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I am nothing like a Pro Golfer!!!!!


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OK, let me start off by saying I was never 100% serious when I would claim the following (but somewhere deep in my mind I thought it might have an ounce of truth to it):

The only reason I am a 12 handicapper and not a professional golfer is because the courses I play on are crap compared to the PGA courses, and they have a gallery and caddie to find every ball, help read, every putt, etc...

Well, this past Monday I was fortunate enough to play Congressional Country Club as part of the Media Day for Tiger Woods' Quicken Loans National coming up next month. The course was perfect, they supplied me with a forecaddie, and I was ready to make a run at the course record. And then reality set it!!!!!

Despite playing the white tees, which were about 6,200 yards (you know, almost 1,600 yards shorter than the Championship tees), it was obvious on my first hole (No. 11) that I was out of my league. My drive was hit decently, about 225 down the left side and disappeared in the rough. My next shot was gauged out about 80 yards (and I swung HARD) into the right rough, my third was decent, but shot across the green as though it landed on concrete. My fourth was a putt from the back fringe, and I was so scared to knock it off the front of the green, I left it about 20 feet short. My next was of course struck very solidly, and rolled about 8 feet past, then I was no where near the hole with my triple-bogey attempt (though I blamed the caddie on that one).

And the pattern continued, balls that hit the rough just stopped and sunk, balls that weren't struck perfectly with an approach almost always ran through, and chips from the rough were a guessing game for me. My normal 7 iron goes 155ish from the fairway, but maybe got me 100 closer if I swung hard from the rough there.

Yet the pros are knocking 7 irons close to 190 from the rough with ease. They are spinning and checking shots with their eyes closed. They are averaging 27-28 putts on these linolium-style greens. Oh yeah, and their approaches are coming in from about 50-60 yards further away from mine, even with their rear tees.

Just a different game, that's for sure!

But, I can't wait to try it again if given the chance!

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OK, let me start off by saying I was never 100% serious when I would claim the following (but somewhere deep in my mind I thought it might have an ounce of truth to it):

The only reason I am a 12 handicapper and not a professional golfer is because the courses I play on are crap compared to the PGA courses, and they have a gallery and caddie to find every ball, help read, every putt, etc...

Well, this past Monday I was fortunate enough to play Congressional Country Club as part of the Media Day for Tiger Woods' Quicken Loans National coming up next month. The course was perfect, they supplied me with a forecaddie, and I was ready to make a run at the course record. And then reality set it!!!!!

Despite playing the white tees, which were about 6,200 yards (you know, almost 1,600 yards shorter than the Championship tees), it was obvious on my first hole (No. 11) that I was out of my league. My drive was hit decently, about 225 down the left side and disappeared in the rough. My next shot was gauged out about 80 yards (and I swung HARD) into the right rough, my third was decent, but shot across the green as though it landed on concrete. My fourth was a putt from the back fringe, and I was so scared to knock it off the front of the green, I left it about 20 feet short. My next was of course struck very solidly, and rolled about 8 feet past, then I was no where near the hole with my triple-bogey attempt (though I blamed the caddie on that one).

And the pattern continued, balls that hit the rough just stopped and sunk, balls that weren't struck perfectly with an approach almost always ran through, and chips from the rough were a guessing game for me. My normal 7 iron goes 155ish from the fairway, but maybe got me 100 closer if I swung hard from the rough there.

Yet the pros are knocking 7 irons close to 190 from the rough with ease. They are spinning and checking shots with their eyes closed. They are averaging 27-28 putts on these linolium-style greens. Oh yeah, and their approaches are coming in from about 50-60 yards further away from mine, even with their rear tees.

Just a different game, that's for sure!

But, I can't wait to try it again if given the chance!

Interesting.  Thanks for posting.  I can assume similar (or worse) would happen to me.

-Matt-

"does it still count as a hit fairway if it is the next one over"

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I think the thing that separates the pros from the scrubs is mostly just distance.  Yeah you've got to be able to hit the ball where you're aiming.. but when you hit a 5 iron on a 213 yard par 3 (which I saw a clip of from the Player's) I think that opens a massive number of scoring opportunity doors.

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I think the thing that separates the pros from the scrubs is mostly just distance.  Yeah you've got to be able to hit the ball where you're aiming.. but when you hit a 5 iron on a 213 yard par 3 (which I saw a clip of from the Player's) I think that opens a massive number of scoring opportunity doors.

Distance. Solidness of hit. Control of face and path. All.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

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Distance. Solidness of hit. Control of face and path. All.

@iacas as most people who read your posts of course management etc know, distance is a major advantage to have at any level of playing ability. But have you ever tried to quantify how much of an advantage it is to hit the ball an extra 10 yards per club or even +40 yards?

If you have thought about this/ have some numbers on it from your work i would be very interested to see them. If i had to guess then i would say if i could hit my irons 10 yards longer (e.g. if my 7 iron went 160 rather than 150) i would think i could play at least 1 stroke better per round, averaged over many rounds of course.

Now if i could hit pro distances, so an extra 60 yards on my drive and 2/3 clubs longer in my irons then thats 8 clubs difference into par 4s. Thats like PW vs 3W! Now the difference for that would be a hell over a lot more than 1 shot but i think that sort of data would be much harder to quantify than my more realistic example above.

Henry

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OK, let me start off by saying I was never 100% serious when I would claim the following (but somewhere deep in my mind I thought it might have an ounce of truth to it):

The only reason I am a 12 handicapper and not a professional golfer is because the courses I play on are crap compared to the PGA courses, and they have a gallery and caddie to find every ball, help read, every putt, etc...

Well, this past Monday I was fortunate enough to play Congressional Country Club as part of the Media Day for Tiger Woods' Quicken Loans National coming up next month. The course was perfect, they supplied me with a forecaddie, and I was ready to make a run at the course record. And then reality set it!!!!!

Despite playing the white tees, which were about 6,200 yards (you know, almost 1,600 yards shorter than the Championship tees), it was obvious on my first hole (No. 11) that I was out of my league. My drive was hit decently, about 225 down the left side and disappeared in the rough. My next shot was gauged out about 80 yards (and I swung HARD) into the right rough, my third was decent, but shot across the green as though it landed on concrete. My fourth was a putt from the back fringe, and I was so scared to knock it off the front of the green, I left it about 20 feet short. My next was of course struck very solidly, and rolled about 8 feet past, then I was no where near the hole with my triple-bogey attempt (though I blamed the caddie on that one).

And the pattern continued, balls that hit the rough just stopped and sunk, balls that weren't struck perfectly with an approach almost always ran through, and chips from the rough were a guessing game for me. My normal 7 iron goes 155ish from the fairway, but maybe got me 100 closer if I swung hard from the rough there.

Yet the pros are knocking 7 irons close to 190 from the rough with ease. They are spinning and checking shots with their eyes closed. They are averaging 27-28 putts on these linolium-style greens. Oh yeah, and their approaches are coming in from about 50-60 yards further away from mine, even with their rear tees.

Just a different game, that's for sure!

But, I can't wait to try it again if given the chance!


So, what did you shoot?   Did you Break80? ;-)

RiCK

(Play it again, Sam)

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@iacas as most people who read your posts of course management etc know, distance is a major advantage to have at any level of playing ability. But have you ever tried to quantify how much of an advantage it is to hit the ball an extra 10 yards per club or even +40 yards?

If you have thought about this/ have some numbers on it from your work i would be very interested to see them. If i had to guess then i would say if i could hit my irons 10 yards longer (e.g. if my 7 iron went 160 rather than 150) i would think i could play at least 1 stroke better per round, averaged over many rounds of course.

I'm going from memory, but Broadie says an extra 20 yards with the driver (only) is 0.8 shots to a PGA Tour pro, 1.3 to an 80s golfer, and 2.5 to a 90s golfer.

And that's just the driver, again.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

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Quote:
I think the thing that separates the pros from the scrubs is mostly just distance.  Yeah you've got to be able to hit the ball where you're aiming.. but when you hit a 5 iron on a 213 yard par 3 (which I saw a clip of from the Player's) I think that opens a massive number of scoring opportunity doors.

I usually throw my two cents in on these threads.  Its way more than that.  The average athlete has no idea how good a pro athlete is.  They are insane.

I briefly entertained going pro in tennis at end of high school and first year or so of college.  I was a very good tennis player.  I was the best player at my club at 14-15, the best player in my state my last two years of high school, and went to college for tennis at a program that routinely competes at the highest level (playing #2 or #3 singles my freshman year).

I attended Bolletieri academy, and while I was there, I played a guy who had lost to Roddick in the junior Australian open that year.  He beat me 8-0.  I won two points.  He hit all my serves back for winners, and I couldn't touch his.  It was humbling.

That guy didn't make it as a pro.  He didn't even come close.  I've hit around with a couple pros while at Bolletieri (Tommy Haas a bunch) and it was like they were playing a different sport.

Picture the best player at your club, hell, the best player you've ever played with and they couldn't touch a pro.  They are worlds ahead in mentality and skill.  I can't imagine golf is much different from tennis in this regard.  Its one thing to shoot 70 one weekend with your buddies.  Its quite another to shoot 70 when you absolutely need a 70 to get or keep your card or whatever.  I could hit around with the pros, practice with the pros and play some mini-sets in tennis and not look out of place, but if you put me in the first round of the US Open, even though I was good, I would've looked like a child.  They have another gear when the bright lights come on.

If I'm off on this and golf is different correct me, but there is no comparison usually between a pro and an even a very, very good amateur.

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Originally Posted by johnclayton1982 View Post
Quote:
I think the thing that separates the pros from the scrubs is mostly just distance.  Yeah you've got to be able to hit the ball where you're aiming.. but when you hit a 5 iron on a 213 yard par 3 (which I saw a clip of from the Player's) I think that opens a massive number of scoring opportunity doors.

I usually throw my two cents in on these threads.  Its way more than that.  The average athlete has no idea how good a pro athlete is.  They are insane.

I briefly entertained going pro in tennis at end of high school and first year or so of college.  I was a very good tennis player.  I was the best player at my club at 14-15, the best player in my state my last two years of high school, and went to college for tennis at a program that routinely competes at the highest level (playing #2 or #3 singles my freshman year).

I attended Bolletieri academy, and while I was there, I played a guy who had lost to Roddick in the junior Australian open that year.  He beat me 8-0.  I won two points.  He hit all my serves back for winners, and I couldn't touch his.  It was humbling.

That guy didn't make it as a pro.  He didn't even come close.  I've hit around with a couple pros while at Bolletieri (Tommy Haas a bunch) and it was like they were playing a different sport.

Picture the best player at your club, hell, the best player you've ever played with and they couldn't touch a pro.  They are worlds ahead in mentality and skill.  I can't imagine golf is much different from tennis in this regard.  Its one thing to shoot 70 one weekend with your buddies.  Its quite another to shoot 70 when you absolutely need a 70 to get or keep your card or whatever.  I could hit around with the pros, practice with the pros and play some mini-sets in tennis and not look out of place, but if you put me in the first round of the US Open, even though I was good, I would've looked like a child.  They have another gear when the bright lights come on.

If I'm off on this and golf is different correct me, but there is no comparison usually between a pro and an even a very, very good amateur.


Ditto for boxing, a sports I was trained by a national team coach with a goal of making me a world champion.  At the end, I had to give up the dream b/c unless God didn't smile at me.   Sure, I could turn pro and climb the world ranking.   Being a champ?  That's strictly reserved for a chosen few (and with hard work ethic, and huge amount of luck).   Golf is 10 times worse in that regard b/c unlike boxing, there is no weight class divisions.

RiCK

(Play it again, Sam)

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Interesting thread. I'm amazed that I learned stuff in this thread other than "Of course we're nothing like a pro golfer".

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I usually throw my two cents in on these threads.  Its way more than that.  The average athlete has no idea how good a pro athlete is.  They are insane.

I briefly entertained going pro in tennis at end of high school and first year or so of college.  I was a very good tennis player.  I was the best player at my club at 14-15, the best player in my state my last two years of high school, and went to college for tennis at a program that routinely competes at the highest level (playing #2 or #3 singles my freshman year).

I attended Bolletieri academy, and while I was there, I played a guy who had lost to Roddick in the junior Australian open that year.  He beat me 8-0.  I won two points.  He hit all my serves back for winners, and I couldn't touch his.  It was humbling.

That guy didn't make it as a pro.  He didn't even come close.  I've hit around with a couple pros while at Bolletieri (Tommy Haas a bunch) and it was like they were playing a different sport.

Picture the best player at your club, hell, the best player you've ever played with and they couldn't touch a pro.  They are worlds ahead in mentality and skill.  I can't imagine golf is much different from tennis in this regard.  Its one thing to shoot 70 one weekend with your buddies.  Its quite another to shoot 70 when you absolutely need a 70 to get or keep your card or whatever.  I could hit around with the pros, practice with the pros and play some mini-sets in tennis and not look out of place, but if you put me in the first round of the US Open, even though I was good, I would've looked like a child.  They have another gear when the bright lights come on.

If I'm off on this and golf is different correct me, but there is no comparison usually between a pro and an even a very, very good amateur.

You sound like one of these guys that elevates sports figures to some kind of ridiculously unwarranted mythic status.  I know these people are good at what they do but at the end of the day they are human just like everyone else.  In fact, I was just commenting to a friend along these lines last week...  while watching some footage of the recent Player's tournament and I thought it was absolutely hilarious how the TV station quickly cut away from anyone who sank a shot in the water or muffed a ball.  It's like they don't want you to see these guys make stupid shots like the rest of humanity but instead make 230 yard eagles all day, every day.  It's laughable imo.

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Congrats to the OP ... Really sounded like a fun day for you. Now on to where the thread has lead to ... Correct me if I am wrong, but unless you hit close to what you are aiming at, it does not matter how far you hit a club? That does not even address the ability for a pro to shape several different shots with varied distances with each club in his bag ... There is just no comparison ... Sort of like johnclayton said ...

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Distance is important amongst the pros. But I don't believe it's always a factor when comparing us to pros. Solid impact, club face/path control...absolutely. In my best days of golf in my 20's, I could hang with the large majority of pros as far as distance...but they would humiliate me on score due to the above mentioned factors. Similarly, Erik and Mike..and many others on this forum can run circles around me on the golf course....but not because they can hit the ball all that farther than me....just a hell of a lot better.

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You sound like one of these guys that elevates sports figures to some kind of ridiculously unwarranted mythic status.  I know these people are good at what they do but at the end of the day they are human just like everyone else.  In fact, I was just commenting to a friend along these lines last week...  while watching some footage of the recent Player's tournament and I thought it was absolutely hilarious how the TV station quickly cut away from anyone who sank a shot in the water or muffed a ball.  It's like they don't want you to see these guys make stupid shots like the rest of humanity but instead make 230 yard eagles all day, every day.  It's laughable imo.

You obviousy are watching a different telecast because you've just made that up.  WTF is a "230 yard eagle" ? What are you even talking about?

When you see someone "muff" a ball you are treated to several slow-mo replays and Johnny Miller analysis. And the water balls.

Who says they are not human - does that minimise the skills that they have? The fact that thay are human? You want to feel like you're just as good - or could be with a bit more free time? Imagine playing 59 holes or whatever without a bogey like Spieth did. Would you back yourself to do that with 59 x 20 metre holes. I certainly wouldn't. That is absolutely incredible. Almost mythical if you like - but of course it'd be uncool to recognise that it's a pretty damn fine effort. I'll bet you're one of the ones with his hands in his pocket when someone hits a great shot. Telling your girlfriend you're just as good.

What is wrong with someone sharing their first hand experience of knowing how good these guys are?

It dosn't make you less of a man to reognise that some humans do tings a lot better than other humans. Doesn't make them Gods. And it shouldn't threaten you in your macho world where yoiu think that it's "laughable" to see something which didn't even happen.

In the race of life, always back self-interest. At least you know it's trying.

 

 

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You obviousy are watching a different telecast because you've just made that up.  WTF is a "230 yard eagle" ? What are you even talking about?

When you see someone "muff" a ball you are treated to several slow-mo replays and Johnny Miller analysis. And the water balls.

Who says they are not human - does that minimise the skills that they have? The fact that thay are human? You want to feel like you're just as good - or could be with a bit more free time? Imagine playing 59 holes or whatever without a bogey like Spieth did. Would you back yourself to do that with 59 x 20 metre holes. I certainly wouldn't. That is absolutely incredible. Almost mythical if you like - but of course it'd be uncool to recognise that it's a pretty damn fine effort. I'll bet you're one of the ones with his hands in his pocket when someone hits a great shot. Telling your girlfriend you're just as good.

What is wrong with someone sharing their first hand experience of knowing how good these guys are?

It dosn't make you less of a man to reognise that some humans do tings a lot better than other humans. Doesn't make them Gods. And it shouldn't threaten you in your macho world where yoiu think that it's "laughable" to see something which didn't even happen.

Hey spaz how about you take a ****ing chill pill.  You're so balls deep in these guy's crotch you don't know which way is up.  The few people I've talked to who follow these tournaments closer than I all say the TV stations cut away from bad shots and try to portray the field in the best possible light.  Do I have a problem with it?  Not really, no, because I generally don't watch them.  When stupid saps like you buy into it 200% and then rage out on the interwebs like a goddamn child it can be annoying though.  Anyway, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to notice the field for these things are what, 30-50 guys deep?  And who do they show.  Oh yeah, the top 5 or 10 guys.  Why is that?  Because everyone else is sucking hind tit?  Imagine that.

Like I said, I know these guys are good at what they do but give a rest Uncle Rico.

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Hey spaz how about you take a ****ing chill pill.  You're so balls deep in these guy's crotch you don't know which way is up.  The few people I've talked to who follow these tournaments closer than I all say the TV stations cut away from bad shots and try to portray the field in the best possible light.  Do I have a problem with it?  Not really, no, because I generally don't watch them.  When stupid saps like you buy into it 200% and then rage out on the interwebs like a goddamn child it can be annoying though.  Anyway, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to notice the field for these things are what, 30-50 guys deep?  And who do they show.  Oh yeah, the top 5 or 10 guys.  Why is that?  Because everyone else is sucking hind tit?  Imagine that.

Like I said, I know these guys are good at what they do but give a rest Uncle Rico.

I suppose you've never watched any college level golfers playing up close, much less professional golfers. This is the only reason I could see that you would not be impressed by their ability to play.

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I suppose you've never watched any college level golfers playing up close, much less professional golfers. This is the only reason I could see that you would not be impressed by their ability to play.

Not once but twice I've said I know these guys are good and you still post things like this.  If you aren't going to read the previous posts then just don't even bother commenting.

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