Would someone care to define what a "PRO" (professional I assume) poolplayer is? I would like to know the difference between a pro-poolplayer and an amatuer poolplayer. I hear this all the time, "So&So is turning pro." Does this mean "playing for money" makes you a pro? If you play in a certain kind of tournament does that make you a pro? If you don't work at anything but playing pool, does that make you a pro-poolplayer? Would someone please explain this to me. Inquiring minds want to know.
Definition of "PRO" Poolplayer is What???
- Thread starter lstevedus
- Start date
Pro
You got it, a Pro can be any of the situations you identified.
To me if someone is turning pro, they earn their living playing pool.
Some would say ponying up $500 to play in a pro tournament is turning pro?
I guess it is a matter of Opinion.
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You got it, a Pro can be any of the situations you identified.
To me if someone is turning pro, they earn their living playing pool.
Some would say ponying up $500 to play in a pro tournament is turning pro?
I guess it is a matter of Opinion.
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Here's my take but I may not be totally correct. But... I would think that a pro is one that has played in a sanctioned tournament & has accepted money for such play. That would make him or her inelligible for sanctioned amatuer events. I may be wrong & I'm sure that 'pro' is also a slang for other characterizations as well.
You don't have to make any money to be a Pro.
But the assumption is that to be a Pro in anything , that you intend to.
If I said I was "going pro" it would mean that from now on I'll be traveling from event to event competing in an attempt to win money. I will have established a schedule of play based on this and this is where I expect to draw the majority of my income.
Whether or not I do make any income from this action is not th critical factor. This is not any different than starting any other business. You don't have to be 'good ' at it nor do you have to generate a positive income gain.
But the assumption is that to be a Pro in anything , that you intend to.
If I said I was "going pro" it would mean that from now on I'll be traveling from event to event competing in an attempt to win money. I will have established a schedule of play based on this and this is where I expect to draw the majority of my income.
Whether or not I do make any income from this action is not th critical factor. This is not any different than starting any other business. You don't have to be 'good ' at it nor do you have to generate a positive income gain.
Pros
From my experience pros go slumming in amateur/semi pro tournaments all the time when they can't make anything in the pro tournaments. They make from $1,000 to $3,000 if winning one of these tournaments. Plus these tournaments do not issue 1099's for taxes.
Then you have the 'Semi Pros' that really play pro level Pool, but stick to money matches, and the amateur/semi pro tournaments. In my area it would be guys like Shane McMinn, Chip Compton, Joey Gray, Michael Banks Jr..
From my experience pros go slumming in amateur/semi pro tournaments all the time when they can't make anything in the pro tournaments. They make from $1,000 to $3,000 if winning one of these tournaments. Plus these tournaments do not issue 1099's for taxes.
Then you have the 'Semi Pros' that really play pro level Pool, but stick to money matches, and the amateur/semi pro tournaments. In my area it would be guys like Shane McMinn, Chip Compton, Joey Gray, Michael Banks Jr..
It seems that there is no structure in pool, in the U.S. at least, at all, except for the leagues like the A.P.A. We all know the difference between an amateur athlete in football, baseball, golf, tennis, ect. and a pro, but when defining what a pro poolplayer is, there is no exact definition. There also seems to be no guidelines as to what it takes to be an instructor. If I am wrong about this, I would apreciate someone letting me know.
My opinion is the answer to this question in OUR sport is based on skill only, not income.
If you have the SKILL to routinely cash in national level tournaments, or gamble heads up with players who routinely cash in national level tournaments, then you are a pro.
I don't believe the question can be answered by income in today's pool world, because no one is making money soley from playing in pool tournaments.
BTW, I think if someone uses the term or phrase "they are going pro" with regards to a pool player, they don't know anything. The ONLY time I've ever heard anything even close to that, after being around top players for 15 years in top pool halls, is when I went to a bar a few times and some bangers said to me "why don't you go pro", when I ran 5 balls in a row. (I stink, but they have no clue...)
If you have the SKILL to routinely cash in national level tournaments, or gamble heads up with players who routinely cash in national level tournaments, then you are a pro.
I don't believe the question can be answered by income in today's pool world, because no one is making money soley from playing in pool tournaments.
BTW, I think if someone uses the term or phrase "they are going pro" with regards to a pool player, they don't know anything. The ONLY time I've ever heard anything even close to that, after being around top players for 15 years in top pool halls, is when I went to a bar a few times and some bangers said to me "why don't you go pro", when I ran 5 balls in a row. (I stink, but they have no clue...)
In my mind the only that qualifies a pro is how good they play. If they play at a certain level then they are a pro.
Most of the guys I've heard say they're "going pro" are about to enter one of the big national level opens...and anybody with $300 to $500 can do that. Years ago I remember a definition put out in a big open tournament I was in that said a pro was someone who paid at least $300 to enter a tournament and cashed at least that high. At the time that was pretty much only the U.S. Open, so I guess cashing at the U.S. Open made you a pro for life...but who knows? That was before the Internet, so how would you begin to check on someone's status as cashing? Without a sanctioned no-kidding tour, there's no such thing as a pro. What's a pro as far as you're concerned? You've answered your own question.
