What Would An Average Golfer Shoot Hitting a Tour Player’s Drives? | Golf Digest

azgreg

Anybody see this video?

Every average golfer fantasizes about how much easier the game would be if they just were able to drive the ball like a Tour player. Golf Digest put that idea to the test. PGA Tour player Joel Dahmen and Digital Editorial Director Sam Weinman (an 11 handicap) play 18 holes in which Dahmen hits all of Weinman's drives from the blue tees, and Weinman hits all of Dahmen's from the back tees to see how they each fares experiencing the game from a new perspective. Would a mediocre player suddenly be able to rattle off birdies with just a wedge into many greens? Could one of the best players in the world still salvage holes playing from way back in the fairway?

bigshank

I would definitely do better than that guy. If it was at the muni’s I play no problem. That course they played didn’t look very easy though. It would help a ton to have those tee shots

Birdsboro

Move up and find out.

KCee

I got to watch something like that in a modified alternate shot tournament at my club last year. One of the scratch +300 yard guys played with a mid cap buddy of mine to get the strokes. My buddy probably got to play from even better than normal drives because assuming he hit a decent drive his partner could be more aggressive on the doglegs and other tight driving holes. Still he said it was so much easier having so much less club into every green and he did hit way more greens than he normally would. Even moving up to the Red tees would not be as big of an advantage for most of the holes.

rsvman2

Dahmen is one of the shortest hitters on the tour.

bigshank

rsvman2 yes but he hit from the whites. 300 yards off the whites in play you’d never have more than a 7 iron max

ode

Steep bunkers and tiered greens, some with big false edges and/or swales deep into the green that repel the ball off the green. Am had three holes where he blew up as a result. Otherwise solid/decent.

sdandrea1

Depends on the course. I'm already playing from 5000 yards and sometimes under, but my game hasn't changed much over decades. I just moved up as my driver distance degraded.

Nat

I watched a youtube video where Grant Horvath played the #1 amateur at a course nearby. I think the longest approach shot required an 8 iron. Most were wedges. And that is a long course. The game is easy with 300 yd drives down the middle

Birdsboro

Nat it is.

sdandrea1

Nat The game is easy with 300 yd drives down the middle

I've heard that......... wouldn't know, but the game is easier from the appropriate tee boxes.

Nat

Birdsboro

And not even down the middle. A sw 2nd shot from the rough on a 470 y par 4 is easier than my 7 iron on a 380 par 4. Spoiler alert- distance is good