How much better are the pros?

[CVG]

watching in awe at Lee Westwood's display at the weekend, I wondered how many more strokes he would be ahead of me playing the same course off the same tees.

A scratch golfer once told me that a tour pro would be about 28 stokes better than them on a course set up for the tour? So what do we think, are the tour pros 20 or more shots better than the average club golfer?

 

[0]

At least 20 shots may be more - depends on how good you are around the greens. Our pro's son is off scratch and he once told me that the difference between a scratch golf and someone who plays off +4 is about the same difference between an 18 handicapper to scratch so theres 18 shots just there.

 

[Screwback]

I reckon if i where to play on that course i would aim to shoot +20 or more for the four rounds making me 37 shots back from Lee.

I think the majority of the shots would be lost on the greens!!!

 

[richy]

I would probably be more like 40 shots worse off taking nerves into account as well

 

[G1BB0]

it depends, like with most sports play someone or a team of a lesser ability they can drag you down to their level! I guess no one would know unless they had the opportunity to find out

how many teams in the fa cup etc lose to a team way lower than they are!!!!

 

[IM01]

I think the majority of the shots would be lost on the greens!!!

Speak for yourself

Even with your much hyped Scotty squareback.???

 

[feary]

The pro's are country miles ahead.

 

[Imurg]

I'm not sure I want to think about it....??

Even with me playing my best I can't see me getting within 40+ shots of Lee, especially the way he played this week.

 

[JT77]

There was a bit in a mag bout a year ago where philip archer (i think) played a course, standard setup, and shot a 68. I dont think it would be 20 more shots off a standard layout, but maybe 20 shots off sun city course.
when I say this I dont mean myself off 10... lol

 

[Screwback]

I think the majority of the shots would be lost on the greens!!!

Speak for yourself

Even with your much hyped Scotty squareback.???

Maybe not for you on the greens...

No the Squareback would be fine but if i was playing over there it would be a tour and therefore beerhands would be encountered...

 

[G1BB0]

would be good to see that as an event, 4 pro's v 4 amateurs handicaps count, on a mediocre course with dodgy greens (am sure they would still win easily lol)

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It depends. Off the tour tees I'd struggle as I couldn't hit it far enough on some holes to make some of the carries they do. Clearly some of these 500+ yard par fives they hit in two would be out of the equation (probably in 4 for me) and if the greens are tour pace I could be there for a long time trying to get the bloody thing in. All in all I dread to think

 

[percy_layer]

The course the tour guys play on are so much more demanding than what the average club golfer plays. Holes are longer, fairways are narrower, greens are a lot faster and pins are tucked away tighter to the edges and slopes.
Another way of looking at it is, how would the tour players score on a course that is average length for the club golfer with average conditions?
I've played with 3 tour players round Goswick off the white tees, approx 6500 yards (one European Tour player, one European Seniors Tour player and one LPGA player) and they all scored mid 60's and looked to be easy for them.
I remember reading a few years ago that when Monty won another order of merit (can't remember which year) someone calculated that throughout the year, taking into consideration the length of the golf courses and the theoretical standard scratch. Starting the year with a scratch handicap he would have finished the year off +7. And anyone who played PAR golf every round would have lost their Tour Card.

 

[ScienceBoy]

I played a round with a pro and his kids when on holiday in Spain a few years back. Before quite a few shots he would tell his kids what he was going to do and why followed by the exact shot perfectly executed!

My moment of pride was getting inside him on a short par 3 and sinking my putt when he only got a par!

My ball is circled and the pros ball is to the middle right.

 

[sawtooth]

I think the gap would be closer than you think if you also:_

Played 4 rounds every week on top quality courses with the best possible equipment at your disposal. And when you're not playing you're practicing!

Contrast that with playing once a week, getting out of the car on a cold wet morning run straight to the tee without warming up , play greens that invariably have pitch marks people haven't repaired, wait hands on hips whilst the 4 ball ahead mark their cards and have a chat on the green, i could go on.................

Of course the pros are better but how much better would you be if you swapped places with them?

I think we do pretty well considering.

 

[Region3]

My moment of pride was getting inside him on a short par 3

 

[JustOne]

I think the gap would be closer than you think if you also:_

Played 4 rounds every week on top quality courses with the best possible equipment at your disposal. And when you're not playing you're practicing!

Contrast that with playing once a week, getting out of the car on a cold wet morning run straight to the tee without warming up , play greens that invariably have pitch marks people haven't repaired, wait hands on hips whilst the 4 ball ahead mark their cards and have a chat on the green, i could go on.................

Of course the pros are better but how much better would you be if you swapped places with them?

I think we do pretty well considering.

I totally agree, indeed you forgot to mention that most of us hardly hit a ball between December and March (or longer).

 

[Robobum]

Yeah, over 18 holes I'd say about a shot a hole is about right.

However, i did play in a pro am that Paul Broadhurst was playing in @ Perranporth at the start of this year. Baked hard lightning fast greens, bitterly cold and very windy. We both shot 78.

He was overheard saying in the car park that if he had to play the course like that every week he would pack up the game!!!

 

[golfstick]

i caddied for a mate once about 2 months ago around the winter league for the pros. I think you would be surprised about club pros and how good they are. I oftern found my self judging their shots and shocked at some of the shots they hit. I think (although il be judged) that i could have come at least top 15 in their round that day. U shud go watch the local pro tournaments some times its an experiance

 

[muttleee]

I don't know the answer but I do think that a lot of amateurs (esp. high handicappers) would be several shots better than usual if they had crowds of spectators / marshalls watching their ball as it disappears into the rough. Of course the pressure of playing in front of a crowd of onlookers and marshalls would probably wipe out any advantage gained by losing fewer balls.