- The United States Golf Association (USGA) allows former professional golfers to apply for reinstatement as amateurs, a process that has drawn renewed public attention of late. Each year, roughly 800 professionals—including tour, club, and teaching pros—submit applications to return to amateur competition, and nearly all are eventually approved.

Application and Review

The reinstatement process begins with an online application and a $200 fee. Applicants must disclose information about their professional career, including tournaments played, earnings, and any tours where they held status. They must also provide two references who can verify the accuracy of their information.

According to Craig Winter, the USGA’s senior director of Rules of Golf and Amateur Status, the more comprehensive the application, the smoother the review. For players with significant professional records, the review process is more detailed to ensure fair treatment across applicants.

To Apply

Waiting Periods and Evaluation

The USGA enforces a minimum six-month waiting period from an applicant’s last “professional action,” which may include competing for prize money or giving paid instruction. However, players with substantial professional success can expect longer waiting times—often years—before reinstatement.

“The more success you have, the longer the waiting period,” Winter explained. Some players have waited up to eight years following their last professional activity. The intent is to maintain fairness and prevent recently retired professionals from dominating the amateur field too quickly.

Approval Rates and Oversight

While the USGA has no record of denying an application outright, the governing body emphasizes that the process is meant to uphold the spirit of amateur golf. The waiting period serves as a “cooling-off” interval, ensuring that former professionals transition appropriately before reentering amateur competition.

Winter noted that although nearly all applicants are approved, not everyone qualifies immediately. Players close to the eligibility threshold often face extended waiting times. The system, he said, “protects the lifelong amateurs” who make up the backbone of the game.

Examples and Trends

Several former professionals have successfully returned to amateur golf, including Gary Nicklaus, Dillard Pruitt, and John Peterson, who recently qualified for the US Open through Springfield CC Final Qualifier . Many top performers at recent U.S. Mid-Amateur Championships have also been reinstated ex-pros, underscoring a broader trend of professionals returning to the amateur ranks after their playing careers.

Thomas Pagel, the USGA’s chief governance officer, attributes the increase in applications to the growing number of young players turning professional earlier. “Once you get one of those cards, it’s really hard to keep it,” he said.

Limits of Reinstatement

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