From How Far Away Could You Win the Masters?

[colin007]

I saw this on TikTok and I'll post the link, but I thought it was an interesting question. From how far away from (close to) each hole would you have to start to be able to win The Masters? Would it be off the green?

 

How close would you have to start on each hole? #golf #hypothetical #themasters

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How close would you have to start on each hole? #golf #hypothetical #themasters

 

[Clemsonfan]

I am certain I could do pretty well if I started on the green, if I get to pick the spot!

[bkuehn1952]

I think 100 yards. I have a decent wedge game and potentially could play some of the par 5’s and 4’s under par. Presumably I would have a caddie to give me sound targets and I would have played some practice rounds.

Of course the pressure of playing in front of thousands of patrons and millions of TV viewers might result in a mental melt down.

[Denny Bang Bang]

If I had a few practice rounds?  Definitely from the tips!
 

For real though, with a couple practice rounds and an experienced caddy like Pappy Stokes, I would say 135 and in I’d have a fighting chance.

[saevel25]

Ok, now that I started to think about it, this is tricky. 

Winning score is usually -12 to -16. 

I am thinking, what gets me pars on every hole, and lets me birdie every par 5. 

Like at 190 yards, I could hit 6 iron into every green. I am putting for double eagle or getting up and down for eagle on every par 5. Maybe I take this back to like hybrid into the holes? It makes every hole drivable. So, like 230 for the hybrid? Even if you miss he green, you are getting up and down for birdie, not par. Odds of making a bogey are very low, as long as you avoid the water hazards. Then, on the par 5's you might putt for double eagle a few times, and getting up and down for eagle most of the time. I think that a lone can win. You end up -3 to -4 every round just on the par 5s. You get a few birdies on the par 4's. 

I will say 230 yards. Let me hit my hybrid on every hole for the par 4's and par 5's. Maybe I could be completely off. 

[pganapathy]

1 foot from the hole.

Jokes apart, maybe a 100 yards in since I would be hitting a PW and can hopefully hit the green every time.  Not that it would guarantee me victory given my putting is the weakest part of my game but with some practice and reasonably close shots to the pin, I might have a chance

[Big Lex]

Realistically, thinking of my best ever, when I was 6-7 index, I might have a chance from say 20-50 yards from every green. Might even need to be on every green, I don't know. Those greens are insanely fast and sloped, and it's possible to putt off them, to 5 and 6 putt if you are in the wrong location, etc. Even from a distance as short as 100 yards, single digit players are maybe hitting 60% of greens? Tour pros hit 75% of greens from 100 yards. So any of us are going to WIN the masters hitting from 100 on every hole? I don't think so. For the handful of eagles we might make on the par 5s - if we can putt those greens - there'll be an offsetting number of bogeys and doubles. 

Edited October 14, 2022 by Big Lex

[iacas]

Quick thoughts… I'm going with @saevel25 on this one. Just let me hit a hybrid to just about everything and I could win. Maybe a bit more — I'm a better putter with a better short game than Matt.

[Vinsk]

Tap ins.

[colin007]

Yeah I feel like if you put me more than a few steps off the green, in the heat of competition, in tournament conditions, I could very easily be chipping over the green or laying sod on every other chip.

[GolfLug]

I would need to be 40 yards in for every tee shot on par 3s and 2nd shots on par all 4s and 5s. 

I can bunt it within makeable range at least 25% of times. Par 5s would be all but guarantee birdies with some eagle opportunities. My putting has been a tad bit better. 

Working backwards, that puts me at 250-260 yards for par 4s and par 5s so can hit hybrids or try to swell up on a downhiller like 11th with a driver.

I am a 42S for sizing (snug fit please). Wife frowns up on frumpy fitting jackets. Just saying..

Edited October 15, 2022 by GolfLug

[phan52]

My brother, who is 71 years old and a 7-handicap player, was lucky enough to play Augusta back in February. He said that from tee to green, it isn't really all that hard compared to many other places he has played (he has played most of the top 20 courses in America). 

He says the difficulty is the greens and the green complexes. Even when you hit the greens, avoiding a three putt is a challenge. He said it is the hardest putting golf course he has ever played, so take that into consideration when you do your calculations for this exercise.

Edited October 17, 2022 by phan52

[saevel25]

9 minutes ago, phan52 said:

He says the difficulty is the greens and the green complexes. Even when you hit the greens, avoiding a three putt is a challenge. He said it is the hardest putting golf course he has ever played, so take that into consideration when you do your calculations for this exercise.

I can see that for those who maybe have not played older courses like Augusta. 

My equation does assume using Aimpoint, and that the greens will be perfect, which helps out versus lower end golf courses. I have played a good number of Donald Ross courses, that have diabolical green complexes, so the shock will not be there. 

I still think, if people had a hybrid or long iron into the green, they would not get boggy and have huge advantage on the par 5's. The question is, to win, so I could see that hitting the green would be a highest priority, and maybe a mid iron would be a more correct. 

[iacas]

6 hours ago, phan52 said:

My brother, who is 71 years old and a 7-handicap player, was lucky enough to play Augusta back in February. He said that from tee to green, it isn't really all that hard compared to many other places he has played (he has played most of the top 20 courses in America). 

He says the difficulty is the greens and the green complexes. Even when you hit the greens, avoiding a three putt is a challenge. He said it is the hardest putting golf course he has ever played, so take that into consideration when you do your calculations for this exercise.

I have. Oakmont, etc. have difficult greens, too.

[TourSpoon]

I am also of the opinion that regardless of reasonable length, you still have to place your ball in the correct spot on the green and putt. That seems to be key. I would love to give this a try so that I can hit from 90 yards on the par 3s, 225 on the par 4s, and 400 on the par 5s. I am not sure I would take a green jacket, but it would be a blast trying! 

[JetFan1983]

Pains me to say it but I'm gonna go with 50 yards right now. I'll reply again in a year and hopefully that number is farther back! 😄

[boogielicious]

11 hours ago, JetFan1983 said:

Pains me to say it but I'm gonna go with 50 yards right now. I'll reply again in a year and hopefully that number is farther back! 😄

I would say 100 yards, a partial PW shot to each green. I was going to say 8 iron, but I can pull that and it would be bad for holes like 11.

[klineka]

On 10/14/2022 at 6:47 AM, pganapathy said:

maybe a 100 yards in since I would be hitting a PW and can hopefully hit the green every time.  

Such an unrealistic expectation.

In the 2022 PGA Tour season, the PGA tour GIR average from 100-125yds was only 75%, and some very very good players, Reed, Hatton, Hovland, etc were under 70%. Think about that. Patrick Reed hit less than 7 out of 10 greens from 100-125 and you expect to hit the green every time from 100yds at Augusta as a 12 handicap?? 

Edited October 19, 2022 by klineka