Playing with a pro

General Discussion
#1

Has anyone on here ever been able to play with a pro before? I think a lot of people have played with their club pro but I mean a touring pro or even top level amateur type of play. I am curious how it would feel considering the possible celebrity factor and nerves etc. @jon posted about playing with a couple of pro sports stars and it made me think of how it would be playing with them.

My only experience is the Gameday experience the PGA puts on for kids in certain cities. I took my boys to the Gameday at TPC River Highlands in CT last year. We got to walk the course with Kevin Streelman, Cameron Tringale, and Scott Langley for 9 holes of their morning practice round. The crowd was small and standing on the tee with them I felt like if I had my clubs I could hold my own with them, albeit 10 shots behind them most likely but still the experience was cool. Actually teeing up the ball and having everyone watch could be a different story because there could be some embarrassment factor for a topped 3 wood. Just seeing if anyone has played in something like a pro am with more prominent figures.

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#2

Have a friend who played professionally. I never played well when playing with him. Hit it great though one time on the range with him and a top 100 player!

#3

I’ve gotten to play with pro athletes, a us mid-am champ, “elite” ams, and some actual pros (not PGA Tour level, think mini tours).

As I mentioned in the other thread, the pro athlete round started off a bit shaky (I was nervous and my swing felt terrible), but these experiences absolutely helped me. There is nothing better for your golf game than being uncomfortable. Now when I tee it up in a tournament, or with people who I’ve never played with before, I really don’t get all that nervous because I’ve been through so many of these experiences (and embarrassed myself from time to time).

What I will say is whoever they are, they do not care about your game as much as you think they do. They just want to play golf and mostly focus on their own game no matter how famous they are!

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#4

I came close to playing a round with Tom Lehman years ago as the starter at my father-in-law’s club was going to put the 3 of us out together. I had met him there a few times, but wasn’t sure about playing with a pro. Luckily or not, he asked if he could sneak out in front of us as he just wanted to get a bit of quick practice in and not a full 18. I was sort of relieved and disappointed at the same time.

I have played with some pros that did not make it on tour. It is almost a different game for them. They make the scratch guys at my club look like mid-cappers in some respects.

#5

What I will say is whoever they are, they do not care about your game as much as you think they do. They just want to play golf and mostly focus on their own game no matter how famous they are!

This is really the core of the matter. If you can get this in your head, which is not easy to do, you will have a very enjoyable experience and probably learn a lot.

#6

I am sure they don’t really care about my game, it would mostly be inside my own head but still the pressure must be intense, and hard to replicate.

#7

A high school teammate of mine played professionally for a number of years, including 1 season on the PGA Tour. I played with him a lot in high school. Does that count?

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#8

That sure does - that’s pretty cool!

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#9

I’ve played a handful of ProAms. We used to house guys when the KFT was the Nike Tour and they had an event at my home club, Dakota Dunes CC.

Had the chance to play with guys who stayed with us.

Notah Begay - who still sends my family Christmas cards. He’s a wonderful wonderful human. Jimmy Walker. Tom Pernice Jr. Pat Perez - have a fun little story about him. And I hit a few shots with John Daly.

My biggest claim is not playing with but being given an impromptu lesson and long drive contest with Arnold Palmer. He held a clinic at our course (he designed the course) and my dad and I went. This was 20 or more years ago. Will always be one of the best days of my life.

Hitting balls and playing with pros can be nerve wracking, but it’s also a blast. Some of them don’t speak to you - ahem, Jimmy Walker - some of them really embrace the fan/amateur involvement. If you ever get the chance, my advice is to just have as much fun as you can and soak in being so close to amazing ballstrikers.

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#10

Those are some pretty awesome experiences!

#11

There is a Champions Tour Pro I get to play with on occasion. Very nice guy and never makes you feel bad that you’re not at his level. The crazy thing is when I play with him, I realize the huge difference between me and him, is the fact that he is consistent. Doesn’t get in trouble too often, if he does, he takes his medicine and doesn’t compound the situation. I learn a lot every time I get the opportunity to play with him.

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#12

Yeah I was a pretty lucky kid.

#13

I’ve played with a couple of retired tour pros. They never let me be nervous.

#14

Maybe this exists but I would pay good money to just walk around with a touring pro and have him just do the director’s audio version of his round as he plays. How he thinks about shots, gets out of jams, etc. It seems like something that should exist if it doesn’t already and even if you got 50 guys to pay $200 to do it, that’s $10k for 2hrs work.

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#15

My dad played Justin Leonard’s dad in the club championship in Dallas… Justin came out and rode on the back of the cart for a few holes and cleaned their clubs and such… my dad was really impressed with him…

This was around his British open win.

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#16

I used to belong to a club just outside of philly. Ashbourne CC. The club was from 1923. Unfortunately greed got the best of the owners and they wanted to build homes along the course. That never happened and the course ended up closing. But we had an event the one season for Charity and we had Cristie Kerr. She was awesome, very down to earth. She golfed with each foursome for one hole. We got to walk with her for that hole and talking with her made you feel like she was just one of us. After the event before dinner, she was available to have your picture taken with her. I still have one of the flags from the day which she autographed. A great experience.

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#17

We have a few guys at our club who are very accomplished amateur golfers - us am, multiple Us mid am Types. One in particular is around a +4 and when he was a new member the first round I ever played with him was in match play and our flight is played at scratch. I was something like +2 through 13 holes when he closed me out… he shot 65 that day. I also play adult hockey with two brothers who have both Monday qualified on the pga tour a handful of times.

There is definitely some added pressure because you want to play well but I agree with @jon they don’t care how you play.

One thing is very common with them though, besides hitting it a mile (but lots of guys do). The thing that really sets them apart is how good their wedge game is. It’s not so much that they are knocking down flag sticks (whether they know it or not they all play with a certain amount of decade strategy) but you rarely see them hit a wedge the wrong distance, everything always seems to be pin high.

They also convert every easy short game shot. It’s just as difficult for them as it is for us mortals when they are short sided, but if it’s an easy chip they are unbelievable at getting those up and down…

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#18

Many years ago I got to play 18 with one of my dad’s employees who was a recent state amateur champion. I was excited - I thought about the amazing golf I was going to see.

Most boring round I ever witnessed! Fairway-green-putt-putt, one hole after another. I was so disappointed at the time; looking back I realize what a master class I had the privilege of observing!

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#19

I have been very fortunate to have played with several PGA players, UGA and an LPGA players from way back in the day. I have played starting with my teachers, Bill Bishop, Dickie Forrest. I played with Charlie Sifford, Georgie Butler and Mike Williams, Sam Snead, Mike Austin, Greg Norman, Phil Blackmar, Jeff Sluman, and Joey Sindelar and Lisa Kiggins. Nothing however compared to attending a dinner with Mr. Palmer

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