Your mates tell you that you hit it far enough to be on the Tour, and that you’re great at giving them tips that get them back on track mid round. So why not turn all of this into a satisfying and lucrative career: after all, doing what you love is supposed to be the ideal form of work, isn’t it?
Of course, if it was as easy as that, everyone would be doing it. The reality is somewhat different.
Let’s take the first option: turning professional and playing in tournaments for prize money. You can renounce your amateur status and declare yourself a professional, but unless you have been through one of the recognised Qualifying Schools (“Q Schools”), you will have no status and so your chances of playing on one of the regular circuits will be basically zero. You will then have to join the thousands of self-declared professionals playing on mini tours, where the entry fees are high and you are effectively playing for your own money. A tough life.