What Would You Shoot if a PGA Tour Pro Drove the Ball for You?

[billchao]

Apparently, Golf Digest tried this experiment, back in the 90's. http://www.golfdigest.com/blogs/the-loop/2014/08/what-would-you-shoot-if-a-pro.html

Quote:

Golf Digest set out to answer these questions more than two decades ago, when writer Peter Andrews and tour veteran Mark O'Meara played together at Isleworth Country Club in Windermere, Fla., for a story in the May 1991 issue. Andrews was an 18-handicapper who was convinced he could be shooting in the 70s "with only a few measly extra yards off the tee, assuming 50 yards qualifies as measly." O'Meara was by then a PGA Tour star -- not yet a winner of two major titles, but already with six tour wins to his name. The concept was quite simple: playing from 6,279 yards, Andrews played O'Meara's tee ball in on every hole, and O'Meara played Andrews'.

The result was about what you'd expect when you take some of the variables out of a mediocre golfer's hands, but still leave him with enough room to make a mess.  Using O'Meara's respectable pre-titanium 260-yard drives, Andrews shot 82 (playing Andrews' drives, O'Meara shot 75). It was about 10 strokes better than his average, but as Andrews noted, he never quite took advantage of O'Meara's help.

"And so it went; Mark clicking off pars and birdies whenever I left him on anything Luther Burbank would have recognized as grass, and me constantly being offered the glittering prize, but able, only sporadically, to gather it in," Andrews wrote.

Seems like Peter Andrews was disappointed he didn't shoot better. Looks like his ballstriking hurt him on his approach shots too, despite the great drives he was able to receive.

So, what would you shoot if a PGA Tour player drove the ball for you?

I'd probably shoot about what Mr. Andrews shot, about mid to low 80's. I miss too many approach shots, my short game and putting are suspect these days, so I think that's a realistic assessment.

[vangator]

Unless he's also putting for me, not much different.

[joekelly]

Why pay a pro?  Grab your pals and 7 small pieces of paper.  On 4 of the papers write the numbers 275, 288, 294 and 300 which represent normal pro drives. On the 3 others write center, right and left. At each tee box each player chooses one paper from the 2 options. Then simply walk out to that  place and drop a ball.  Play on. Play own ball off tee on par 3s.

[Golfingdad]

If I get to make the assumption that he's playing from the same tees I normally play from, then basically what you're asking here is what I'd shoot if I was in or near every fairway AND consistently another 15-40 yards further down the fairways. Honestly, I think I'd be near par, on average.

[billchao]

Why pay a pro?  Grab your pals and 7 small pieces of paper.  On 4 of the papers write the numbers 275, 288, 294 and 300 which represent normal pro drives. On the 3 others write center, right and left. At each tee box each player chooses one paper from the 2 options. Then simply walk out to that  place and drop a ball.  Play on. Play own ball off tee on par 3s.

I don't think anyone mentioned paying anyone, but good idea. Needs some tweaking, but I'm sure we can make that a pretty accurate simulation.

Not going to agree with you on the par 3's, though. I think if a pro is driving for me, it should be all 18 tee shots.

If I get to make the assumption that he's playing from the same tees I normally play from, then basically what you're asking here is what I'd shoot if I was in or near every fairway AND consistently another 15-40 yards further down the fairways. Honestly, I think I'd be near par, on average.

Yea, same tees. I should have stipulated that.

[MS256]

Definitely would depend on the course yardage. Assuming I'm playing pretty well (for me). Inside of 6,500 yards and I think the pro and I would light it up (lower to mid 60s) because I do have a pretty good short game if nothing else. 6,500 to 7,000 yards and I think I would gain around 7 or 8 strokes from normal (around 70 to 72). Over 7,000 yards I could mess up the good situations he put me in quite a few times but figure he would still gain me 5 or 6 strokes (74 to 76). All 100% guesses! I could also play so badly that he quits in the middle of it and walks off of the course in disgust.

[atxpkrgolf]

I'd shoot under par but not sure how far under.

[LuciusWooding]

Probably somewhere in the high 60s.

Then if you added in the pro's strokes it would probably be enough to give me a chance to break 80. Personally I'd rather leave those off the card.

[tmac20]

Higher than if they hit my approach shot instead. I'd probably only gain around 3-5 strokes with their drives, but I'd gain 6-8 with their approach shots.

[mchepp]

Currently the driver and me have been non communicato and I have been scoring decently. So I would say par or slightly over.

[Patch]

I'd break 80 most of the time, since most of the pros would out drive me by several, tens of yards, with some what better accuracy.

[Gary Page]

Well around my home course (Par 71) where I average 73.74 for this season.  I am going to use Mcilory for this analysis.

I'm going to use a system where I use my highest % of misses left & right of the fairway to determine what Mcilory would shoot.

1st Par 4 (I miss right more, possibly into trees) - Par/Bogey
2nd Par 4 (I miss very rarely) - Birdie

3rd Par 4  (hard to miss) - Birdie

4th Par 3 (Miss right) - Par

5th Par 4 (Drivable par 4, I miss more left which is in the bushes) - Par/Bogey

6th Par 5 (I miss left) - Birdie

7th Par 3 ( Depends on my shot) - Par

8th Par 4 (Miss Left) - Par

9th Par 4 (Miss right) - Par

10th Par 5 (Miss right into bunkers) - Par

11th Par 3 (Miss right of a short green surrounded by bunkers - Par/Bogey

12th Par 4 (Miss left into semi thick rough) Par/Bogey

13th Par 4(Miss right into trees) - Par/Bogey

14th Par 3 (Miss right) - Par/Bogey

15th Par 4 (Miss left into semi rough) - Par

16th Par 4(Easy fairway to hit) Birdie/Par

17th Par 4(Can drive green) - Birdie

18th Par 5 (Miss left into Semi, leaves short iron into green) - Eagle/Birdie

So on that basis & using my worse stat shots then I reckon with Rory's talent then I reckon he'd finish my ball out in anything between 64(-7) & 71 (E).

My dispersion of misses is quite good so I'm always in play & able to attack pins from such position.

[Grndslmhttr3]

if it's Tiger driving the ball then probably not so great

[Gary Page]

So using that example to see what I would shoot hitting Rory's ball.  I'd be able to make two or three more birdies based on the fact I'd be hitting more short shots into greens I know well enough!

I'd say I'd shoot 70 or less

[CarlSpackler]

I don't know. Approach shots and inability to scramble is what killed my score the last few times out. It would probably save me 3-4 strokes on par 3s alone plus another 2-3 from my driver getting me in trouble. I would rather do the driving and let the pro hit into the greens for me. ;-)

[David in FL]

If I get to make the assumption that he's playing from the same tees I normally play from, then basically what you're asking here is what I'd shoot if I was in or near every fairway AND consistently another 15-40 yards further down the fairways. Honestly, I think I'd be near par, on average.

Bingo, except for me, it's more like 60-70 yards further.  Seldom if ever hitting more than wedge on a par-4 and just about every par-5 will be reachable, even for me.  I'd expect to be somewhere right around par, +/- a stroke or two.

[saevel25]

Bingo, except for me, it's more like 60-70 yards further.  Seldom if ever hitting more than wedge on a par-4 and just about every par-5 will be reachable, even for me.  I'd expect to be somewhere right around par, +/- a stroke or two.

Not entirely sure about mine. The only advantage I would get would be more fairways in regulation. I would say maybe 1-2.5 stroke better. If we are using his tee ball on the par 3's, that is were I would gain the most advantage. Otherwise, it would be minimal at best, unless the course really punishes you for having heavy rough, which isn't on any courses I play.

[Jeremie Boop]

I would say I'm similar to Mat to some extent that the only minimal help would be gained from a pro's drives. I'd be in the fairway more but I'd still be missing greens about as often as I do now. I'd say max I'd save 10 strokes on an average round which would put me in the mid 80's right now.