One way is to get a job at a Golf course working under a class A pro. Then you can become an apprentice and you are on your way. After proving your playing ability and course and pro shop knowledge, you too can become a class A pro. It takes about 3 years. Another way is try to get your PGA tour card. That's 6 days of tough golf for only a few spots. You have to be a player. Remember there are two types of golf pro's.... You have professional golfers (they play for a living) then there's golf professionals (they work at a golf course) The first ones generelly don't know anything about the day to day operation of a golf course.
The most straitforward was is to pay the $4000 entry fee for the "Qualifying" school. There are 3 stages: 1st stage is 4 rounds and the top 10% get to 2nd stage, and then the top few get to the final stage which is 6 long rounds. The top 25 finishers there get their card. Another way to get a Tour card is to play on the Nationwide Tour and win 3 events in a season or finish in the top 15 on that money list.
To keep your tour card, the top 125 ranked players on the "Official Money List" are exempt for the following year. Also, if you win a tournament, you are exempt for the following year. As of this writing, the 125th player has just over $740,000 in winnings.
Q-school is now $5000 or $4500 if paid before a certain date. There is also an additional stage that has been added called the pre qualifier which is 4 rounds. players that don't meet any of the qualifications to get into 1st stage play in the pre qualifier. The entry fee is reduced ($2500) with an additional $2500 due after a player advances to stage #1. In 2006 there were 4 sites used for this stage. I played at PGA West and 40 players were advanced from this site a little less than half the field. PGATOUR.com has any Q-School info you may need or call PGA tour headquarters competition department for any additional info.
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Answer first you go to PGA qualifing school and then get your PGA card There are a few ways. You can go through Q school and the Nationwide tour or you can be highly ranked on the world money list/rankings like many European players who play in the states. You also qualify for a card if you play in the Ryder Cup. There are a few other quirky ways but finishing in the top 25 on the Nationwide Tour is the most common. Getting your card is one thing...keeping it another :)
Either go to Q School, graduate through the Nationwide Tour or get sponsors exemptions and earn enough money to finish in the top 125 and be given a card. Or win an event, which gives you a two year exemption.
There are several ways to earn an LPGA Tour Card. One is by going through the qualifying tournament, known as Q-school, a grueling multiday tournament. Another is by placing in the top five of the Duramed Futures Tour. Another is by finishing in the top 80 of the LPGA's money list. (The rule used to allow the top 90, but it was recently changed to 80.)
If you are asking this question, you have no chance of making it on the tour so do not worry about it.