The best golfer in the world

I was watching SKy Sports news late last night and they had highlights of a female tournament being held somewhere. It was good to see Laura Davies getting a mention!

Anyway, it got me thinking about golf and Men v Women.

Now the differences between the man and womans games are down to power mainly (and therefore the distances between tee and pin).

However, all men have the same advantage over women but not each other.

To me the skill in golf is not how hard you can hit it but the consistancy you hit it. And more importantly, how well you do that when the chasing pack is closing in on you in the back 9 of the final round.

This is exactly the same for womens golf - its about consitancy under pressure.

So it got me thinking about a few things:

1. Should they have a one off event each year where its a mixed event but women play off their tees and men off theirs to even the strength advantages.
2. Who would win such an event? Men or women?

For me, I think it would be a great event and throw up some interesting pairings and showdowns. I also think that honours would never be guaranteed for one sex over the other.

So what do you think about both of my points?

A better idea might be to play a very short course where the greens and the surrounding areas of the greens were vert challenging. This way everyone could play fromt he same tee and it would come down to short game.

I like mac's idea, take the the strength side out of it altogether, otherwise there's no contest, even if they do play from the ladies tees, I would be surprised if more thans a handful even made the cut.

I play a variety of courses and I have to say my favourite are the ones where you have to plot your way round the course, so you might need to hit a 5 irons off a tee to avoid bunkers, stream etc, and might only use driver once or twice a round.
Those type of courses seem to sort out the players who have a good all round game from those who just hit and hope.

I wonder would pine valley from tees playing a bit shorter than the LPGA average be the way to go? It would seem mega short for the guys but anyone whacking driver will nilly at pine valley would likely come a cropper at some point.

Or maybe a TOC, as it is there are a number of tee’s these days and a lot of the challenge is around the greens.

It is all a bit unlikely, but it is always fun to watch males and females play in the same event. Does anyone remember the battle of big horn where anika and tiger played, I actually quite enjoyed that.

Morning all,

Fairly new poster here.

I understand the theory of playing a shorter but trickier course taking away the distance advantage that the men have over the ladies. But realistically a length advantage transfers to every club.

My point being would the men still not have a huge advantage hitting 9 irons and wedges to greens (even if the greens are tricky and well guarded) than the ladies who would have to hit 5/6 irons or maybe even rescue clubs to the same greens?

For example you saw how Quiros ate up the par 5s every day last week as he was hitting mid irons to all of the greens. I remember on Saturday when he was playing with Hanson and Hanson hit a 3 wood as well as he could have and left himself a 40/50 footer for eagle. Quiros then hit a 5 iron and he wasn't happy with the contact and was inside Hanson.

Women Pros and top amateurs do not play from the 'ladies tees'
As a generalisation the courses they play are somewhere between Mens medal and 'yellow' tees.
Most womens Amateur championships above County level play off a composite course.
That is worth bearing in mind when you look at scores from stroke play events.
Jaz has played golf with my daughter and I did not think that there was too much difference in the distance they hit the ball. Womans 2 handicap against mens 7.

Doon

Maybe your daughter and mavette are destined to be rivals in the years to come?

My daughter is 35 and played in the Scottish Counties finals. Narrowly losing the final to Mid Lothian on a count back.

She said she felt like 'Old Mother Hubbard' amongst all the college kids. So I doubt she will be playing Mavette.

Good to see Eve Muirhead win the European womens Curling Championship for Scotland. Eve played for Perth & Kinross in the Golf finals so obviously a very talented young lass

Would have thought the Ladies would have great difficulty compared to the men playing to hard and fast greens, especially with tight pins. Very few women get anything like the same spin and ball control as the best men. And their greens are seldom as fast.

Having said all of which Annika Sorenstam did terrifically well against the men, from the same tees, at Colonial and beat some of the men.

Very true Kwinni but they tend to keep the ball in play much better than the men.
I think a true level test would be on a course such as Muirfield where the women played from the members medal tees and the men played off the championship tees. Probably about 4 shots a round difference.