Going pro

I am not going pro, but if someone takes cash at a sanctioned tournament, does that mean they are pro? Are they then able to take plastic playing am1 if their rating is low enough or is it, once you take cash, no more plastic? What about at unsanctioned events? do the rules still apply? Just wondering for my future :)

[Chuck Kennedy]

The only potential baggers are those Ams with ratings over 969. However, since we have yet to find a sport that requires Ams to turn Pro once they get to a certain skill level, they are not baggers by definition since Ams can have as high a rating as they want without turning pro.

[Todd Mitchell]

What happens with 969+ rated golfers, who accept cash in an Open division? Then play AM1? Do they qualify as a sandbagger? If so, and you'd like to know when and where this is happening in PDGA sanctioned events, please PM me as I'm not going to call out individuals publicly in this forum.

The idea is for this to stop, not to punish people.

[Chuck Kennedy]

If you know of this happening, please contact both the TD and the PDGA office and let them handle the problem. The rules are designed to be fair but that doesn't mean the rules are always followed in the field either by accident or deliberately. Thanks for the tip.

[Ed Doppelmayr]

i think we should go back to how it was years ago!!! One division!!! You sign up for a tournament and you play against everyone. we will see who the real sandbaggers are then!!!