[1][2][3] In early 1969 Waites became the professional at Hollinwell (Notts Golf Club), replacing David Talbot.

[5] After moving to Brough, he won the Yorkshire Open Championship in 1966 and was tied for third place in the 1968 Bowmaker Tournament, a 36-hole event at Sunningdale Golf Club.

[3][6] In 1969 Waites qualified for the Open Championship at Royal Lytham and played all four rounds, finishing tied for 34th place.

[7] In the News of the World Matchplay in September, just his third national event of the year, he qualified in second place and reached the quarter-finals before losing to the eventual winner, Maurice Bembridge.

The event was won by Doug Sewell but Waites was in the leading nine finishers that formed the team for the first Diamondhead Cup, played later in 1973.

[13][14] In late 1976 he reached the quarter-finals of the Sun Alliance Match Play Championship, losing to Brian Barnes.

He had his first win on the European Tour in 1978 at the Tournament Players Championship, finishing a stroke ahead of Neil Coles and taking the first prize of £8,000.

[22] In 1980 Waites lost to Des Smyth at the sixth hole of a sudden-death playoff in the Cold Shield Greater Manchester Open, and was a runner-up in the Bob Hope British Classic.

[23][24] In 1981 he again came close to winning the TPC, but lost at the fourth hole of a playoff to Brian Barnes, who had earlier scored a final round 62 to tie with Waites.

[31] Waites was guaranteed his place before the final event and didn't play in it, finishing 7th in the money list with £40,482 and making his only appearance at the age of 43.

He had a successful career at that level, winning four tournaments and making the top ten on the Order of Merit four times.