Some of you could recite his stats by heart.
- 82 wins
- 15 professional majors
- 3 U.S. Amateurs
- 3 U.S. Junior Amateurs
- $121 million in career earnings
Yep – Tiger is good!
For the past 25 years, we’ve watched Tiger dominate on some of the toughest courses in the world. If you’re anything like me, you’ve asked yourself, “How good would Tiger be at my course from my tees?”.
Recently, a good friend asked me an interesting question: “If tour players entered their scores just like we do, what would their USGA handicap index be?” I ran the numbers and it was eye-popping.
Tiger being my favorite player, I naturally gravitated towards his numbers. In a 25-round stretch in 2008, Tiger achieved an unadjusted index of +9.4. Adjusting for tour conditions, his index was roughly +12 over that stretch.
Absurd.
This got me wondering: What would Tiger shoot from the “member” tees at my home course? The course I play is a par 70 at 6,034 yards from the white tees (rating = 69.7, Slope = 120).
The Methodology
We can estimate what Tiger would shoot at my course using the differentials from each of Tiger’s 25 rounds. It is not a perfect science but it provides a reasonable estimate.
In addition to my course, we looked at the home course of a MyGolfSpy staff member as well as the home courses of a few readers selected at random.
@LouStagner – Burlington Country Club
The course I play (Burlington Country Club) is a par 70 and is 6,034 yards from the member tees. It has a rating of 69.7 and a Slope of 120. Tiger’s numbers at my course would have been incredible. His average score would have been 59.2, with 14 of 25 rounds under 60! That is so hard to wrap your mind around.
@GolfSpyT- McGregor Links CC
MyGolfSpy’s own Tony Covey plays out of McGregor Links Country Club in Gansevoort, NY. It is a par 72 that plays 6,349 yards with a rating of 70.9 and a Slope of 129. This track is a bit tougher than mine. Tiger would have managed 59.8 with ONLY 11 of his 25 rounds under 60. Don’t’ sweat it, Tiger. McGregor kicks everyone’s tail.
@tmarkey11 – 7 Lakes Golf Club
With a course rating of 70.3 and a slope of 135, 7 Lakes Golf Club – @tmarkey11’s home course is a bit more difficult than Burlington and a bit more challenging than McGregor. Still, Tiger is on perpetual 59 Watch and never shoots higher than 64, with 14 of his rounds under 60.
@deshenaut1 – Valley View Golf Club
Tiger absolutely obliterates @dshenaut1’s home course, Valley View Golf Club. At just over 6,000 yards, it’s the shortest of the courses we looked at. At 68.6/116, it’s the easiest as well. The projections have Tiger carding 55 (twice!) and never shooting worse than 62. Maybe don’t press that nassau.
@akhomes57 – Trilogy Golf Club
Finally, there’s Trilogy Golf Club, where @akholmes57 plays. It has a course rating of 69 and a Slope of 122. Like Valley View, Tiger manages 17 rounds under 60, 55 is in play again but that 63 is a heartbreaker.
Not surprisingly, my projections suggest that, from the member tees, Tiger would eat most any average golf course alive. Should Tiger ever stroll up to the first tee at your course, I strongly suggest you negotiate a few more strokes than you think you need!
JC
3 weeks agoI think there’s mandatory PED testing here, so Eldrick would be a no go.
JasonA
3 weeks agoFun article. I’m really surprised by the length of those home courses. I don’t consider myself long hitter, nor my home course course overly tough, but our Members / Competition tees are 6,645 yards. Don’t have a slope in Ireland but standard scratch (rating) is 72. ( FYI forward Tees 6,396 Tips 7,004 yards )
Want to slow Tiger (and other long hitters) down? Just put them on Le Golf National in France apparently.
Bryce
3 weeks agoI don’t think anyone could AVERAGE 58.4 on a par 71, 122 slope course. I would not be shocked at all I someone told me he shot 59/58 there. But averaging that? I’m not quite sure.
Jake
4 weeks agoI call B.S.
No way they are going to shoot that low on slow, wet fairways and bumpy greens. Everything on everyday courses is suspect. If a regular local course was in play for tjem they would want a ruling on every shot just to improve their lie.
SP
3 weeks agoWhile this is a fun exercise, I too agree that these numbers are ridiculously low. Bumpy greens, inconsistent fairways and sand, the scores would simply not be that low. There’s an event here at a local club in which tour players (about 15+/-) play in every year at a very nice private club. No Tiger and Phil are not there but you would easily recognize all the names. Lee Janzen came to play on the Monday right after he won the US Open! These guys typically and easily shoot in the 64-67 range with little stress. But to shoot sub 60 on average just seems absurd to me. Now if Tiger or any of these other guys want to play as a +12.5 and give me 6/7 shots a side, I might take my chances and if they shoot under 60 I’m probably in trouble!
Terry
4 weeks agoIt’s amusing to see but not realistic. Our course has slow greens and long rough. Not to mention we don’t have people waiting in the really tall rough to see where your ball goes to help you easily find it. I would estimate that Tiger would avg around 64 at my course even though it’s short and not too difficult. Par 72.
Peter
3 weeks agoRight! Our fairways offer no run. We’re in the middle of the wettest winter in memory: I have literally hit drives that have carried 200m and then bounced back a metre. I’d love to play those hard runways I see on the television
James
3 weeks agoMy home course is 74.2/132. I suspect Tiger nor most pros would have trouble shooting low scores there.
Carl
4 weeks agoUnder the old handicap system, an average touring pro was a +6 handicap on his home course.
Steve
4 weeks agoI used to play at Shennecosett Golf Course in CT. It’s a Donald Ross course built in 1898 with some turtleback greens, fescue and 102 bunkers at 6500 yards. In the summer when it’s hard and fast they play the CT Senior open and the two day winning score is typically only a couple under par. The course was played by Arnie back in the day and he shot a 66. Several years after doing that he was asked about the course and asked the reporter if the F$%*ing 4th hole was still there. It is a 208 yard par three uphill into the wind guarded by bunkers and fescue with a sloped turtle back green. He hated it.
Michael
4 weeks agoThat was my jome course when i played golf at UCONN Avery Point and that hole is a beast.
BurkeLakePro
4 weeks agoIn 1953 Ben Hogan played a local public course in Leesburg, Virginia called Goose Creek. (sadly closed in 2015 after 63 years). Hogan shot a 59 (6,444 yards from the tips)….not surprisingly, it was the course record.
Dom
4 weeks agoI played Goose Creek several times back in the day. Slightly narrow off the tee and small, severely sloped greens. Not surprised someone like Hogan could shoot 59 there. The fact that tour pros can shoot 58 or 59 on a tour course makes the whole Vision54 a possibility on a muni.
Steve Marino, a PGA Tour rookie at the time, also played East Potomac, one of the three DC courses that the National Links Trust and its partners are going to redesign and manage. I think he shot two or three under. His first drive up to the first green landed in a pile of grass clippings he had to play out of, then he had a tough putting day on those slow greens. Obviously it would be different if a tour pro just walked onto a local course or had a caddie and had time to prepare. This was a long conversation with a bunch of friends at our local track, Worthington Manor, in Maryland. Great, tough course that has a rating of 74.7 and a slope of 145. Not tough off the tee but has these crazy greens. We were wondering if Rory could walk up and break 67. We were split down the middle.
Peter
3 weeks agoOh, to see that card sitting in the clubhouse
Mike
4 weeks agoI’d honestly fear DeChambeau more on the course that was my home last year. Most holes are straight away so he’d be hitting driver / flip wedge to all the par fours and driver short iron to the par fives.
Gerry
4 weeks agoShot 13 over around Merion in 2013 over 4 days. Tees not much different from regular tips, 6600 yards, 73.6 and 149
Chris Gallert
4 weeks agoIntriguing commentary, however, it assumes PGA playing conditions. Have a feeling anything less than low 60s would be rare given the greens and the areas around the greens (including bunkers) that mere mortals play would prevent sub-60s. Would also like to see how pro scores are affected on aerated greens and fairways – again like mere mortals play on in the summer.
Richard
4 weeks agoYes, but you could argue those same PGA tour conditions also include 4 inch rough, tucked pin positions and 12-14 on the stimp meter. Conditions unlikely at your local club. So it would be a wash.
Doug
4 weeks agoI concur. Our drives stop and might roll 10 yds if lucky. Our fairways are not friendly towards getting spin. Nobody around to find your ball or foot wedge it. No caddies.
Peter
3 weeks agoYes. I can imagine Bubba giving us the “This isn’t even real grass!!” comment
daniel e bratlie
4 weeks agoHow about course that is longer? My home club Magnolia Creek is 75.7/136 at 7349 yards from the back tees. We play one tee up at 725./125 6850 but when the wind is blowing (always haha) place is so tough.
Kevin
4 weeks agoDang. My home course is Trilogy Power Ranch as well and I get stoked to shoot 78 on it. We always say we left some strokes out there, but I can’t imagine shaving 20 strokes. Insane!
Alex
3 weeks agoYaaaaaaa I want to see him play a Pete dye. Course
Like las sendas or red mountain the really kick in the balls course.
Thomas Peters
4 weeks agoHe’s only played my course twice and he shot 78/70 then missed the cut #canthackroyalportrush
Andrew Richardson
4 weeks agoLove this analysis!!!
George
4 weeks agoBasically the Hawkeye answer. Played 18 shot 18.
JamesC
4 weeks agoBest anology.
Dave Winn
4 weeks agoThis article underscores why some of the biggest sandbaggers are “scratch” golfers. They play at a zero handicap when they should be plus 2 or plus 3.
Charlie
4 weeks agoThe only thing you didn’t take into account is the condition of the greens. Here in Florida, there’s no way they break 60. The greens are so slow and grainy, they’d miss short putts way more than on tour greens.
Just look at their scores at Copperhead/Valspar when the Bermuda rough was thick. Tiger hated playing that course. It ate his lunch!
Ednolan220
4 weeks agoDidn’t know Lou played at Burlington .. nice club ! .. I am a numbers guy so I love these articles
golfinnut
4 weeks agoHe could give me 2/3 strokes a hole & still beat me on my own course. HA!
Chris
4 weeks agoI am a 6 hdcp and caddied a tournament at Burlington. It is interesting speculation, but Tiger’s Hdcp doesn’t meant he would average a 59 on those courses. More interesting is that Dustin and Day had a BEST hdcp right behind Tiger’s but they only have 1 Major each. Most golfers are not as good as their handicap. It’s the ones who can go low that you have to fear.
Peter
3 weeks agoI get that a lot. Especially after a couple of holes.”9, really?”
Mike Saho
4 weeks agoLet’s see what Tiger would shoot at these courses after driving up to parking lot 5 minutes before his tee time, with aerated greens, a donut., and no breakfast ball….
Mike
4 weeks agoCool answer! Throw in getting up not early enough to properly warm up your body. Then I have to drive myself to the course in traffic, no warm up & only minimal stretching.. But at the course near my house that has since closed, he would struggle on the greens, especially in those spots where there was no grass.!
Carolyn
3 weeks ago. so we write articles for Country Club Golfers…promise Pro’s will not be shooting 58’s on very many low end public courses even at 6,300 yards. without moving and placing the ball…cannot hit out of divots all day.
Mike Anthony
4 weeks agoLOL! Love it … and so true.
I’m a Floridian living in South Carolina, but did work in the golf industry for many years while there. Back in ‘02 or so, I recall a close friend and aspiring tour pro lose his mind when Chris DiMarco (I believe, and likely could be wrong) … paid the entry fee played, and lapped the field with rounds all in the low 60s and win the event.
It was said that Chris was trying to teach the guys a lesson about how hard it is to be a pro golfer and to pursue other dreams. Honestly, I wanna say it was the Ritz-Cartlon Grand Lakes course, which is in no way easy … at all
cksurfdude
4 weeks agoNo surprise but fun to see the numbers and the proof!
There’s a short, fun 9 hole near me I play it a lot .. not rated, but some “slope” and small greens. 2460 yards par 35.
Some of the holes would be a Par 1 for Tiger 😂😂😂
David W
4 weeks agoI’ve played 7 Lakes a few times but it’s been several years since my last round. I’ve always managed to shoot a 59. Just not sure which hole I’ll be on when I get there.
Mark Harr
4 weeks agoMaybe you could list those differentials that you used, so that we can see for ourselves what those scores would be on our courses?
Kevin Loughran
4 weeks agoHa! At my club from the tips with a 74.4 rating, 144 slope and 7,200 yards long – he’d struggle to break 60 more than twice. 🙂
Fun piece, thanks
TR1PTIK
4 weeks agoGuess again! But, I would have liked to see a course such as yours used as an example. The courses listed above are similar in a lot of ways to those I used to play in Missouri, but since I’ve moved to Texas I play a lot more courses with an increased level of difficulty. Even at the one up tees (where I play) the course is 6939 yards with a rating of 74.2 and a slope of 133. From the tips it plays 7265, 75.8, & 136.