I agree with this, personally. But just like in ball golf, what happens to the guy that just creeps into the pro ranks? I want ALL pro sports to be like golf, actually: performance-based pay. But then pro football, basketball, baseball and hockey players would turn into even more whiny ball-hoggers. But back to golf. The newbie, if he's not a prodigy, has a lot of work, and money to spend, to make it on the pro golf tour. If you miss the cut, you don't make a living. Sure, you've fulfilled a dream, but you go to the poorhouse if you don't get a few good breaks and have a good tourney every once in a while.
I want to go pro, but I don't think saying "you're 970+ rated, so you HAVE to go play pro" is the way to go. I'm 974 at the latest update, and I'm proud of that; I've never had a ratings decrease at an update. But can I even compete at the closest tourneys to me, mostly in central NC? Usually, no way. It doesn't mean I won't try, because I will probably play Open a lot this year. But I can't justify playing Open every tourney, or in paying the elevated PDGA Pro membership fee, just so I can pay more money to play and likely lose. Not until I am ready, by my own standards, to compete at that level. And in general, 974 just ain't there yet.
I've got 3 wins in 17 Am events this year. I moved up from Intermediate last year after winning my first Intermediate tourney. But I'm just not ready for the jump yet.