Low Pro Players - Why Do They Do It?

[Jaden]

Why? Desire..

I occasionally find myself wondering about why low level pro players who show up to compete at so many big tourneys, do what they do. More specifically, why do they dedicate themselves to pool to the exclusion of pursuing other more fruitful career possibilities?

Week after week they play in fields with world beaters against whom it would take about a miracle for them to win. These guys rarely if ever do win and so I'm not sure what the motivation is for them to continue - or maybe I do have an idea but would like to get some az feedback on why you guys think they do it.

To be clear, I'm not referring to the low pros who also have other actual careers running along side their pool pursuits, but rather, it's the guys who've been out there competing for years with no real chance of winning and no meaningful other careers.

What do you all think their motivations are and do you think they are making a good or bad decision doing this?

best,
brian kc

The short answer is, the skill is there. They know it. They are trying to get that mental state that allows them to get to the top of what they love.

Jaden

 

[nine_ball6970]

Probably more so than he could at his same talent level in golf, because the competition is thousandfold.

To get to the mini-tour in golf, the Web.com tour, where a golfer can at least cover their expenses, here's how to qualify ( I once read through the literature and tried to summarize it):

A player has to go to a 3 day pre-qualifying tournament, then first stage, second stage and finals, each a 4 day tournament, all stroke play. Some pros and so forth skip right to the 2nd stage.

The pre-qualifying tournaments have around a $3,000 entry fee. It’s a 3 day tournament plus 2 practice days , with top 30 and ties from each tournament going into first stage qualifier. If you are in the top 30, you pay an additional $2700 to move on to the first stage.

First stage is about a $5,000 entry fee, and is a 4 day tournament. There are roughly 950 players throughout the country. A varying percentage of the field advances to the second stage (since there are many qualifying stage tournaments going on across the country). Some PGA and previous web.com players, Asian tour etc may advance directly to later stages.

Second stage is about a $5,000 entry fee, and is a 4 day tournament. There are roughly 400 spots throughout the country.
A varying percentage of the field advances to the second stage (since there are many qualifying stage tournaments going on across the country). Some PGA and previous web.com players etc may advance to this stage.

Final stage is one tournament and is about $4,000 to enter. The field is limited to the top 138 players and ties from the second stage. The winner is exempt for the web.com entire year, the next 9 and ties are partially exempt, all the way to the top 40 partially exempt for a short period.

And this is to get on the “mini” tour! The top 25 web.com finishers get their PGA cards. Our top local "pro" golfers have almost zero chance of making this, even if they had the 50K - 100K backing to take a shot at it.

One thing most players do not realize is how much better PGA tour pros are than everyone else. Say someone is a +2 on his local course. They may think they have what it takes to become a PGA tour pro with some hard work. Other people around them may think so as well They are basically chasing a dream that is more than likely unattainable.

I was an assistant pro in Cali. Two men who are now on the PGA tour played at my course regularly. I more or less watched them grow up and develop as players. One player kept his handicap for a year playing on courses all over the country. He was a +8.

A short story from a high school 9 hole match. There was kid who could be described as someone chasing the dream. He played scratch golf. He was paired up with the local superstar. They both parred the first four holes and he was thinking I can play with this kid. He hasn't done anything spectacular. Superstar birdies out to shoot 31. Name of superstar. Rickie Fowler....

The other kid was smart. He told me about a week later that he knew he would never be the same caliber as Rickie. No denial or anything. I lost contact with him but I am pretty sure he went on to play college golf and probably has a successful career now.

 

[Bobkitty]

One thing most players do not realize is how much better PGA tour pros are than everyone else. Say someone is a +2 on his local course. They may think they have what it takes to become a PGA tour pro with some hard work. Other people around them may think so as well They are basically chasing a dream that is more than likely unattainable.

I was an assistant pro in Cali. Two men who are now on the PGA tour played at my course regularly. I more or less watched them grow up and develop as players. One player kept his handicap for a year playing on courses all over the country. He was a +8.

A short story from a high school 9 hole match. There was kid who could be described as someone chasing the dream. He played scratch golf. He was paired up with the local superstar. They both parred the first four holes and he was thinking I can play with this kid. He hasn't done anything spectacular. Superstar birdies out to shoot 31. Name of superstar. Rickie Fowler....

The other kid was smart. He told me about a week later that he knew he would never be the same caliber as Rickie. No denial or anything. I lost contact with him but I am pretty sure he went on to play college golf and probably has a successful career now.

Great story. Let's just admit it..... great golfers that can shoot around scratch anywhere will have a great life playing with CEO's, contacts, friends, bosses, etc. Super fun to be a member at an awesome club after growing up. Much different from going down to the pool hall. Just my opinion.

 

[Icon of Sin]

Some low pros may not have a chance of winning but do have a chance at cashing or better. For them that is a victory and justification.

 

[KRJ]

It isn't limited to low pro players. Some of the giants of the game ended up flat broke.

A related question would be why do so many great pool players throw away the money they make in card or dice games? I suspect some of the low level pros are gamblers who are good enough at pool to survive.

Yuup, grew up in my dad's pool room, and never understood this aspect of it. At 15, they sent me to the track to place their bets. Oh, I didn't have a license, and they let me use their cars, and the all gave me a couple bucks for my trouble... Plus, I kept the low dollar bets and "booked" them and made a few bucks on the side. Plus, the heavy hitters, when they win I'd always get a $20 bill or more.


But, for the most part, they'd hustle all day just to give it back at the track. WTF ?? I have not even discussed the rampant drug use I saw as a kid. Between the track and the drugs, most of them went broke, stayed broke, and unfortunately died broke.

 

[wahcheck]

Love and competition

When you're good at something, and you like/love it, you should do it.
How many of us are really talented at something and we know it?
I think that these low level pros you speak of are like in the 1-5% of pool players....they are the best in their towns, cities, or maybe even state. Even if they know they aren't in the top 5 or 10 or even 20 best in the world, they still want to compete. They know they can run balls and win games just like Efren or Earl or Shane, but maybe not as consistently. I think it's right for someone who has the talent for something, even if it's just shooting pool, they should do it. Most already know they won't be making a real good living at it, but it's still fun and self-fulfilling to compete. For most, I believe the reality hits soon enough about making a living at pool.