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

[14ledo81]

What would Tiger shoot if a PGA tour pro drove for him????? Seriously, I hope he gets that straightened out tomorrow. So much more interesting when he is in the mix.

[MS256]

What would Tiger shoot if a PGA tour pro drove for him?????

Seriously, I hope he gets that straightened out tomorrow. So much more interesting when he is in the mix.

If Tiger was the pro hitting for me there are a few holes with OB right where I might just have to tell him to take a little break and let me take my own chances.

BTW. Playing a shamble gives a pretty decent idea of what we would shoot with a pro hitting our tee shots (if there are some pretty good players on the team and/or senior players hitting from the forward tees).

I can't remember ever playing a shamble where we weren't in pretty much perfect position after the tee shots.

[clutchshot]

I feel like unless you are already shooting around scratch, you won't be under par.. Shooting under par is all about approach shots and short game, if you don't have that, doesn't really mater how far you drive...

Well if he's a .8... Sure he would be shooting under... Wasn't trying to put anyone down, just laying down the fact that if you take a 20 handicap and add A 300 yard drive, they still aren't going to be able to sink putts, hit greens, or get up and down.

[late347]

Well if he's a .8... Sure he would be shooting under...

Wasn't trying to put anyone down, just laying down the fact that if you take a 20 handicap and add A 300 yard drive, they still aren't going to be able to sink putts, hit greens, or get up and down.

putting chipping and pitching are all easier than 300+ yard drives tho...

Especially from middle tees, 300 yard drive will shrink course quite a bit...

carry over danger, easier approach

[JonMA1]

Wasn't trying to put anyone down, just laying down the fact that if you take a 20 handicap and add A 300 yard drive, they still aren't going to be able to sink putts, hit greens, or get up and down.

Agreed. Scores would be much lower even if the pro were to use a hybrid or less for everything (just for the fact he'd never hit it O.O.B. and probably still outdrive me). But it's not like my putting would magically get better.

[iacas]

Wasn't trying to put anyone down, just laying down the fact that if you take a 20 handicap and add A 300 yard drive, they still aren't going to be able to sink putts, hit greens, or get up and down.

But… those aren't the areas of the game with the highest Separation Value®. Approach shots (which would be reduced to very short shots on most holes) and driving have the highest SV.

[Aguirre]

highest Separation Value®.

Sounds like something somebody may have written about in a book.

I mentioned shambles earlier in how I estimated what I would shoot, but another good example would be your standard scramble.  I've played on four man scramble teams the last ten years that scored anywhere from +5 (man, I was practically on my own) to -17 (pretty easy course).

But if you take the mid-range of those scrambles, you usually score your best when you (a) have some bigger hitters who keep the ball in play and (b) stuff some shots.  Sure, you're likely to make a couple of longer putts, but everybody has played in a scramble where your four man team sinks nothing outside of 20 feet over 18 holes.  Best just to get in wedge range, and then get inside ten feet.

[Pretzel]

Sounds like something somebody may have written about in a book.

I mentioned shambles earlier in how I estimated what I would shoot, but another good example would be your standard scramble.  I've played on four man scramble teams the last ten years that scored anywhere from +5 (man, I was practically on my own) to -17 (pretty easy course).

But if you take the mid-range of those scrambles, you usually score your best when you (a) have some bigger hitters who keep the ball in play and (b) stuff some shots.  Sure, you're likely to make a couple of longer putts, but everybody has played in a scramble where your four man team sinks nothing outside of 20 feet over 18 holes.  Best just to get in wedge range, and then get inside ten feet.

There's a reason people buy Pinnacle Golds for scrambles! This is a great way to put it to explain why the tee shots would be beneficial.

[Aguirre]

There's a reason people buy Pinnacle Golds for scrambles! This is a great way to put it to explain why the tee shots would be beneficial.

Hell yeah.  Give me a rock that's terrible around the green but rolls forever on the fairway for a scramble.

So are Pinnacle Golds known for being the longest in tests or something?

[Pretzel]

Hell yeah.  Give me a rock that's terrible around the green but rolls forever on the fairway for a scramble. So are Pinnacle Golds known for being the longest in tests or something?

They used to be the balls they used for long drive competitions until TopFlite started paying more sponsorship money.

[FooFader]

Being a short hitter 230yrds carry at best i think the extra 70yrds carry would be good for saving me 4-5 shots per round at least. Just from being able to reach the par5s in 2 and 2 of my local par4s in 1. Thats not even accounting for shorter approaches into the greens on the other par 4s.

[Strandly]

Interesting question.  On the local courses I don't know that it would help very much since they're not terribly long and are fairly wide open.  I would guess it would shave 1-3 strokes off my average score.  Like others have said my biggest problem is the second shot.

[KiawahConnor]

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.

Just curious, do you work for Hilton hotels inc?

[notechno]

CLAY PIGEONS!!

[Pretzel]

CLAY PIGEONS!!

I like that answer!

[mmoan2]

If it was Rory McIlroy I'd shoot in the mid 70s.

If it was Mike Weir, I'd probably have trouble breaking 90 because I know I drive the ball better than he does...

[Dave2512]

It would depend on the course. At the shortest and easiest course I play I pretty much hit the ball as far as most holes are designed for. While a tour pro would hit it further all but a few par 4's wouldn't be any easier, in fact they would be laying up to the same spots I already hit to. Honestly I only hit driver about 3 times a side there so distance from the tee isn't my issue relative to score. I still have to hit my crappy approach shots.  At my home course the advantage would be huge because it's longer, more open and many times more difficult. I hit driver on every par 4 but two holes there and still have lengthy approach shots, we've got quite a few par 4's at 440-480 yards. I frequently hit good (for me) drives in the fairway and still have a long iron to the green. In fact I've seen the advantage on days where I hit the ball exceptionally well and it makes par's a lot easier. I average 11.7 strokes over there. I am certain with a pro's drive I could better that by 2/3. Would still have to putt on the funky greens.

[dbuck]

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.

This is me.

A few weeks ago I managed to shoot 44 after hitting 6 of 7 fairways, and missing the 7th by maybe a yard.