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Revisited: How Would a Scratch Golfer Fare Against an LPGA Pro?

fuffle master said:
Not true at all. My sons fraternity brother played for Purdue and he was about a 1-3 handicap golfer. Said only a handful on the team can shoot better then scratch consistently.
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If he was only a 1-3 handicap he may have been on the team, but I doubt he played in many/if any matches. Purdue's current team has 6 guys average 72 or better. The highest stroke average is 74 and one the courses they play that is better than scratch. The Kampan Course at Purdue has a rating of 75.9 and Ackerman has a rating of 76.8. So the that is averageing 74 is beating the course rating by 2 strokes. So even the worst player is a plus.

The best player at my club played at Ball State and is a +3.6. He was number 4 on Ball State's team. D1 college golf is basically minor leagues for the PGA
 
I copied this from a different golf forum more than a few years ago:

“I've played with several LPGA pros, and years ago, used to play with a young college girl named ___________ before she turned pro. Her coach is the only pro I've ever taken lessons from. The last time, I was an honest 1-handicap, and got my head handed to me in a basket by three [LPGA] tour pros. I could out drive them, but so what? Inside 180 yards they were deadly. And forget trying to make up any strokes on the greens. I shot one of my best rounds in probably two months, 3 under, and it wasn't even close. One of the best rounds I've ever had the privilege to play.”
 
MarMill said:
Yes. Scratch golfer. There are some collegiate golfers that are excellent that could certainly play with the pros. I thought I my mind the scratch internet golfer.
There are great college golfers recently like Morikawa, Wolfe, Hovland and others that would have done very well against them before going pro.
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Morikawa, Wolff, and Hovland were beyond scratch in college.
 
dAS0 said:
This. Tiger mentioned that he is able to play "Hit and giggle" golf, but is not ready for competitive tournaments. There is a big difference between week end rounds and tournaments where the LGPA would not just win, but destroy scratch golfers.

I am curious about where the LGPA players would really shine versus scratch golfers. Something tells me it would be green side and putting.
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Actually, it would be everything.
 
I've been on the bag in the Symetra Tour and LPGA q school. The top players don't miss fairways or greens. If they do they are stone cold chipping and pitching. Like I said these aren't even full fledge LPGA ladies. I'd put my money on them all day long.
 
Not that I'm agreeing with the premise that a scratch am is a good matchup against an LPGA pro, because I'm not, but people do forget pretty easily that we mostly watch the best of everything when it comes to pros. The best shots, the best scores, the best pros. There are a lot of lesser pros, and there are plenty of amateurs that are a hell of a lot better than scratch. Outcomes on a given day could surprise some people. We're all human and golf is tough.
 
OldandStiff said:
Not that I'm agreeing with the premise that a scratch am is a good matchup against an LPGA pro, because I'm not, but people do forget pretty easily that we mostly watch the best of everything when it comes to pros. The best shots, the best scores, the best pros. There are a lot of lesser pros, and there are plenty of amateurs that are a hell of a lot better than scratch. Outcomes on a given day could surprise some people. We're all human and golf is tough.
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I mean, there's a remote chance that if I played you on my very best day and caught you on your very worst day I could give you a run for the money. But over the course of 100 rounds, you'd beat me like a red-headed stepchild 99 times. :LOL:
 
The Milk Man said:
Elite HS talent are qualifying for the US Am, US Junior, AJGA invitationals or Rolex Tournament of Champions and many of them would fair well against LPGA players. In Ohio in recent years the only elite high school talent on the guys side I can think of is Austin Greaser and Maxwell Moldovan. Girls game has been much deeper in recent years in Ohio.
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Sorry for delay….

I agree and my point. Elite girls are off the chart.
 
OldandStiff said:
Not that I'm agreeing with the premise that a scratch am is a good matchup against an LPGA pro, because I'm not, but people do forget pretty easily that we mostly watch the best of everything when it comes to pros. The best shots, the best scores, the best pros. There are a lot of lesser pros, and there are plenty of amateurs that are a hell of a lot better than scratch. Outcomes on a given day could surprise some people. We're all human and golf is tough.
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Haha. I immediately thought of you as the only dude here I know that could compete. If the course is longer (7k+) I think you could. Otherwise? You better have the dog to distract them, lol. I was good(ish) once. A new body and I can’t even make consistent contact anymore.
 
If you don't focus on the male/female aspect of this , it's a very easy question. The average LPGA player probably plays the same length course as the average scratch player and shoots better scores, and does this under pressure every time. It's not really close.

A scratch player could avoid embarrassing himself. But he wouldn't win very often. And that's being generous
 
The 4 handicap thing is just ridiculous. However, the 100th best scoring average on the LPGA tour last year was a little over 72. 130 ladies averaged better than 73, the rest did not. Not all courses the LPGA tour play are crazy difficult. So given the right circumstances, a little better than 0 handicap that was used to playing tournaments could fit in on any given day. I highly highly doubt they would ever get close to winning a tournament, but they could make some cuts.
 
I have played with LPGA players including two who have won on tour. They would easily beat a scratch player most of the time. What most impressed me was their accuracy. They hit fairways at a high percentage and give themselves a lot of birdie looks.
 
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Just for fun....If you go check out scoring average which is very easy to get, there are 165 LPGA players tracked for 2023. I don't know what the "average" slope and rating is for an LPGA course but i'd guess probably in the 73-74 range? (assuming par 72). That is a guess.

160 players averaged better than 74. Everyone in the top 100 averaged better than 72.

So i would say all of the top 100 players are around competitive +2's or better. The top 20 are probably closer to +4

The LPGA seems to have a lot more variance , which makes sense as it's less capitalized than the PGA.

A scratch would never win a tournament, but would probably fit in well enough to not stand out. Assuming they didn't vomit all over themselves due to pressure
 
Angela Lansbury Popcorn GIF
 
Give me the LPGA player in that scenario.
 
MWard said:
He’s earned himself a slap in the mouth in a few months, and I’ve been watching slap fight championships
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With the invention of that sport I think the human race hit bottom. Its only up from here hahaha
 
I've know Megan Khang since she was 10 years old. When she was 14 she played a round with a PGA Master Profession. The guy was a legit 300 off the tee. Megan played the same tees as he did and beat him. The thought of a scratch golfer beating an LPGA Touring pro is beyond ridiculous.
 
dAS0 said:
I am curious about where the LGPA players would really shine versus scratch golfers. Something tells me it would be green side and putting.
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Approaches and putting.

The best LPGA players actually hit it closer to the pin than the men - and follow me here: from the same distance to the pin. Meaning they hit it closer, often using less loft.
 
wadesworld said:
Approaches and putting.

The best LPGA players actually hit it closer to the pin than the men - and follow me here: from the same distance to the pin. Meaning they hit it closer, often using less loft.
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I would like to see those stats. I am not sure I believe that. I am not making light of the LPGA golfers skills. I just know how good the PGA tour guys are.
 
Chef23 said:
I would like to see those stats. I am not sure I believe that. I am not making light of the LPGA golfers skills. I just know how good the PGA tour guys are.
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Here's the most recent quotation I could find, but I know I've seen other places before:

Screenshot 2024-01-28 at 4.21.31 PM.png
 
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