In golf, the amateur plays for the love of the game. The professional plays for the money.
That has been the common conception for a long time now, but from my own experience, I find it rings hollow.
I’ve played in many tournaments, ranging from local club venues to USGA qualifiers, to State Opens with professional fields, and I can tell you this: it is the rare exception when the amateur loves the game more than the professional. If he did, he would make it his life’s work, pursuing the one thing he loves above all else.
Steven Pressfield in The War of Art, once again, has a way of describing this: “To the amateur, the game is his avocation. To the Pro it’s his vocation.”
The professional events I’ve played in account for my best memories of the game. The achievement I’m most proud of is a third-place finish in the Western Massachusetts Open. Competing against professionals who have to grind it out to make a living and have put their hearts and souls into what they love takes everything to the next level. Nothing I’ve found puts me into a better mental state to compete than that.
Playing with professionals is inspiring. Everything they do is so smooth, their movements, the pure sound of the ball coming off the clubface, and the way they control themselves. You can see the love and devotion that they have put into perfecting their skills.
I’ve tried to emulate these guys, with only marginal success, because golf is really, really hard.