I think anyone who thinks the 4 handicapper would win is crazy! I totally agree with Stina. Lets think about that 4 handicapper and how they have come up with their handicap? Most likely it is playing the majority of rounds on one course, most of the courses he would play are no where near the type of courses that the pros play on, he most likely had never even seen a green as fast as a professional tournament's green. Now LPGA professionals and especially someone like Morgan Pressel who is ranked 25th in the world is a plus handicap playing on the toughest courses. Yes, she would have longer irons into greens, but so what? She is better with those longer irons than that 4 handicapper and once they get on the green it is no match.

By the way, that driving distance statistic for the pros in an average. It is the average of what they drive on a few selected holes each tournament. Brittany Lincicone's average driving distance this year is 272. We all remember seeing her hit a 320 yard drive on 18 at the Nabisco.

You are assuming a lot about the 4 handicap. Players like Pressell is playing very tough courses. But even the US Open on the final round was only 6300 yards. That is 40-50 yards per hole longer at over 7000. I think most of the LPGA players would win, but not all. Shorter hitters would be hitting a 3-4 iron into a green instead of 9 iron. That is a big difference. I can tell you for sure that the scratch players at my course would and have won against some of the LPGA talent. 4 handicaps bring in a few more mistakes, but we can not say they would all beat them and beat them badly.

You Tell 'Em Stina!
 

It's not on the GD website yet, so I scanned it out of the August issue (page 60):

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I http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ilies/love.png Stina. http://www.thehackersparadise.com/fo...es/call-me.png

I agree with a lot of it, but Morgan Pressell is not beating a 4 handicapper on a 7000 course. She would not reach most of the par 4's in 2.

I agree with Stina. I think she would, and that it would be a smackdown.

I think these girls have tremendous talent, but 7000 yards is a LONG way. It would be close but I do not think she pulls it off. I think many would, but not some of the short hitters. You are talking about an average of 40 or so yards more on each par 4. That is a big difference.

I don't know JB, on the flip side, I'm sure the Pro's have more finesse, more shots in the book, and just more strategy than any player I've ever seen or played with. That concept could easily beat out any 4 handicapped bomber.

I saw that "question" and thought the same thing. Most of the LPGA would dry the greens with that guy. Mostly because I'm sure he is cocky and would walk in thinking he'll eat them for lunch.

I agree with you 100% Dent. I think many of the LPGA stars would destroy the guy. I do not however think all of them would.

Agreed, I feel if he ever did beat anyone of them, it would be kind of one of the worse players by 1 or 2 strokes.

I just think people are underestimating what 500 yards of distance is on the course. That is the difference of hitting 8 iron into greens or 4 iron.

True, it would be close, but then Again. PGA pros are way more accurate with their 4 iron than a 4 handicap. I'd say a 4 would hit the green 6/10 times, while a PGA pro may be 7-9/10.

This is an interesting experiment actually. A 7000 yard course would probably have a course rating of like 74. I would guess that MP or some of the other top ladies play courses that are like 71. MP index would probably be +1 (please others add input here). So if the 4 handicapper is a 4 on a course rating of 74 then his index is probably like a 2.5 (or something like that). That means they are likely only about 3-4 strokes different based on handicap. The 4 handicap would probably win 3-4 times if they played 10 times.

This is all back of the napkin but it is interesting none the less.

this needs to be put to the test! maybe next year instead of their Golf Digest US Open Challenge show they run with this idea. Almost like golf's version of Pros v. Joe's

I say LPGA pro beats a 4. Vicki Hurst is a member at my course and she was playing the back tees (about 7,000 yards) in HS, and playing to a +index.

Not to say a 4 could never beat an LPGA pro. I just think it would be much more likely for the LPGA pro to win.

Pressure would be on both sides, but my $ would be on the 4 handicapper.

Hey, I'll take that bet!

I'll go with the LPGA star myself. My old home course had a couple of girls who played college golf and they would regularly wax the 2-4 handicappers I used to play with. They could drive it just as far or farther and they had much better short games. Great touch around the greens will beat a 300 yard drive almost every time.