Opinion & Analysis

So Junior wants to play pro golf, does he?

Published

9 years ago

Sep 12, 2017

Over the past 15 years, I’ve had a front-row seat to elite junior golf. I have watched more than 1,500 rounds of golf and evaluated upward of 10,000 junior golfers. Over that time, I can remember only four truly great rounds of competitive golf in big-time moments. The rest were average, below average, or wildly disappointing for a group of golfers who are very, very good, but not PGA Tour-level great.

The implication is simple; most junior golfers — something like 99.99 percent of them — have no chance of earning a PGA Tour card. I don’t say this to scare you or your loved one; I say this because it’s the truth, and it might motivate Junior. To play on the PGA Tour, you have to be in the top 1 percent of the top 1 percent to have a chance, and even then making millions by playing golf professionally is unlikely. For every Rickie Fowler there’s a Ty Tryon; and then there are thousands more who had professional aspirations that Tyron and Fowler used to whoop up on. And there’s always a constant crop of new, PGA-Tour ready golfers that cycle in every year.

For the ones who are trying to “make it” and believe they have the talent and work ethic, I have compiled a list of tips that can help the best of the best increase their odds of making it to the PGA Tour.

20-Year Life Cycle: It’s a Marathon, Not a Sprint

Every sport has a life cycle. For example, gymnastics has a life cycle of approximately seven years; students specialize at about 13 years old, and their careers end when they are about 20 (if they’re lucky). For golfers, that life cycle is closer to 20 years and hopefully longer. That means that an elite golfer who takes up the game at 6 should not expect to become a world-class golfer or touring pro until age 26. This presents a unique problem; a lot happens between the ages of 6 and 26 to a person, including puberty, college, dating, and so much more. Even the most driven person is going to have a problem staying completely focused on one thing for 20 years. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, so it’s important that all aspiring golfers take breaks and time away from the game to relax and rejuvenate. Balance is extremely important.

There Is A Formula: It’s Called Hard Work and Planning

As a coach and mentor helping junior golfers and their parents, I always start at the same place; realize that what you want has a simple, straightforward process. You need to set a goal, get the proper support, work way harder than you think you should, and evaluate the results along the way. I believe strongly in this process and have seen great results, even for those who eventually focus on something other than golf. Why do they become successful? Because if a junior learns to set goals, work hard, evaluate, and repeat, it works. The problem is not the process, but sticking to it.

The Secret Sauce: Motivation

Beyond teaching the process I highlighted above, as a player or parent you must also understand that being motivated and staying motivated is a large differentiator in sports, as in life. The story of the kid who plays basketball from the moment he wakes up until the moment he goes to sleep is not an urban myth; it’s a simple fact. Some kids put in a lot more hours, and the success stories generally come from this group.

For PGA Tour players, if you aren’t motivated or built this way, then remember there is a kid out there who is. He or she is out there practicing when you’re texting or hanging at the mall with your friends. And he or she is likely to beat you… and beat you bad.

Parents can lead their kids to the foot of the mountain, but they can’t climb it for them. What motivates your child will change throughout his or her life, and it is your job to help junior find it. For example, when a player is younger, they may enjoy golf because they get an ice cream at the end of every round. Then they might enjoy the ability to beat their peers, and later the ability to earn a college scholarship. None of these motivations are right or wrong. Your job as a parent is to help your child have the motivation to keep following the process of setting goals, getting support, working hard, and evaluating.

Early Specialization May Not Be All It’s Cracked Up To Be

Science suggests that juniors who specialize early are at a greater risk of injury. Dr. Neeru Jayanthi of Loyola University found that early specialization in a single sport is one of the strongest predictors of injury. Athletes in the study who specialized were 70-to-93 percent more likely to be injured than children who played multiple sports. A 2013 American Medical Society for Sports Medicine survey found that 88 percent of college athletes surveyed participated in more than one sport as a child.

Other sports can also help junior golfers develop different skills. For example, playing baseball might help junior golfers fine tune their ambient motor system. Soccer might help golfers improve their cardiovascular system. Tennis might teach them about controlling their emotions. In the future, it is likely that junior golfers will draw on these experiences to help them in their golf careers.

The Canadian Class Of 2009: Who Made It and Who Didn’t

The year 2009 was an awesome one for Canadian amateur golf; Nick Taylor was the No. 1-ranked amateur in the world for approximately 20 weeks and Matt Hill won every competition he played in during his spring semester at NC State, including the NCAA Championships. This was also the year that a gentleman from the University of Louisville named Adam Hadwin turned pro. In 2010, a player from Boise State named Graeme DeLaet turned pro.

At the time, nobody paid much attention to Hadwin or DeLaet. It was all about Taylor and Hill. Fast forward seven years: Hadwin and DeLeat are PGA Tour players and Hadwin is a PGA Tour winner. This goes to show you that early talent is not always the strongest predictor or longevity.

The Best Advice I Ever Heard

The best advice I have heard on this subject comes from Steve Runge, Head Men’s Golf Coach at the University of Central Arkansas. I once asked Runge, a former Ohio State stand-out and a three-time winner on the Nationwide Tour, “Who makes it and who doesn’t?” Without hesitation he responded, “It’s simple. If you’re good enough, you will make it.”

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B.M. Ryan

B.M. Ryan, an entrepreneur and scientist, is a passionate golfer who loves his local muni. Armed with a keen interest in the game, a large network of friends in the industry, Brendan works to find and produce unique content for GolfWRX.

13 Comments

CCGolfTx

Sep 14, 2017 at 10:16 pm

Ty Tyron. Haven’t heard that name in a minute. Interesting bringing him into the mix to make your point. I like it. Rickie v Ty comparison is almost as interesting as the rest of the article.

Reply Report comment
Matt Abramson

Sep 14, 2017 at 1:17 pm

Trash, like usual

Reply Report comment
J.R.

Sep 13, 2017 at 11:04 am

You almost had me, but… Nick Taylor won 2 years before Adam Hadwin. Fact check, fact check, fact check… Nick Taylor has made 1.25 mil this year. Thats not exactly scrapping by. His name should’ve been left out of this post. Don’t get lazy on your research. When your audience has access to the same information you do at their fingertips, you can’t just go about writing up nonsense like this all willy nilly.

Reply Report comment
Canucknut

Sep 13, 2017 at 1:27 am

In general, Canadian golfers suck and the only one of recent note is Mike Weir, who played hockey and that must have helped his golf swing. Most decent Canadian golfers seek out US college scholarships to improve their golf game.
Curiously, many Canadians play golf in their short summer season and their participation rate is quite high compared to most countries.

Reply Report comment
- Riley
  
  Sep 13, 2017 at 9:03 am
  
  Canada has one of the best National programs around, curious comment. Take a look at the collegiate ranks, they pump out some players, men and women.
  
  Reply Report comment
Leezer

Sep 12, 2017 at 7:37 pm

I believe what Mr. Ryan is saying but I’m not sure this was the direction the article should have gone or was intended to go. Would have been nice to speak to the mystery four rounds that were “truly great” or even given some guidance to those that are looking to achieve this goal. Saying, work harder than others is a given and motivation is such a fickle topic when speaking about juniors it’s almost throwaway material. I’ll definitely be looking into Mr. Ryan’s past musings since it seems like he has ‘been there, done that’ so maybe there are other insights he can provide. Would definitely like to see more articles on this topic in the future.

Reply Report comment
edwardt2

Sep 12, 2017 at 5:02 pm

So you mention it, but never say what they were. What were the four greatest rounds in big-time situations?

Reply Report comment
Mike

Sep 12, 2017 at 1:48 pm

Nick Taylor won on tour before Adam Hadwin…..

Reply Report comment
- Philip
  
  Sep 12, 2017 at 2:14 pm
  
  Yeah, I was wondering about that so I did something that writers often appear to fail at … fact checking … I guess some writers have it and some never quite get to the top
  
  Reply Report comment
  - SH
    
    Sep 12, 2017 at 3:49 pm
    
    I think he was referring to overall success on tour in correlation to the amount of hype/success of the player as an amateur. But, I guess, some people need to troll in the comment section and some don’t.
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Philip
      
      Sep 12, 2017 at 5:10 pm
      
      I gathered that – but there is already too much misinformation out there and too many people that take whatever is on the internet as factual, accurate and truthful, because it is in words … but if expecting a writer to be careful in what they write and ensuring the facts they present is considered trolling then have at it …
      
      Reply Report comment
      - Scott
        
        Sep 13, 2017 at 11:18 am
        
        +1
        
        Reply Report comment
      - SH
        
        Sep 14, 2017 at 12:58 pm
        
        You were inferring that he did not fact check, when in reality, he said nothing about Hadwin winning before Taylor in his article. That was something that was written in the comments. So, it is you that is attempting to mislead people and should be fact checked, not the author.
        
        Reply Report comment

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Opinion & Analysis

5 Things We Learned: Thursday at the PGA Championship

Published

2 weeks ago

May 15, 2026

Ronald Montesano

Aronimink is not a storied club, but when Donald Ross himself proclaimed it to be as good as he can design and build, one had to take notice. Jay Sigel was the pre-eminent male amateur golfer from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. He might have called any number of Philadelphia clubs home, but he chose Aronimink. It served him well. Gary Player won a PGA Championship here in 1962, and was followed by the 1993 winner … nobody. Aronimink gave that event away to Inverness, for reasons of which it is certainly not proud. So be it. We had to wait sixty-four years for the PGA to return to Newtown Square, but here we are. Aronimink has been neo-restored by Gil Hanse and team, to return Ross features with an eye toward defense against the dark arts, errrr, high-tech equipment.

Day one saw Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau dig big holes, to the tune of plus-four and plus-six, respectively. Since the first-round lead will be minus-three at worst, many shots will need to be made up for the power couple to reach contention. By nightfall, seven golfers held the day-one lead at three-under par 67. Shots and sticks caught our attention, and we are proud to present Five Things We Learned on Tech Thursday at the 2026 PGA Championship. Thanks to InsideTourGolfer, Today’s Golfer, and GolfWRX for initial equipment research.

First, meet Min Woo Lee

Min Woo Lee, aka Dr. Chipinski, has once again thrust himself into the conversation of Can he, will he, when will he? Lee has so much talent, wins not nearly as often as we believe that he should, and has no major near-misses (much less titles) on his wiki. The young Aussie is getting older and wiser, but is he able to avoid the scarring that holds the older and wiser back from breaking through? Philadelphia offers another opportunity. Min Woo signed for five birdies and two bogeys on day one, and grabbed a share of the opening-day lead at Aronimink. Winners transcend history and the moment, and Lee will need that sort of ascent to lift the Wannamaker on Sunday.

Second, meet Aldrich Potgeiter

The young South African golfer can rip driver with the best of them. Aronimink tips out at nearly 7400 yards, but beyond the fairway bunkers that ensnare only the mortals, Potgeiter can take his chances with wedge from the rough. On Thursday, he spent plenty of time in the spinach. Like Popeye, he used his muscles to gouge and thrash and dig his way out. Six birdies against three bogeys on the card brought AP in a three deep.

Third, meet Martin Kaymer

Not a major event takes place without a where’s he been throwback moment. We know that Martin Kaymer left the PGA and DP World tours for LIV golf, but the two-time (US Open and PGA) major winner has a lifetime exemption into at least one major event, and he seizes the opportunity each May. Kaymer joined the six-seven brigade with four birdies and a solitary bogey on day one. Kaymer was never a long hitter, and the years are kind to no golfer. The German champion will need to uncork every bottle of guile and strategy in his cabinet to remain in contention. For today, though, he occupies a rung on the ladder of Tour Tech.

Fourth, meet Scottie Scheffler

Let’s see, he’s the defending champion at the PGA, and he found his way back to the top tier with five birdies against two bogeys. To be a favorite and then play up to that stature and expectation is quite difficult. Just ask Rory, Bryson, and some of the other pre-tournament heartthrobs. Scheffler’s game is complete, and to knock him off the OWGR #1 pedestal, one needs to defeat him at the majors. Aronimink is the sort of course that fits Scheffler’s game. Better yet, it unfits the game of many of his challengers. Don’t expect Scheffler to go away anytime soon. Come Sunday, he’ll be around.

Fifth, meet Stephan Jaeger

Clocking in for the unheralded players shift are Ryo Hisatsune and Stephan Jaeger. Hisatsune logged seven birdies on day one, but gave most of them back with four bogeys. Still, he’s tied at the top for a time. Jaeger pitched five birdies against two bogeys, including a run of three consecutive, from holes four through six. Odds are that one of the two will hang around through 36 holes. Odds also suggest that both will be gone by Saturday evening. Still, the PGA Championship has historically been the major most likely to be won by an under-known. Both Hisatsune and Jaeger feature on that list, so good luck, lads!

Club Junkie

Club Junkie’s Titleist GTS driver fitting results!

Published

2 weeks ago

May 14, 2026

Brian Knudson

On this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, I head to the Titleist Performance Institute for a full driver fitting with the new Titleist GTS lineup. We dive into the fitting process, talk about what made the biggest difference in performance, and break down how the different GTS heads and shaft combinations compare on the launch monitor. If you are thinking about a new driver setup for this season, there is a lot to take away from this one.

I also get into Brooks Koepka and the gear setup he brought to the PGA Championship, including the putters that caught my eye during the week. There are some interesting equipment trends showing up at the highest level right now and we break down what stands out.

To wrap things up, I talk about reshafting a few wedges, what I learned during the process, and swapping an adaptor onto a new shaft for another build project in the shop. A gear packed episode from start to finish for anyone who loves golf equipment and club building.

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Club Junkie

Club Junkie WITB, week 16: New Titleist GTS woods!

Published

2 weeks ago

May 14, 2026

Brian Knudson

Excited for this week’s WITB as we get to add the new Titleist GTS woods to the bag! I was fit at Titleist’s TPI facility in Oceanside California a few weeks ago and my new clubs just showed up. I am also adding a cool set of irons that I built last year some wild custom wedges into a new golf bag. Speaking of the bag I have a new Ghost Anyday Black Ops stand bag that I will be using on my Motocaddy Remote M7 electric cart.

Driver: Titleist GTS3 (11 degrees @ 10.25)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 6s

3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD CQ-7s

5-wood: Titleist GTS (18 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s

9-wood: Titleist GT1 (24 degress)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s

Irons: Bettinardi CB24 (5-PW)
Shafts: KBS C-Taper Lite 110 stiff

Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (50-09 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff

Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (56-12 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff

Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (60-08 LB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff

Putter: Dan Carraher ZT Proto

Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour

Bag: Ghost Anyday Black Ops Stand Bag