. :D

I'd have to say that the optimal age to start touring is somewhere between 60-65. After retirement, when you have all the time and money in the world.

If you are lucky enough to be independently wealthy then there is no better time to start roaming around the country than now.

If you just have an itch to go out there and try it, and don't mind living on Ramen Noodles, sleeping in cars or on picnic tables, and barely making it from one town to the next, then by all means GO FOR IT!

I just know that the sport isn't ready for 50+ people to *earn* a living by golfing. It may be ready for 10 people, but prolly not much more than that. Look at the *top* 50 on the money list for the last couple of years....... Here's the current list through July:


Money leaders: 1 thru 50

Barry Schultz 6840 19 WI 6790 $ 18415 1037
Brad Hammock 5912 22 GA 5197 $ 16827 1025
David Feldberg 12626 19 OR 7115 $ 15073 1025
Ken Climo 4297 14 FL 5950 $ 14430 1031
Steve Rico 4666 15 CA 5192 $ 11863 1032
Nathan Doss 11794 15 CA 4887 $ 11247 1017
Brian Schweberger 12989 24 NC 7352 $ 9245 1018
Justin Bunnell 20827 17 MO 4535 $ 9076 1010
Timmy Gill 9293 23 MN 4175 $ 8240 1018
Kevin McCoy 9453 21 OK 4917 $ 8047 1012
George R. Smith 4034 18 MO 4715 $ 7580 1014
Coda Hatfield 23651 20 OK 3317 $ 7435 1006
Matthew Orum 18330 12 AL 3240 $ 7282 1003
Jesper Lundmark 15239 8 5402 $ 6957 1033
John E. McCray 9852 12 FL 2562 $ 6595 1021
Dean Tannock 4028 9 AL 946 $ 6235 1019
Aleksey Bubis 22722 19 AR 5397 $ 6195 995
Jay Yeti Reading 15864 19 IA 5605 $ 6107 995
Avery Jenkins 7495 18 OR 5247 $ 6077 1016
Chris Heeren 18464 19 WI 3980 $ 5897 1015
Al Schack 3407 21 MI 3003 $ 5784 1011
Peter Middlecamp 19026 14 MN 5170 $ 5741 1015
Larry Leonard 3832 15 NC 2808 $ 5327 1012
Steve Brinster 10628 15 NJ 3570 $ 4895 1018
Mike Moser 5557 17 DE 2570 $ 4843 1017
Markus Kallstrom 13150 7 4860 $ 4735 1020
Chris Sprague 16425 15 IA 2450 $ 4677 1008
Joel Kelly 9152 12 TX 1154 $ 4506 995
Phil Arthur 7289 16 GA 3020 $ 4390 1005
Scott Martin 5560 13 MI 1142 $ 4335 1016
Walter Haney 6001 16 NC 2882 $ 4293 1019
Peter Shive 7240 13 WY 372 $ 4276 946
Justin Jernigan 22284 16 NC 3207 $ 4077 1006
Josh Anthon 17946 10 CA 2542 $ 3788 1017
David Greenwell 962 6 KY 1020 $ 3783 1003
Michael Olse 19362 16 TX 1875 $ 3763 990
CR Willey 4390 11 FL 1218 $ 3677 997
Matthew Blakely 15410 17 OH 3780 $ 3604 1004
Rick Voakes 2632 5 KY 2207 $ 3595 1003
Brian McRee 7883 16 NC 2792 $ 3407 1010
Jerry Lee Perez Sr 9957 13 TX 730 $ 3372 968
Leroy Jenkins 5085 14 OH 871 $ 3335 970
Tommi Vesala 15238 13 5927 $ 3220 996
Gregg Miniac Hosfeld 1602 9 FL 1402 $ 3138 1007
Brad Schick 7992 14 OH 2265 $ 3020 1001
Patrick Vitale 10100 13 IN 2205 $ 2946 1003
Jay Burghardt 17834 9 CO 749 $ 2730 980
Snapper Pierson 691 7 CA 496 $ 2687 993
Ryan T. Renz 11437 10 GA 1777 $ 2670 997
Geoff Lissaman 2007 7 CA 1496 $ 2641 1005




Now double those number to get a rough estimate on what a year might bring. It only looks *tempting*, and hardly at that, if your in the top 4. Obviously there are sponsor bonuses, and endorsement bonuses, but only a few get to take advantage of those. I know i wouldn't be able to pay for a house, 2 cars, 3 peoples clothes and food, gas @ $3 gallon, etc........on those wages.

Maybe by the time Baby_Hero, or Baby_Schwebby (hint, hint :)) grow up, the sport will be able to support more people than it does now. Two key ingredients to make that happen: Exposure, and Corporate money

For me it wasn't about the money.. I took a break between highschool and college to go on tour.. And i wouldn't take it back for anything!! do it while your young when youre old youre gunna be tied down and may not ever get the chance, do it while you can! Dont be discouraged if you dont cash at all these big tournaments, have fun! Thats why i go to these tournaments, not to play golf, i play golf with these people every weekend but to hang out in all these different places i may not have ever traveled to (Hawaii & Japan)!! It may not get you all the money but if youre willing to splurge and spend your money on something worth while then i'll see ya out there next year!! :D

And there are ways to make money while touring, as long as you are resourceful. Many sponsored players sell plastic, but I think that the sport is so young that many ideas have not yet been though of or tried out.

I hope to tour next summer using online poker to help supplement the money I will have saved(hopefully). I have a few other ideas that I may try out as well to help me make some money.

I want to get out there and hit the big tournaments because those are the tournaments where I have the most fun, best memories, and meet more people. Aside from great rounds most people don't remember a C tier from last year, but they might never forget the great time they had at the NT(or un-sanctioned event-MSDGC!) they went to.

For me it wasn't about the money.. I took a break between highschool and college to go on tour.. And i wouldn't take it back for anything!! do it while your young when youre old youre gunna be tied down and may not ever get the chance, do it while you can! Dont be discouraged if you dont cash at all these big tournaments, have fun! Thats why i go to these tournaments, not to play golf, i play golf with these people every weekend but to hang out in all these different places i may not have ever traveled to (Hawaii & Japan)!! It may not get you all the money but if youre willing to splurge and spend your money on something worth while then i'll see ya out there next year!! :D

Well said Val

Heck yessssss.. and you get to hang out w/ kinda cool people like Schweberia! Who could ask for more? :D

do it while your young when youre old youre gunna be tied down and may not ever get the chance, do it while you can!



Soooooooo True.

Needs to be done when you are young and are not tied down, or when you are older, and are "untied" b/c the kids are grown. :)

Also, no matter what people say, the $$$$ does matter. Life is so much more enjoyable when you are eating Outback Steaks instead of Ramen Noodles. :D :p

Also, no matter what people say, the $$$$ does matter. Life is so much more enjoyable when you are eating Outback Steaks instead of Ramen Noodles. :D :p



...or you can just splurge on Salisbury steaks when they go on sale!

Also, no matter what people say, the $$$$ does matter. Life is so much more enjoyable when you are eating Outback Steaks instead of Ramen Noodles. :D :p



...or you can just splurge on Salisbury steaks when they go on sale!



LMAO! Now that was funny Val. :D

45! Yes, that's definitely got to be it.


(Please let that be the right answer.)

45...... then that was like 2 years ago for you Spatwood.

18 sounds like a good age for a full summer tour eh? :D

Well I'm 30 and loving every last one of my 15,000 tour miles this year...

Remember, It's the journey, not the destination!

Throwin'Farther and Puttin'Straighter in '07

Well I'm 30 and loving every last one of my 15,000 tour miles this year...

Remember, It's the journey, not the destination!

Throwin'Farther, Puttin'Straighter,<font color="red"> and Fallin' Harder </font> in '07

If you have the time and the money.

Well I have time and I should have $$$ so it is ON. :D

Well I'm 30 and loving every last one of my 15,000 tour miles this year...

Remember, It's the journey, not the destination!

Throwin'Farther, Puttin'Straighter,<font color="red"> and Fallin' Harder </font> in '07





Don't you have some ridlin you should be taking Matt?

THE YOUTH OF THE GAME TOUR!!!!!!!!!!!!!
all details are still to be worked out but we have confirmed a 4 piece line up with Myles Harding, Andrew Rich, Matt Orum, and myself, there will be a dvd, going to be THE MOST EPIC!

THE YOUTH OF THE GAME TOUR!!!!!!!!!!!!!
all details are still to be worked out but we have confirmed a 4 piece line up with Myles Harding, Andrew Rich, Matt Orum, and myself, there will be a dvd, going to be THE MOST EPIC!



How do I get in on that??? I want to tour if at all possible!!!

I think Chris Boro is trading in his car to get an RV. If so the Gateway tour is on this summer. :DProbably Boro, Nikko, Bunnel, and me. Then again Kid may have to keep his desk job so we can pick Double G up. :D

If you're looking for some more young guns, Nate and I are going to do some touring this season. It will be my first time traveling, but Nate has already done some big tourney's.
On the docket for me:
Memorial
Golden State Classic
Beaver State Fling
Pro Worlds
USDGC
Player's Cup

See all you other minors on the fairway!

as long as I will be able to throw normally(could not use index finger to drive with all year, hence didn't play much) I will be out on tour full time this summer, probably in my own RV(once I buy one, lol). Obviously I am not depending on DG for income, I have money, its a non issue for me.

probably also flying to the earlier big NT's, and may head to florida or hawaii over winter break, not sure yet. I will go to the Memorial for sure tho.

Luke, you can get my RV, I have been trying to sell it. It gets 12 - 15 miles per gallon, and has rebuilt motor in it with only 10,000 miles on it.

Luke, you can get my RV, I have been trying to sell it. It gets 12 - 15 miles per gallon, and has rebuilt motor in it with only 10,000 miles on it.




I will definiTTely let you know once I have some more definite plans. right now I can't plan 2 weeks ahead, let alone 4 months.

check, you know how to get ahold of me.