What skills do you need to play Professional golf?

Answer 1

Most importantly, you'll need to be able to consistently shoot under par on Golf courses that are long and difficult. Even near the "bottom tier" of the professional tours (Tarheel Tour, Hooters Tour, etc..) the courses are routinely over 7000 yards, with ratings > 73 and slope ratings > 140. At the "top tier" of professional golf (PGA Tour, European Tour), the courses are set up even more difficult, often with ratings > 75 and slopes > 145.

Really, the only skill that is necessary is the ability to shoot low scores. You can be short, tall, skinny, fat, smart, dumb, etc.. at the end of the day only the score matters.

That being said, there are many factors which directly affect most player's ability to shoot low scores:

1. Fitness. On most professional tours, a player is expected to walk during the round. A PGA Tour course at 7300 yards (for example) means that adding up the length of every hole (tee to green) equals 4.15 miles. Throw in the walks between holes, and you're looking at roughly 5 miles... usually on relatively hilly terrain. Being able to walk the course without getting fatigued is very important. At the end of a normal PGA Tour event (72 holes), the average pro has likely walked 30-35 miles (including practice rounds, pro-am round, etc..). If that same pro plays 25 events in a year, their yearly total = roughly 800 miles walked. Fitness matters.

2. Weather. Golf is obviously played outdoors, in all different kinds of weather. Your ability to shoot par should not be adversely affected by wind, rain, heat, cold, humidity, etc..

3. Temperament. Some days will be a 75, some days will be a 67. Your ability to accept adversity and the occasional poor round will be a huge asset.

4. Nerves. Its one thing to shoot a 74 at your local course with your best buddies watching. Its quite another to shoot a 74 on a course that measures 7400 yards, with deep rough, deep bunkers, hard/fast greens, and firm/tight fairways... with hundreds (or thousands) of people watching.

5. Rules. Knowing the rules of golf is incredibly important.

6. Money. Travelling the U.S. (or world) playing professional golf requires money that not everyone has. Hotel, food, gas, plane, caddie.... all necessary expenses. Below the top tiers of professional golf, entry fees are often required that can be >$500 per event.

Answer 2

A professional golfer needs no formal education at all. If you get to around +3 or so you could simply decide to turn pro. Though, there is no handicap limit at which you can turn pro.

Answer 3

Be able to hit the ball straight and a long way, and be able to have precision accuracy to get it close to the hole.

Answer 4

skill