George:
Do you REALLY want me to explain this to you yet again?
You continue to miss the point.
Golf is not measured by how close you get the ball to the hole, but rather by how many strokes it takes to get the ball IN the hole. Think about this, go back and read, and perhaps finally you will see the light. Highly contoured greens means the pros will three putt, where they never will on flat greens.. and though they will certainly get closer than the amateur on first putts, they also won't make as many as they would on flat greens - two misses means a tie, in golf, regardless of who's closer. Meanwhile the amateur three-putts on both, and doesn't four-putt or worse nearly enough to make a difference... at least not compared to how many MORE putts the pro makes than he does on flat greens.
Why is this so hard to understand? It really does seem fundamental and basic to me... and nothing you or anyone else has said has caused me to move from this one iota either.
Like Mike says:
I think you will beat me at putting at Bethpage 21 putts to 29, but at Pine Valley you'll only beat me 26 to 33.
That's what it all comes down to.
Remember also the comparison here isn't pro v. pro - so results from the Hope or Masters matter not - but rank amateur v. pro. So yes, Pete Dye's quote truly doesn't vindicate what Rich and I have been saying... but it sure doesn't hurt... and I feel confident if we asked him the question Rich asks, he'd agree with us.
TH