Your best score....but with Pro's privileges?

[Redwood]

Following on from John_Findlay on your best score, and also, parlty, HNJ's post on Rules, what do you think you would be able to score given the same level of attention and help that Pro's get in tournaments?

I was thinking about this the other day, and reckoned it could probably save at least 5 shots a round for a player of my handicap (24).

What I'm talking about is ball finders on the course, rules officals to make sure you made no silly mistakes, manufacturers who can constantly adjust a fit clubs for your exact swing etc...

What do you all think?

 

[Wilts]

I often say that if i was playing in the masters some one would have found my ball and i would not have to pay the penalty of losing a ball.

now that i probably loose a ball once every two rounds on average that may not make too much of a differnce. If you do regulary loose 1 or 2 balls a round (as long as is itns't OOB or in water) a ball finder/spotter would drop your score!

 

[Robobum]

Negligible difference if any at all.

The people this may effect more would be the higher h'capper who is a bit wayward, but if your ball is in rough which is such that you can't find it then that may be for the best. Having to play it from the deep cabbage if your spotter kept on finding it could be a lot more difficult than reloading!!

 

[Fyldewhite]

The biggest difference without a doubt to most high handicappers would be a caddie who could advise on which shots to attempt and basically manage the player around the course. Quite a few shots lower I'd say

 

[Herbie]

I think management help from caddy would be a plus, also any questions regarding a rule situation may help you save a shot or prevent DQ, also you would feel comfortable during the round having a caddy carry for you and some people improve their game with this benefit, suffering less fatigue. The lost ball issue might just save a shot or two every 5 or 10 rounds.

 

[funkyfred]

A friend of mine went to one of the qualifying rounds recently at Walton Heath (I think it was for the US Open)During the day he went off to find a toilet, on his way there, all of a sudden he saw a ball fly in front of him and land in a load of heather, a good 50 yards of course.
Now he insists that without him seeing it they would still be there looking for it. He pointed to the caddie where the ball was and the player, either an Italian or the Italian Champion managed to hack the ball out of the heather, knocked his next shot to 4 foot of the pin and then made his par putt.

Having parred two holes last night with my second ball (only managed 12 holes)I wouldn't have a clue how good my score would be if I had ball spotters.

 

[Handycap]

.....assuming you could handle the pressure of tens of 1000's of people watching you, lining the tees fairways and greens, let alone the millions more at home as the TV cameras beam every shot around the world!
How do you handle being first on the tee on a medal day with four or five four balls watching you tee off?

 

[Herbie]

.....assuming you could handle the pressure of tens of 1000's of people watching you, lining the tees fairways and greens, let alone the millions more at home as the TV cameras beam every shot around the world!
How do you handle being first on the tee on a medal day with four or five four balls watching you tee off?

Well I have first tee issues regardless and I have the same aproach. The last three comps I entered there were at least 8 to 10 people near the tee and several on the nearby chipping green, as well as some ladies running the half way drinks hut nearby. Out of those three occasions I hit two superb drives and one that went 300 yds up and 100yds long and right. I would be the same in front of a thousand people or none, its just my first tee and its always had the same issue no matter what the circumstances. My first drive at St Andrews was superb, watching was a crowd of tourists and players waiting in line with caddies on call.

 

[theeaglehunter]

How about considering the negatives of playing as a pro such as hoards of people overlooking your every move, noise etc...with these taken into account the difference would be very little.

If you were just considering the positives then I think 2-3 shots is realistic for me in lost balls alone!

 

[Adrena1in]

Playing a course I don't know, with someone who knows it, and knows the correct lines down the fairways and into the greens, quite frankly makes bu**er all difference to me, because I can only about 10% of the time put the ball roughly where I want to.

I actually think I'd play *worse* in the above situation, because I'd be nervous and feel under pressure. I play my best when I'm with friends, in a casual environment, doing my own thing.

 

[RGDave]

What fun. Under normal circumstances I'd say no better than normal.
Having arrived at the 16th tee the other day already on 31 points, I was hoping for a 3 par finish for a total of 38.
My drive on the 16th caught a tree and was never found again...no points after making a 6 with a provisional. Tee shot on 17th was no more than 3 yards right of target, hit a bush on the far side of the pond (that's now 10' high since about a month ago), also lost....I'd been 99% sure it would be just right of the green by a small tree, but presumably never made it through the bush.....
I was SO cross. Drove up the 18th, missed the approach by 5 yards, ball bounced at right angles across and under the hedge protecting another tee. I just N/R'd and packed my clubs away. 21 points on the front, 10 on the back, NONE for the last 3 holes.....
If someone had found my ball on the 16th and my caddie had *insisted* I took a provisional on 17th, I might have been in a better mind on the last, and probably still made 34 or 35 points.......

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think a pro caddy would be an interesting experiment especially if we had time to get to know my game and yardages first. I think a good bagman can save a pro at least 3-5 shots per tournament and if they know their stuff would be able to offer the right words at the right time.

I'm not sure that pro equipment in terms of blades or shallw cavitiy clubs would help and it then brins up the argument of C/F especially given the recent tales casting some doubt over its merits. Mind you the free gloves, hats and balls would be a nice bonus.

I think playing my own course with a pro caddy and playing to my normal standard I'd be disappointed to shoot more than 80 (+10 gross but would be two off my handicap). I think I'm still to inconsistant to really benefit from pro privileges and even with ball spotters and marshalls, if its hooked OB it don't really matter if they can see it or not.

 

[backwoodsman]

I'd plump for ...

occasionally could save you a few shots in one round, but averaged over several, not much. My reasoning...

Hack your tee shot into the rough, and we normally play a provisional. Hopefully it ends up on the fairway giving you a chance at the green in three. If you ball spotter finds it, then realistically you're still really going for the green in three - one out then another to the green. (Or if you're like me, you spend half an hour making hay and end up with a three footer for a 12)

On other hand, tee shot into rough, then provisional into rough, 2nd provisional onto fairway (don't you just love this game). In this case, with ball finder, you're still in with a chance at green in three - rather than in 5 using second provisional...

So sometimes better, sometimes not; average - about the same?

Now what I think is an advantage is all that rough trampled nicely flat...

 

[viscount17]

potentially a good few, what with ball finders, manicured rough, rolled bunkers, and a caddy who hopefully doesn't die laughing on the second hole!

wrt the OP, I don't think the rules officials are allowed to prevent you doing something wrong unless you ask for their advice, they can't (unless you're Tiger) offer it.