Quote:
Originally Posted by dcasper70
Bo,
Out of curiosity...
What would a typical PGA Tour pro carry as a handicap?
What are the biggest areas of improvement for you to get to that level?
Do you consider it in within reach?
If so, how much work to get there?
Tehan has it pegged pretty good as far as PGA Tour players handicaps. I would have said +5 to +8.
For me personally to get towards PGA Tour standards. Putting. That's not the only area, but it's by far the biggest and toughest hurdle, at least for me.
I used to have a great short game and was a mediocre to poor ball striker. It was very common to hit 8 or 9 greens (or less) and shoot under par. In fact, when I spent two days with Bob Rotella he said my short game was on par with a tour player's. And my chipping and pitching still is, but my putting has gone south. With a short putter I can get a little flinchy, with a long putter I just don't seem to hole many putts. Last year I put a ton of work into rebuilding a good stroke with a short putter only to see it go up in flames when I got the flinches during a qualifier. If I can't become a great putter once again, I have no chance. It's that simple.
Strangely enough, as I've gotten older my ball striking has improved. Hit many more greens than I used to. To compete on the highest level I would need to hit my long irons and fairway metals higher and probably add some carry to my driver. Hitting it longer with the big stick would require getting back in top shape in addition to becoming a little more technically efficient, specifically creating more tension between my upper and lower body at the top. I tend to over rotate my hips on the backswing in addition to laying my hands off a bit at the top. This would also solve much of the problem I have with launching the longer clubs higher off the ground.
Oddly, my technique with my shorter irons is ideal. My carry distance with a 9-iron and wedges is on par or longer with all but the longest tour players. And it's consistent. But as the clubs get progressively longer, my coil gets looser and I lose both carry distance and height. I also lose all sense of consistency in both aspects.
How much work would this take? Obviously a bunch although not nearly as much as most others. The bigger question is would the work hold form under the rigors of top notch competition? Not being a big guy I obviously can't bomb and gouge like Tiger and Phil and Vijay. I'm more of a Zach Johnson or Justin Leonard guy. And as JTrout can attest, guys like that from inside 100 yards do things that would boggle your mind.
I've known Stan Utley since I was in college and he graciously worked with me some on my putting. Lately I like to poke fun at myself by telling people I have got to be the worst putter by far that has worked with both Stan Utley and Bob Rotella! Sad, but perhaps true.
BO