There is a long running debate between a couple of my friends and I over what kind of score we could muster on a Major Championship course.

There are probably some of you on this board that have played one of them (obviously not under the same conditions) and your input would be great! Mind you, my friends and I all shoot in the 80's at your run of the mill club course. Nothing special.

The 2 major questions we argue over are:

1) What would you score on a single round?
2) How many putts would you average per hole?

Thoughts?

Just to get it started...

I am firmly in the camp that an "average" golfer (such as myself: 80's on a club course) would shoot well over 100 on a Major Championship course and average more than 3 putts per hole.

We've argued over this so much that I've actually broken it down...

I think I'd average 3.5 putts (63 strokes) and have a final score of 110. Obviously I think putting would be the hardest part. Everyone has hit a 150 yard iron into the green. But very few have tried to lag a putt from 45 feet on a green that acts like concrete.

One of my buddies agrees with me, thinking the average player would just get destroyed. And our other two friends say it wouldn't be that bad.

Years ago, I played Oakland Hills shortly after the U.S. Open had been held there. The open rough was still present, but the greens, while still lightning-fast, were beginning to grow back since they weren't mowing and rolling them twice a day. At the time, it think I was playing to about a seven. I played pretty well (and very conservatively off the tee, for obvious reasons), but still shot an 82, for what it's worth. I can't remember exactly, but I think I only three-jacked a couple of holes.

Ok. First off. I have played a few of the PGA Tour courses. When the PGA is not at the site the greens speed is back to normal. Not the help me I am dying grass that the PGA or USGA demands when they show up.

I have shot much better at these courses then at the run of the mill course.

I do play alot of golf though. I am a golf course superintendent. So I need to play the game.

my brother is a golf head pro hes played torrey pines south a couple times. from the tips, his best was a 71. he said often he went driver - 3 wood into a couple par 4s, i think its playing ~7600 yards for the open this year. (he carries his driver 270-280, which is still a good carry. Amazing how long the courses are now.

Ok, so maybe I'm off? Obviously a golf pro, a 7 handicap, and a course superintendent are all going to play better than me (maybe a 12-15 handicap) but maybe I am overestimating how tough those courses play.

Anyone want to weigh in that's not a scratch golfer? I want to hear about the hack who lost his last ball on the 16th hole and couldn't finish. I need some ammo for my argument!

I would be looking at between 100-110.

I've played a few Tour courses, Pebble Beach, East Lake, Harbour Town. I'm a 15 handicap and did not break 100 on those three. Greens were no big deal, the biggest disadvantage for me was the unfamiliarity and the mere distraction of where I was playing...

I would say 130 or so! I routinely play (5-6 times a year) Bethpage Black on LI and I can say for sure that it would be brutal. I am somewhere around a 16 handicap so take that into account but the course if set up right would be brutal. When they had the Open in 02 the carry on some drives had to be 250 into the wind. My max drive w/roll is somewhere around 280. The rough you can forget about during normal times nevermind a tournament set up. The greens haven't been fast when i have played my guess is mostly because of the amount if play it gets. I don't think an average golfer could comprehend it. When they played it last one player broke par and that was under wet soft conditions I have to think the average player would be in for a very tough day. By the way when I play there I usually shoot 95-100 from the whites if that helps.