Would a tour player take 250 down the middle?

[Dr.Zevia]

If a tour player could place their ball anywhere on the fairway, but be limited to 250 yards, would they take it? Or would they take their chances off the tee for more distance?

[ThinkingPlus]

No.  They would rarely make a cut, much less keep their card.  LPGA pros might take that maybe, but not even 100% sure of that.

[golfgirlrobin]

They wouldn’t even take that offer on the Champions Tour. 

[Mcgeeno]

Not a chance. 

 

That literally puts them 50 yards below average nowadays on tour. And distance trickles through the bag so from 7500 yards that poor pro is running hybrids and long irons into greens.

 

Even if you gave them 275 down the middle every time they might not have much of a chance except at a handful of stops a year. 

 

 

[caniac6]

With their 4 iron.

[Mcgeeno]

1 hour ago, golfgirlrobin said:

They wouldn’t even take that offer on the Champions Tour. 

 

You are probably right haha. I just checked and 250 puts you a nut hair behind Fred Funk in last place. 

 

 

[MikeW2]

No they wouldn’t but I would so if you know how to make this happen hook me up.

[dlow206]

Not even WRXers would take 250 down the middle. The average WRXer is like 330 carry...

[dubbelbogey]

Perfect recipe to get ejected from the PGA Tour, the KF Tour, the Forme Tour, most all mini-tours and if somehow you could get your eligibility, likely not make much of a dent in DII college competition.

[2bGood]

Your hypothetical question is not really hypothetical. Most PGA pros would hit the fairway nearly all the time if they dialled back to 250. No is trying this though. 

[MattM97]

It's more beneficial to be longer than straighter from a stats standpoint. I forget the exact stat but for every yard or two longer they are they can be 1 more yard offline, or something along those lines. So it's more beneficial to hit it longer and that's the trend, shorter guys just cannot keep up unless they are perfect week in and week out and no one is.

[Justsomeguy]

250 no, for the reasons above. There has to be a number though that would entice.

Change it to 300. 300?

I bet Zach Johnson and Jim Furyk would say yes. Dechambeau and Rory no thanks. Inaccurate but long guys prob yes.

The guys who can pump it out there 340-350 - is the extra 50 yards worth being in the rough? Probably yes.

The guys who can barely crack 315? That's your market.

[Primo1868]

1 hour ago, dlow206 said:

Not even WRXers would take 250 down the middle. The average WRXer is like 330 carry...

😂😂

[Titleist99]

1 hour ago, Mcgeeno said:

Not a chance. 

 

That literally puts them 50 yards below average nowadays on tour. And distance trickles through the bag so from 7500 yards that poor pro is running hybrids and long irons into greens.

 

Even if you gave them 275 down the middle every time they might not have much of a chance except at a handful of stops a year. 

 

 

Brendon Todd would have more wins than the #1 player on tour......IMO

[stinger_gc]

Heck no!  No tour pro would want 200+ yard approach shots into par 4s regularly .  I think you can be competitive averaging around 295 which is how far Morikawa and Spieth hit it but 250 is short even for high school golfers.

Just for context, if a tour pro played Augusta hitting it 250 off the tee, they would have 9 approach shots on par 4s from 190 or longer and wouldn't be able to reach any of the par 5s in two. That's a ton of hybrids for someone who hits it 250. I think you gotta hit it at least 290 to be competitive on tour. The courses are just too dang long.

[huskydawg]

1 hour ago, Mcgeeno said:

Even if you gave them 275 down the middle every time they might not have much of a chance except at a handful of stops a year. 

Didn't Jim Furyk earn over 60 million dollars by doing this exact thing?

[MUNIGRIT]

If you let them place the next 250 yard shot on the green then yes.

[sailfishchris]

Is that 250 carry with 50 yards roll on fast firm fairways? Maybe? 

[Titleist99]

Bernhard Langer would make the cut and beat a few touring Pros......And yes, I do know he's on the Champions Tour.

[PowerPlayer]

2 minutes ago, sailfishchris said:

Is that 250 carry with 50 yards roll on fast firm fairways? Maybe? 

I'm pretty sure they'd take 290 carry with zero roll over 250 carry with 50 roll. 

[Mcgeeno]

1 hour ago, huskydawg said:

Didn't Jim Furyk earn over 60 million dollars by doing this exact thing?

 

Furyk averages 280 or so no? 

 

Thats still a 30 yard difference. Nobody hits it 250 on tour. Not even close. 

 

Maybe in '86

[Mcgeeno]

8 minutes ago, Titleist99 said:

Bernhard Langer would make the cut and beat a few touring Pros......And yes, I do know he's on the Champions Tour.

 

Langer averages 272 now and he was a 280 guy up until recently. 

[m d g]

2 hours ago, dlow206 said:

Not even WRXers would take 250 down the middle. The average WRXer is like 330 carry...

340 but who's counting...

[huskydawg]

20 minutes ago, Mcgeeno said:

 

Furyk averages 280 or so no? 

 

Thats still a 30 yard difference. Nobody hits it 250 on tour. Not even close. 

 

Maybe in '86

You wrote 275 yards.  Anyways, I checked most of the yardages of the Tour events this season and I'd estimate about 20% of them are over 7400 yards.  Lots of 7200s and even a couple under 7000.  He could still make a living, especially with the way he putts.

[Mcgeeno]

Just now, huskydawg said:

You wrote 275 yards.  Anyways, I checked most of the yardages of the Tour events this season and I'd estimate about 20% of them are over 7400 yards.  Lots of 7200s and even a couple under 7000.  He could still make a living, especially with the way he putts.

 

The original question: 

 

"If a tour player could place their ball 250 yards out would they take that deal"

 

The answer is no. Not even Furyk, not Langer, nobody. Especially not in 2021. 

 

I simply said I doubt anyone would take the deal even at 275. Maybe a couple could scrounge out a living there. There is always 1 or 2 that can make up for the disadvantage in other ways. David Hearn is essentially that guy right now.

 

 

[llewol007]

Nope. Courses on the Tour circuit are 7200 plus. Meaning they will have 225 second yards shots on most par 4’s and no chance at any Par 5’s. 

[Hankshank]

On some holes

[Haroputt]

No Unless there is a drastic rollback in the balls and players have to play Persimmon drivers 

[BrianMcG]

Lol. I wouldn’t take that at my local muni. 

[Righty to Lefty]

6 hours ago, ThinkingPlus said:

No.  They would rarely make a cut, much less keep their card.  LPGA pros might take that maybe, but not even 100% sure of that.

250 on the LPGA tour would play all day but no way it would cut it on the PGA tour or any men's tour for that matter.