Insider Info

Golf pro Mark Csencsits has been teaching golf for 20 years. He has had many job titles over the years: head golf professional, director of instruction, director of golf and marketing, head teaching professional and golf academy specialist.

Currently, he focuses on golf instruction at a golf club in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He especially enjoys teaching women and juniors.

"I was a baseball man for 24 years, and golf was not cool when I went to high school, and the whole industry was different," says Csencsits. "I was kind of like 'Spaulding' in Caddyshack.... When my dad dragged me out to the golf course, [I was more interested in] getting a hot dog, something to eat, rather than playing the actual game.

"I actually was en route to being what I call a 'cubicle person' working for a company I was with for five years," says Csencsits. "They went out of business... and everyone lost their job on the same day. There were a couple hundred employees and I really had to do some soul searching, and I was like, 'What am I going to do with the rest of my life?'

"And it was a godsend that they actually did go out of business," says Csencsits. "I looked at myself and said, 'I have a marketing degree. I'm great with people. And I'm an above average golfer. So I called the PGA of America and I asked them what their requirements were. And I didn't really start in the PGA [as a full-time golf pro] until I was 29 years old, so I'm a really weird case."

Csencsits was 25 years old when he started playing golf seriously. This makes him an exception. Most golf pros start playing seriously at a much younger age. This is especially true for those who end up touring as competitive golfers, like Joanne Lefson.

Lefson grew up in South Africa, and her family had always been involved in golf. At first, however, tennis was more her sport.

"I was always a tennis player, and I always wanted to go on a scholarship to America." says Lefson. "And so I was going to come over on a tennis scholarship, but I injured my elbow.... I had golf clubs lying all over the house, so I golfed, and I got my full scholarship six months later. We practised every day for about seven hours... and I got my handicap down to a three."

Lefson has always been athletic, and she comes from an athletic family, so perhaps it's no surprise that she was able to switch sports.

"I've been playing sports since I can remember," says Lefson. "I was always competitive and my father played [two sports] for South Africa... so I kind of had the sports gene in me. I'm just naturally competitive, so I just believed I could do it, which counts for a lot."

During her years as a professional golfer, Lefson was able to play on golf courses around the world. The opportunity to travel is a big benefit for golf pros of all kinds, whether they compete or not.

"The great thing about it, and many of my friends have done this, is that there are opportunities all over the world to do this," says Lefson who now lives in California. "Sometimes you can't study something in one location and just pick it up in China, for example, but if you become a teaching golf pro [you can]. I have friends in Switzerland, in Norway, in Malaysia, South Africa, America.

"So it gives you a great foundation and platform on which to travel, meet diverse cultures, play different courses," says Lefson. "And let's not forget, as well, the other perk is... as a professional, you're allowed to play most golf courses for free. So it allows you to get out and play these great courses that maybe you wouldn't be able to afford if you weren't a teaching professional."

Golf pros don't have it all easy, though.

"Sometimes it's early hours," says Lefson. "Golf course management -- they start off at 4:30 or 5 o'clock. So the hours can be long, depending on when your clients can see you. Often it's after-work hours, for example. Also, the membership can be challenging. There's always going to be difficult members."

Csencsits agrees. He says there are definitely challenges associated with being a golf pro. It can be an all-consuming profession.

"You're all in it, or get out, basically," says Csencsits. "That's kind of what happens. I've known people in the business... that for one reason or another couldn't handle the stress, couldn't handle the hours.

"It's not like flying a jumbo jet plane where you're responsible for lives, but I've had people that got out of the business just to do something else because they couldn't hack it," says Csencsits. "They've gotten physically ill, they've gotten strokes, they've had heart attacks. It takes a special individual, and people don't realize that."

How do you know if you're one of those "special individuals?" Csencsits suggests asking a golf professional if you can follow him or her around for a day.

"I don't think there's any golf professional that would say, 'I'm too busy,' or, 'You cannot observe my typical day,'" says Csencsits. "[They'll likely say], 'Tag along with me, see how many phone calls I get, see how late I'm here.' I've had numerous young people change their idea of becoming a golf professional by just spending one day [with me].... They had no idea what a golf professional's life is like."

A golf pro's life is largely about interacting with others. Therefore, golf pros must be able to connect and get along with people.

"First of all, golf's a people business," says Csencsits. "If they're getting in the golf business [just] to play golf, most times they're sorely mistaken. I'd say a large majority of golf professionals get into the business because they've been attracted to it by the game itself, and for one reason or another they have people skills, they have outgoing, personable, dynamic personalities. They love the game, and they like people in general."

Interacting with other people at golf courses was something Terry Zachary particularly enjoyed during his years as a professional golfer.

"At the club, I really enjoyed the other club pros and the members," says Zachary. "I also enjoyed being around the club and practicing when possible. In my playing days, I really enjoyed the challenge to learn and respect the game and to become better as a player and a person."

Zachary competed in tournaments across North America. His passion for golf began at a young age.

"At 12 years of age I began playing golf and realized it would be a key part of my life at 16 when I began working in our local golf shop, and also as I started to become competitive on the local junior and amateur scene," says Zachary.

One memorable experience for Zachary was setting a record in the Guinness Book of World Records for most holes of golf played in 12 hours (391 holes!). That feat gained him exposure and helped raise money for cancer research.

Zachary says the two most important qualities for aspiring golf pros are passion and perseverance.

"Passion keeps you interested in getting better and learning," says Zachary. "Perseverance keeps one 'in the dirt' and better able to brush off obstacles."

Lefson also lists passion as an essential quality for golf pros.

"You need to be passionate about what you do, because anyone can be good at something, but if you don't have the passion then you're not going to last," says Lefson. "So you've got to be interested and want to do it, and then be dedicated and set your goals and strive toward achieving those goals, and make those goals very clear...."

It is possible to build a career in the golf business. At the end of the day, it comes down to your love of the game.

"If you genuinely love golf, there's not that many negatives, because you're going to be at a golf course, you're going to be out playing and stuff in a cool environment," says Lefson. "For the one or two negatives that may come up, if you love golf, it's a great thing to pursue."