Tom Huckaby,
Then go back and reread ALL of the posts on this subject.
One fellow claimed that he would break 80 and break par if the greens weren't so firm and fast.
I'll take the over under on the par bet.
And, it's not just about the greens, ANGC is alot more than just greens.
And, I think one's decision as to which tees to play might be determined by their success or failure on the practice tee.
Patrick,
I could shoot in the 70's at Augusta under Masters conditions. Without a doubt. I could also shoot 86.
The only "proof" I have is that I know and have played with and against some of the amateurs that have played at the Masters, and while they are all slightly better than I as players, they are only better over three or four rounds. NOT over one round. I have beaten both Greg Puga and Tim Hogarth head-to-head on a single round basis and also over a 54 hole tournament, and both of them have shot in the 70's at the Masters.
Puga won the 2001 U.S. Mid-Amateur, and Hogarth the 1997 U.S. Pub Links. I have also played golf with many, many professionals over the years and know how my game compares to theirs, which is to say I know they are better than I am and harbor not delusions about my game.
Most people don't understand how slim the margin of difference is between middle of the road PGA Tour professionals and top amateurs. I'm not talking about your average "good" or "very good" club player who plays to scratch or 1, I'm talking about amateurs who play as +3's and +4's. The difference between those guys and the pros is very, very small, unless we're talking about the top 20 or 30 guys on the PGA Tour. Everything is LEVELS in golf, just like in any other sport. In baseball, the hierarchy is as follows:
College Studs/Rookie Ball Pros
College Super Studs or A Pros
College Superduper Studs or AA Pros
AAA Pros
Major League back-ups
Major League Regulars
Major Leage All Stars
In golf it's something like this:
College Stud or Mini Tour pro or Top Regional Amateur
College Super Stud or Mini Tour Stud or National Amateur
College Superduper Stud or Nationwide Tour member or European Tour Regular
Nationwide Tour Top 20 European Tour Top 40 PGA Tour bottom 40
PGA Tour Middle 80
PGA Tour Top 20
For the most part, it's a matter of consistency or sometimes it's a matter of one glaring weakness that a top amateur might have, whereas most legitimate professionals have NO real weaknesses. But understand that the differences from one level to the next are very, very small.
If you don't believe what I'm saying is true, I don't know what to tell you. I've played enough golf with professionals over the years to KNOW that what I'm saying is true. I'm not guessing and I'm not hypothesizing.
As for the guy who doubts that I could break par at Augusta when the greens are rolling at a reasonable speed: All I know is that I have spoken to many, many top ams and pros who have played Augusta when it's playing "normal" (i.e. NOT Masters-ready), and they all say the same thing: The course is simply not that difficult (this was before the lengthening). They say you'd shoot at Augusta what you'd shoot at any reasonable course of about the same length -- when the greens are reasonable speed and not rock hard.
And by the way, I never said "I WOULD break 80 and WOULD break par." I said I COULD break 80 and COULD break par. There is a big difference in those two statements. I would never make the former, and the latter is an almost mathematical certainty considering my handicap.
I could go on and on about this subject forever, but I won't. However, one thing I will do is start letting you guys know of any rounds I play with Tom Pernice, Jr., who I expect to be playing with quite a bit in the near future.
One last thing: If any of you doubt how slim a margin separates top amateurs from legitimate professionals, simply read the section in Bob Rotella's book "Golf is Not a Game of Perfect," where he and Tom Kite talk to a couple University of Texas golfers struggling to make the golf team.