What Is The Difference Between Amateur And Professional In Golf?

We hear the terms 'amateur' and 'professional' a lot when following live golf, especially around major season, but what do they mean and what's the difference?

Neal Shipley shaking Tiger Woods hand at Augusta National Golf Club during the final round of the 2024 Masters Tournament, with an inset image of Luke Clanton holding his PGA Tour card
Have you ever wondered what the difference between amateur and pro is? Find out here...
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Throughout the history of the game, numerous high quality young amateurs have stormed onto the world stage and turned heads in the process. You only have to cast your mind back to Tiger Woods bursting onto the scene, Phil Mickelson winning a PGA Tour event as an amateur in 1991 or more recently Nick Dunlap obliterating the field to match that feat.

The Masters has a long tradition of welcoming amateur golfers, allowing those who qualify to spend the week in the Crow's Nest, the attic accommodation of the famous Augusta National clubhouse, following in the footsteps of some iconic names.

But, with so many talented amateur golfers teeing it up alongside their professional counterparts on a regular basis... what is the difference between an amateur and a professional in golf?

Financial Gain

Let's start as we mean to go on... do amateur golfers get paid? The majority of golfers in the world would be described as amateur golfers, in that they don't play golf for financial gains. Amateur players are not allowed to accept payment for participating in or winning a competition, and they are also not permitted to accept payment for teaching others.

Professionals, on the other hand, regularly receive payment linked to their performance in competitions, alongside sponsorships deals and other payments as compensation for their skill and expertise.

An example of this would be Nick Dunlap, an American amateur golfer, winning the American Express on the PGA Tour in 2024. Despite beating a strong field of professional players, Dunlap was not able to collect any of the $1.5 Million prize for his achievement.

Since turning professional shortly after, Dunlap his now earned over $3.5 Million.

Nick Dunlap celebrating his win at the 2024 American Express as an amateur golfer

in 2024, Nick Dunlap became the first amateur golfer to win on the PGA Tour since Phil Mickelson in 1991

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Rules

Golfers can lose their amateur status if they break a certain set of rules, like accepting a prize of more than $1000, accepting a prize in a handicap competition, receiving money for teaching or securing employment as a club professional.

When an amateur decides they have the appropriate level of skill to make a career in professional golf, they must relinquish their status and commence their journey as a pro. This usually involves competing in qualifying events, earning money and ranking points to further their career and earning potential. As mentioned before, however, professionals can also opt for a career in teaching or take an employed position with a golf club.

So, to clarify, winning a £30 club shop voucher in your midweek medal or a sleeve of premium golf balls in the mixed tee stableford does not make you a professional.

Motivation

You could argue that the majority of amateur golfers play for fun, socially or as a way to keep their body and mind active. Conversely, professionals are competing for a living - with the financial security of themselves and their family often on the line.

This therefore presents an increased pressure to perform well and succeed. Other professionals choose to forge a career in teaching rather than playing competitively.

Pressure does exist in the amateur game, however, as many hopeful golfers try to play their way into the professional game through a stellar amateur career. Neal Shipley and Luke Clanton are two amateurs who have secured their professional status on the PGA Tour in the past year, both of which have worked hard to surge up the amateur rankings and demonstrated some outstanding performances along the way.

Shipley even made the weekend at The Masters last year, securing a Sunday tee time with Tiger Woods.

Tiger Woods talking with Neal Shipley when the pair were paired together in the final round of the 2024 Masters at Augusta National

Former amateur Neal Shipley secured the dream Sunday pairing at Augusta National - Tiger Woods!

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Data

Well, the numbers don't lie - and this data provided by Shot scope highlights some pretty significant distinction. There is an obvious gulf in quality between some of the best amateur golfers and the professionals, when you compare a scratch player to the average PGA Tour pro, particularly when you look at scoring power.

The average scratch golfer makes 2.34 birdies per round, almost one and a half less than the average PGA Tour professional who records 3.72. Over the course of four competition rounds that amounts to a 5-stroke difference.

While there is only an 11-yard difference in average driving distance, and a 7% difference in their green-in-regulation numbers, the ability to consistently score well is often a telling factor.

FAQs

Q: How do amateurs qualify for The Masters?

A: Amateur players can qualify for The Masters by winning one of the following five events:

- The U.S. Amateur Championship

- The British Amateur Championship

- The Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship

- The Latin American Amateur Championship

- The U.S. Mid-Amateur Championships

The Masters committee can also offer an invite to an amateur golfer, should they feel it appropriate to do so.

Q: What is the best major performance by an amateur player?

A: The most notable amateur performance in a Major Championship has to be Francis Ouimet's 1913 US Open win.

Quiz Time

Barry Plummer
Staff Writer

Barry joined Golf Monthly in January 2024, and now leads the instruction section across all platforms including print and digital. Working closely with Golf Monthly's Top 50 Coaches, he aims to curate and share useful tips on every aspect of the game - helping amateurs of all abilities to play better golf. A member at Sand Moor Golf Club in Leeds, he looks forward to getting out on the course at least once a week in the pursuit of a respectable handicap.

Barry is currently playing:

Driver: Benross Delta XT Driver

Hybrid: TaylorMade Stealth 4 Hybrid

Irons: Benross Delta XT 5-PW

Wedges: TaylorMade RAC 60, Callaway Jaws MD5 54

Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour

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