Coming of age
V Krishnaswamy explores the right time to move from amateur to professional golf
| The 19-year-old who stunned professional stars by winning the Hero Golf Chandigarh Open last month, was clearly buoyed by his success, which if he were a professional, he would have been worth Rs 1.62 lakh. |
| For Harinder, who grew up under tough circumstances and one among seven siblings, this is a lot of money. He was herding cattle before he arrived in Chandigarh to help his brother, a vegetable vendor. And, thereafter became a caddie and now a pro golfer. |
| So, when should a player turn pro? |
| It all sounds great when one sees or reads about pros making money, but ask any golfer and he will tell you that the picture is not at all rosy. |
| "Turning professional is a big decision," said Rahil Gangjee, who won $48,500 at the Volkswagen Masters in China recently. "One has to be careful because while an amateur can be employed and get a stipend, a professional has to make cuts and win to ensure that he has money in the bank." |
| One of India's leading pros, Jeev Milkha Singh, once remarked, "Travelling, hotels, food, caddie fees and a lot of small things add up to a tidy sum. A week on Asian Tour requires at least $1,000. In Japan and Europe, it is much more. So a golfer, before turning pro, has to ensure that he can take care of that." |
| Many amateurs hesitate before taking this big step. For instance, Simarjeet Singh, one of India's leading amateurs, is quite sure that it will be a big decision in his life. |
| "I have a good job and my employers take good care of me. I will continue to hold this even after giving up competitive golf. Once I turn pro, I have to make sure of a good sponsor and employers are not going to like a player who's traveling out every week. Amateur golf suits me right now," says Simarjeet, who works with Oil India. |
| Many amateurs set themselves a goal before turning pro. For instance, Harmeet Kahlon, for long India's No 1 amateur, turned pro only after representing India at the 1998 Asian Games. |
| Similarly, Jyoti Randhawa played in the 1994 Asian Games before turning pro, and before him, Jeev Milkha Singh had represented India at the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing. "That's a big high, too," said Jeev about wearing the Indian colours. |
| For some, monetary needs dictate their decision. Ashok Kumar, India's No 1 amateur in 2002 turned pro last year and emerged as the Rookie of the Year. This year, he is in the race for the top spot on the Money List. |
| "I thought a lot before turning pro. Once there were no more targets in amateur golf, I sat with Amitji (Amit Luthra) who taught me everything in the game, I decided to turn pro. Now I have good sponsors, and have made some money too," says Ashok. |
| The 21-year-old Ashok has done well to the extent that he has bought a house for his family in Gurgaon and that has been a big climb up for this boy who was once kicked out of a club as a caddie because a member alleged that he had stolen some money. |
| Amit Luthra, an Asian Games gold medallist in 1982, never turned pro because his family had a big chartered cccountancy firm. |
| Harinder comes from a modest background, and like Ashok, didn't do much schooling. If he does well in golf, as his current performances indicate, it could change his life. |
| But for those who come from a financially sound background, professional golf may be fine for a few years before settling down into the family business. But even then, there are exceptions like Gaurav Ghei, who said, "I never wanted to go into the transport business my father had. When I did well in junior golf, professional golf was the next logical step." |
| While the amateurs will disagree, many professionals maintain that turning pro is the ultimate test of 'becoming of a man' in the life of a golfer. |