Where do the top women line up with male golfers? Think Venus or Serena getting beat by a male tennis player outside the top 100 or the often discussed mens rec guys who were recruited as the practice squad for Aggie WBB and regularly beat them or that dallas U15 soccer team that beat USWNT. Are the best LPGA pros on par with local scratch guys?

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/did-you-know-only-one-woman-has-made-a-cut-in-pga-tour-history

One woman has made the cut once and it happened back in the 1945. I would guess a lot of the men were busy doing something else around that time. 12 women have started a PGA event since then with the latest being in 2018. No one else has made the cut.

If the top women could get regular starts on tour, do you think they could make the cut? If so, consistently? History says no, although im not sure those were the top women. IMO length would obviously be the biggest differentiator. Top 62 men on driver length average over 300, top 62 women are between 260 and 280, with only 2 over 280.

I imagine putting could be an equal skill because it isnt a strength skill, but i havent looked at any stats. Are the greens at the womens tournaments as challenging with as much undulation and stimp rating? I believe they play at a few of the same courses, but there isnt necessarily a ton of overlap.

I think iron play could potentially be equal as far as accuracy with the same club but with length difference, it could take women an extra shot to get to where they are using the same club men are using.

I am just curious how big the gap is between men and women at the professional level. I have not watched very much LPGA so i know nothing about their skill levels. I should probably change that last thing seeing as i am the only male at the house and maybe everyone would be willing to watch golf if it was the LPGA.

Annika Sorenstam in her prime played the Colonial in sponsors exemption. Thought she didn't make the cut and came in almost last? Bottom 12th.

TLDR, the answer is not well.

cab559 said:

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TLDR, the answer is not well.

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The gap is wide, but Sorenstam's performance at the Colonial was pretty respectable. She shot 71 on the first day. Michelle Wie shot 73 in the first round of the Reno-Tahoe Open in 2008. That shows that they can, for one good day, beat a reasonable number of the men in the tournament. Compare that to physical head to head sports like basketball, where a motivated team of male pros would beat the women 200-0.

I would be interested in seeing how a top LPGA player in her prime would do in quality local club championship against scratch golfers with regular jobs.

Maybe AGNC will start inviting some of the top women to play in the par3 contest...that's about the only place I could see women legitimately "competing" with men on the golf course.

TexAgs should raise money to pay Paige Spiranac to play me in match play to see who wins.

Spoiler alert: I'm an 18 cap. I just want to play with her. Y'all start donating.

I'd love to see more men vs women mixed events for this reason. Have some men play on LPGA courses and vice versa.

Not sure if this is everywhere but the LPGA tourney at our club seemed they played a lot of blues and some whites. Go ahead and add 50 more yards to every hole and see how they do.

It'd be interesting to see them play a short course tight course or a course that was more or less designed for a women's game

Distance matters in golf. A lot. No woman currently alive could ever be remotely competitive against professional men over the course of a year. I could envision a woman theoretically making the cut at an individual tournament if she played perfect golf for two days and her putter was hot, but even the best girl, playing the best golf of her life, would never even sniff making a cut at some of the long courses, even with several tries.

Marauder Blue 6 said:

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I'd love to see more men vs women mixed events for this reason. Have some men play on LPGA courses and vice versa.

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Ehhh... No.

Rusty GCS said:

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TexAgs should raise money to pay Paige Spiranac to play with me in match play to see who wins.

Spoiler alert: I'm an 18 cap. I just want to play with her. Y'all start donating.

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FIFY

Honestly I don't understand why we continue to ask ourselves these kinds of questions.

Regardless of the sport/activity this is all very simple. If strength and/or speed provides the player an advantage ... Women will get trounced every time. And often by men several tiers lower than them in their respective areas.

That's what Anika did at colonial

The courses are just too long and the women don't hit the ball high enough or generate enough spin to stop the ball fast enough. If they miss a fairway this just compounds the problem

That is literally the first paragraph in the OP, the history of women being beaten. I dont think anyone on this thread is under the illusion that kim6 or whatever is going to be on the leader board on Sunday st the us open. That spot is reserved for jff, anyways.

Women just copy what men do. Men invent and build things. Invent sports. Then girls come along and wanna try it.

Then there are some men who want to see how women stack up against men. Really...

While I don't think an LPGA player could win a PGA event or even finish T5 or better in one against a field full of men, there is a ton the average golfer can take away from LPGA players in terms of swing and shot shape. I've heard that from professional swing coaches.

Women aren't going to compete against men in sports requiring strength, etc. Not a surprise. The LPGA players would probably beat most posting here though.

Yes, wouldn't stand a chance. But does the math instantly change if they teed off from the reds?

They typically play about 6500 yards which is longer than the reds anywhere I know of. They played 6850 at Carnoustie.

jja79 said:

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They typically play about 6500 yards which is longer than the reds anywhere I know of. They played 6850 at Carnoustie.

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i took my daughter to the LPGA event in Irving a few years ago. Had such a great time we went back the next year.

They basically play the regular mens' tees. They do not play the "ladies" tees.

Stood close to a few of them on a par 3 and their yardages were about what the typical adult mid handicap guy hits. 8 iron 150, etc. Driving 240-260, etc.

If they played the mens PGA tour guys, of course they get beat. Just on sheer distance. If they come to the typical course on a typical Saturday, and play with the 10 handicappers from the mens' tees, they kick butt. I promise you.

They have great tempo and make great contact. Agree with the previous poster who said you can learn a lot from seeing them up close.


Not related, but they are the most fan friendly athletes I've ever seen. Especially with kids. Morgan Pressell walked up to my daughter between holes (we went on a Friday) and says, "you're missing school for this?" Gave her a signed ball right then, during the round. All of them very gracious before/after the round for pictures, signing, etc. If you have a girl who plays golf (my daughter was 10 at the time) you need to go.

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If they played the mens PGA tour guys, of course they get beat. Just on sheer distance. If they come to the typical course on a typical Saturday, and play with the 10 handicappers from the mens' tees, they kick butt. I promise you.

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That's an interesting point.

We all agree they cannot make the cut at a PGA event. But, those guys would be better than a +5 cap playing 20 rounds at a local course.

I wonder at what handicap for men is the field level? It's definitely better than a 10. Maybe around a 3-5 handicap is where it's a fair game? Maybe even a 1-2 handicap?

Rusty GCS said:

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Quote:

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If they played the mens PGA tour guys, of course they get beat. Just on sheer distance. If they come to the typical course on a typical Saturday, and play with the 10 handicappers from the mens' tees, they kick butt. I promise you.

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That's an interesting point.

We all agree they cannot make the cut at a PGA event. But, those guys would be better than a +5 cap playing 20 rounds at a local course.

I wonder at what handicap for men is the field level? It's definitely better than a 10. Maybe around a 3-5 handicap is where it's a fair game? Maybe even a 1-2 handicap?

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I would say 1-2 or even scratch. Just based on my memory of our tournament, it was Las Colinas CC in Irving. The winner was 10 under for 4 rounds? So scoring average for the field probably even or 1 under? Regular men's tees?

They would beat scratch men.

There's a saying.

If you can't rollout of bed and go out and shoot mid 60's barefooted with a hangover, can't make it on mini tour.

6,500 yards is about where my buddies and I play. And to be competitive on LPGA, I'd think at least +2 to +4 may do it.

Me At 2 index, local LPGA mini tour player would beat me easily. I tied her once on front 9. 35-35.

jja79 said:

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Women aren't going to compete against men in sports requiring strength, etc. Not a surprise. The LPGA players would probably beat most posting here though.

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****, I played with one of the top U-13 girls a few months ago at my home course. She shot like 70 from the men's tees. After about 4 holes I wasn't even mad. Just awed at the consistency.

I was trying to be nice. For some reason golfers think they could take these girls. I heard 2 guys at the bar in the locker room, both good players, say they would have to give Lexi Thompson 3 shots per side. I nearly feel out of my chair. She averages 280 off the tee, hits 75% of the fairways and hits 80% of greens. She would have them wanting to give up at the turn.

Anne Van Dam leads the LPGA tour in driving distance at 284. Angel Yin is second at 282.

284 is 194th on the PGA Tour. 282 is 197th.

Agreed with this. It's far more relatable than the men's game

EKUAg said:

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Anne Van Dam leads the LPGA tour in driving distance at 284. Angel Yin is second at 282.

284 is 194th on the PGA Tour. 282 is 197th.

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That's one shot on no more than 14 holes. Lots of golf to play besides that.

EKUAg said:

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Anne Van Dam leads the LPGA tour in driving distance at 284. Angel Yin is second at 282.

284 is 194th on the PGA Tour. 282 is 197th.

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And from 175 in and putting what are there stats?

They don't have any kind of approaching the green stats for the women.

For putting, the men are slightly better when it comes to putts per GIR. That's about the only stat they have for the women.

Easy look up.

LPGA 72 players are 70%+ GIR.
PGA 9 players are 70%+ GIR.

For obvious reasons they wouldn't compete with PGA players overall but it would take a very, very good amateur man to beat them routinely.