How would the pros do on your home course?

[Deleted member 15717]

My track is 6800/6900 yards long, and can be tough...however, pros will still tear it apart. A friend of mine, who is a local pro, but has played European and Challenge tour shot 64 (8 under) with half a set. He turned pro off +3...

 

[Deleted member 18588]

To the people who say that their greens etc; could be "tricked up" to catch out the pros I would say go to a tournament and watch these guys up close. Their short game and putting tends to be what separates them from elite amateurs.

At our Club we have, in recent times, had three England Internationals who have since turned (or are in the process of turning) pro and they will all confirm that this where the difference lies.

Round our course they would, whilst practising, routinely shoot 64 or 65 against SSS 70 and one has, I understand, shot 61.

Whilst I accept that local knowledge is an advantage these guys are at the Challenge not European Tour level.

 

[mikepops]

I'd say that at my place, and most other courses, a top pro dropping in for a day as a favour to someone to play a friendly round to give the place a bit of buzz might knock it around quite happily in the mid 60's.

Bring a whole tournament, giving them a practice round and four proper goes at the course, you'd get at least one freakishly low score in the mid 50s, and several in the high 50s, I'd imagine.

Imagine what the cut would be at?! -5? Lower?!

 

[StrangelyBrown]

Tee to green, they'd make a mockery of it.

On the greens, they'd struggle. They probably haven't putted on anything so slow in years, even considering that the members think that they're fast.

If they hit it in a bunker, they'd struggle. Our bunkers are very inconsistent.

 

[Robobum]

Course too short
Rough too short
Greens too small
Greens too flat

They would rip it a new one.

Current par of 70 would be a par 67 as all the par 5s will be a drive and a medium iron. Four driveable par 4s for them (at least) so a par of 63 before they get started.

Our pro will regularly shoot 64 or 65 in a knock with me - and he is a shop pro who just plays regional stuff.

 

[chrisd]

Our 6280 yard course would be low 60 I reckon. It's defence is tree lined fairways and small greens, I reckon they'd smash it without needing a driver

 

[davidy233]

One thing to consider is outside majors and the odd other tournament the courses they play are resort courses - though they play them from right back.

In 2007 the R&A spent over 30 grand on making our course as difficult as possible for Open Qualifying - rough was incredible - set up to play same way as 'Carnastie' - guy who won the qualifying shot eight under over two rounds - Per Ulrik Johannsen was one under over his 36 holes and there was no wind on the two days - 1999 Jean Van der Velde won qualifying at our place with two 68s - six under.

Given the top pros all being there then there would be some great scores but set up as it was that week in 2007 not everyone would rip it to bits and if it was really blowy there would be some high scores - same applies to any decent links

 

[GB72]

Any tour pro would rip up my course. Par 4s in driving distance, par 5s are drive and a wedge for some, par 3s just a little flick with a wedge for some. The only thing that would stop the massively low scores would be the condition issues that they are not used to so bunkers with uneven amounts of sand and the odd stone, slower greens etc. Would also be interested to see how they faired without spotters and a crowd to help find the odd wayward one, especially when the rough gets up a bit.

 

[GB72]

Out of interest, anyone know the last time any of the top pros played a bog standard, ordinary course.

 

[davidy233]

Out of interest, anyone know the last time any of the top pros played a bog standard, ordinary course.

How top pro are you talking? Paul Lawrie plays the Winter Alliance (with club pros and amateurs) in Aberdeenshire area each winter - some decent courses but some ordinary ones too

 

[Spear-Chucker]

Mid to low 60's. Many large, mature trees and our rough would keep the silly scores away and slower greens also wouldn't help their case. Only two par 5's would reduce birdie chances but they would make up for it on mainly 380-440yd par 4's. We've had a few very good amateurs and a couple of reasonable pro's shoot 5 under but never anything less. Main tour folk are a different breed again though so worth a couple extra.

 

[StrangelyBrown]

Out of interest, anyone know the last time any of the top pros played a bog standard, ordinary course.

My only reference is Thomas Bjorn once played Canmore in Dunfermline for an anniversary, and I think he finished with a 65 (par 67). He said that he couldn't get used to how slow the greens were, even though they were as fast as the green staff could get them.

 

[pendodave]

Not my home course, but one nearby - Welwyn Garden City, a decent members club track.

Tom Lewis shot 61 in march.

Before you all tut about not getting it round in 50 something, remember what the weather, course conditions and greens were like in feb/march this year in the south east. I reckon that would probably be about the worst he would do now that things have brightened up a bit.

 

[BoadieBroadus]

just looking at sss which is 70 (par 72) and css (tends to be 69 on a nice day) - if a tour pro has an estimated handicap of +6 then that would mean 63 would be a reasonable score to expect.

on a good day for the pro i'd think sub 60 would be definitely within range.

but some of us are members of resort courses that can and do occasionally entertain pros and top level amateurs. my course is a fairly short north london suburban course where the tees just cannot be moved any further back and a pro capable of hitting it pro distance would just slaughter it. it would be a completely different prospect for Belfry members etc.

 

[chrisd]

.

Tom Lewis shot 61 in march.

.

I think he shot about net 65 at Gainsborough in the Ping ProAm last year. Matthew Nixon was probably 2 over

 

[Foxholer]

My old course was used for Qualifying for Seniors open when it was at Sunningdale a few years ago. From memory, best score was -4, a couple higher than Berkshire or Camberley Heath.

Jamega Tour play The Shire London. 6 under has won the 2 round event both years. Lowest score in any round has been a 65 (7 under club Par; 8 or 9 under SSS) from Scott Drummond.

 

[Ethan]

I reckon if you took a Tour pro to a decent members club, Bearwood Lakes, for example, they would score pretty low.

If you had a European Tour event held off the black tees (7000 yards plus), the winning score would be at least -15, and someone would score a 62 or lower. These guys would murder any course with generous fairways and a lack of brutal hazards. As someone said above, the best defence is crap greens. On most club courses, there are no par-5s for these guys who hit the driver 280+ and can hit a 3 wood off the deck 250 or so. So the real par is closer to 67 anyway. Most of the 400 yard par 4s are drive and pitch holes too, and Tour pros hit their wedges rather well.

 

[FairwayDodger]

Tee to green, they'd make a mockery of it.

On the greens, they'd struggle. They probably haven't putted on anything so slow in years, even considering that the members think that they're fast.

If they hit it in a bunker, they'd struggle. Our bunkers are very inconsistent.

I played your place last week and even I haven't putted on greens that slow in years! Think they must've forgotten to cut them or something......

 

[FairwayDodger]

Top pros would tear my place apart and walk off gutted if they failed to break 60. In fact I'd almost go as far as to say that if they held a tour event there and you didn't break 60 you'd miss the cut......

 

[Johnny Bravo]

My only reference is Thomas Bjorn once played Canmore in Dunfermline for an anniversary, and I think he finished with a 65 (par 67). He said that he couldn't get used to how slow the greens were, even though they were as fast as the green staff could get them.

Made the mistake playing it once, never again shocking course with only about 2 golf holes on it.