At this stage in your life you may find that there is no shortage of people around who will gladly give you advice on finding your way in the world of work. Some of them will have cautionary tales to tell and will give you tips on how to avoid making the mistakes they made. Others will have worthy connections you can use. A surprising number will just want to hear themselves talk. Listen to all of them. Many adults don't know as much as they think they do, but they probably know more than you. Keep that in mind when you're sitting through your umpteenth long-winded lecture on how to get a job.

Some people get lucky when it comes to choosing a career. They have a talent that can't be ignored, that they've turned into a skill that they know they'll use forever. Artists and athletes tend to fall into this category. They spend their childhood developing their talent and try to earn a living at it as young adults. Athletes are especially prone to this career path because their talents may peak when they are relatively young, forcing them to retire and seek out second careers by their 30s rather than pursuing one career until their 60s. Some professional athletes make millions of dollars in their youth, but that money may have to last for the rest of their lives. .

Golf is one sport which is an exception to the rule. Professional golfers routinely play in big-time tournaments until well into their 70s. Golf is a game that enhances physical fitness, but does not require the kind of hyperfitness of, for example, football, a sport in which great strength is an obvious asset. If you set your sights on a career in golf now, you could have many decades of enjoyment ahead of you. .

If golf sounds like a pretty good way to make a living, then there's no time to waste. About 37 million Americans play golf or visit a driving range at least once a year. Together, they spend $25 billion on golf equipment, instruction and green fees at the nation's 16,000 golf courses and driving ranges, known together as golf facilities. That's a very large business, and one that needs a constant flow of golf professionals not just to play in tournaments, but to manage golf facilities, teach golf lessons, design golf courses and sell golf equipment. Demand for golf professionals, generally known simply as golf pros, typically outstrips supply, making employment prospects very good for enthusiastic careerists like you. The business is very competitive, however. If this is the path you choose to take, be prepared for some very tough days. But never forget that you'll be getting paid to do something that many people would gladly do for free. .

If you like what you read in this report, keep going. Check out publications and professional associations; they'll be happy to lend a hand to an up-and-coming golfer who