Public Golf Course TOO EASY for a TOUR Pro?

Have you ever wondered what a PGA TOUR pro would shoot at a public golf course? We certainly have...
So, in this video, we're taking TOUR pro James Nicholas to a normal golf course just like the ones all of us "regular" golfers play all the time, to try and find out what a tour pro will score against a regular golf course.
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Special Thanks to:
James Nicholas ► / jamesnicholasgolf
Podcast Interview with James ► • How Hard it is to Make...
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[@Golficity]

PART 2 with James is now Live on the channel where he TRIES AGAIN!

[@BW-sl9pw]

Things I appreciated about this video: James’s approach to the game (checking the wind, strategy on every shot/putt, “stick to the process don’t jump to conclusions” @12:10) Things I REALLY appreciated about this video: Golfcity showing the content we all want to see, James not once complaining about the conditions or pace of play and being an overall gentleman during the entire round Thing I REALLY did not appreciate: someone found his 8 iron and didn’t turn it in. Cmon fellow golfers, we’re better than that!

[@Golficity]

Thank you!🙏 But he got his iron back - someone returned it!

[@BW-sl9pw]

Great to hear! Restored my faith in our fellow public golf course players. Played Spook couple times and everyone from the staff to the local folks were awesome!

[@purplecow5150]

@@Golficity that is awesome.

[@markusphox7832]

James is the best, played a pro-am with him at the Wichita Open. He’s one of the nicest guys around.

[@rpw1013]

He might be nice, but he is NEVER going to be a top class pro...

[@sinz__]

ok? why would a successful tour pro care what a couch potato who shoots 93 thinks@@rpw1013

[@user-iv2tr5zd1j]

Quite clearly not the best, but you met him, therefore he's better than he is 😅

[@desks3674]

what a nice dude. Extremely humble and you can tell he absolutely loves what he does. Watched this entire vid through it was fantastic

[@shadyzz9549]

You know not a single fkn thing about him & his character by watching him play portions of one round of golf on a YT video. FFS... tell us you're stupid without telling us you're stupid.

[@Golficity]

We appreciate you!

[@frankiedubz214]

second this. all the best to James

[@joejoey1983]

Totally I’d be his caddy tired of douches at country clubs

[@fb206415]

James - thank you for taking the time to do this! I love your attitude on the misses, focus on the prep/action vs. result. Now I’m follow and root for you the rest of your career! Cheers!

[@vitor301980]

This was one of the most enjoyable rounds of golf I have watched in a long time.

[@AKoss139]

Did my research on him and it turns out his dad performed surgery on both my right and left knees. And I gotta be honest but I thought I was a good athlete but this guy takes the cake. Definitely going to be rooting for him if I ever see him on TV playing in a tournament. And I've played Spook Rock many times and this is just not fair. Only if we could all hit the ball 340 off the tee. Great job James and good luck on tour!!

[@Golficity]

Small world! He secured his DP WORLD TOUR CARD so you’ll be seeing him!

[@qbyrd0015]

This is exactly the content I want to see. I really want to see folks at courses i play.

[@marquidee3920]

Great Vid! No matter what Tee's you play from, it's the mindset and the approach for each green. A lot of Hackers like to play from the Tips and then complain about everything. Yet here James proves it's still challenging from even from the different Tee boxes. I like how he explains what he normally would do and how if he crushes it, it could go in the woods. Even if he is in the woods....he jst plays the shot. One thing I learned.....his "duck Walk" to the hole. It looked goofy, but wow, he was confirming the break on the green. It was a joy to watch how (with his skill level) how he can attack each hole. To control the fade/draw, the power, club selection, jst all aspects. It makes it fun for hackers like us and how we can work on different aspects of our own game. FUN!

[@jamesmcdonald6047]

What always strikes me the most is the Sound of a Good Swing!!! The “click” at contact is so Crisp, Beautiful 😊

[@KA-dm9lm]

This is great content. Getting to see insight like this from a pro golfer is really cool. Love all th explanations and hearing the thought process. Great work boys

[@ROUGHGOLF]

I love hearing the strategy behind his shots. It also shows how consistent professional courses are compared to many of the public golf course I play in my videos.

[@aubreymarsh2309]

7:06 the dew line from a previous ball lines up perfectly with your line!! satisfying

[@devinmckee5463]

Great video. First time watcher. One subtle video editing thing I reeaallyy loved was on hole 7 at around 13:00 of this video you guys continued the audio of golf cart conversation while overlaying James finishing the hole. Thought that was a clever way to capture the importance of the conversation but also continuing on with the content. Liked and subscribed. Looking forward to more of your content in my feed.

[@ditrenh]

Great video fellas! Awesome to hear the thought process from a Pro and what they are thinking for each shot. Things amatures never think about - but should!

[@richardtheiv4186]

Great video guys. Nice to see a lovely humble pro playing great around a public course and giving such great insight into his thought pattern with every shot. I've also left a club out on a course, so it happens to us all! Sometimes in a way it may be more difficult around the greens for him than what he's used to, as the quality on a public course isn't going to match what he's used to on a course set up immaculately for a pro tournament Five under shot with ease. I bet we'd all love to do that. Well done and best wishes for the future.

[@billreger]

Great video and James seems like a great guy. Will definitely be rooting for him going forward. I loved seeing a pro dealing with the conditions I usually deal with and thrilled when I recognized the course as one I've played multiple times in the past!

[@RodDandyGolf]

Great to see a video with a tour pro playing a “normal” common man course!! the muni’s and standard public courses generally have more playing surface challenges than the perfect tournament condition courses, it adds an element of uncertainty, for sure.

[@notmarealnameboi]

Yeah, they should make an annual event out of this.

[@faducci]

Great Video, top shelf walking us through the process of each shot and hole

[@dfreeman32]

Fantastic vid!! Love your channel and just your overall attitude toward golf. One of the best on YT. 👏

[@Golficity]

🙏🏼

[@sir_nicks_allot_8902]

James is a pretty chill guy. Always fun to watch...

[@armandonunez9005]

Craziest part is it looked like he played super sloppy and still shot 5 under!! The rest of us hacks play like that and we are 19 over, easy. It's just not fair how good these guys are.

[@Labgorilla]

Thank you guys and good luck in your career James. A pleasure to watch!

[@lkae4]

Most pros I've seen are very humble. I think the game does that. What a game. What a pro.

[@davidgraham8058]

The very best are humble because they’ve played with so many great players as good or better than them. The arrogant players are the ones playing off 2 or 3 who think they are McIlroy because they’ve never played with top players before.

[@jackdavies9652]

Great golfer, even better character. I hadn't personally heard of James before watching this but he has all my support!

[@MikeEngel]

Really enjoyed hearing the thought process going into each shot

[@Golficity]

Right? Cool how they think.

[@carolenedavis1752]

Awesome video!! I guessed that he would shoot -5!! Though he easily could have gone lower. I bet if he didn't have his driver, he would go lower playing from the white tees. I mean, it was pretty evident playing aggressive off the tee didn't;t help much. Where as, he could have easily placed him self on every par 4 with an 80-120 yards in approach. Where hole outs from that distance aren't far from at his level. Anyhow it was great to hear his thought process for every shot. Thanks for posting

[@riley3526]

Loved this video. Would love to see more videos like this

[@NYcomposer]

Interesting round to see at my second home course where we all shoot in the 80’s. He didn’t drive it particularly well, but his length off the white tees meant he’s pitching to every green. It’s a bit like us playing off the reds. Would have liked to see him play from the tips, which are still 500 yards shorter than a Tour course. If he had striped his drives he might have shot 62 or 63, since he parred all four par 5’s

[@kevingarrison5541]

He had an eagle putt on 11, he made birdie on that par 5.

[@NYcomposer]

You are right!

[@paulcollinsyoga]

Man, what a great video!!!!! James was fantastic. On another day he is -9/-10 easily. Superb to watch.

[@rpw1013]

Serious....you need to watch professionals.

[@highimphilip]

Cool video, no point of bunkers they are not in play. Love to see some more of these at other Municipal courses.

[@smittysmitty481]

Excellent video! Good luck to this dude on tour!

[@zendrive]

total confidence, but humble confidence. "i'm gonna do this, but if not, we'll deal with it". proceeds to do what he's trying to do, most of the time.

[@dustynuggets22]

Awesome vid. A real insight to a pros mind. I kept thinking that this guy is a tool the way he takes about his approach, but then I remember he is a professional. Impressive.

[@johnmcgee8023]

Did he get his 8 iron back?

[@phreak761]

I sold it for 10 bucks to buy crack 🌬️

[@shawakwak]

LOL Makes first birdie at hole 3 - "Finally"!

[@mattg.7379]

I loved the concept here. It was fun to watch James shoot -5. He putted well and hit some gorgeous drives. I thought he had good course management as well. I look forward to Part 2.

[@Golficity]

Filmed, edited and coming soon! 👊🏼

[@Power5]

The fact that he hit his first drive into the woods made me feel better for 57 seconds. Then it was on the middle of the green in 2 and if I was lucky enough to be on that fairway after my first drive, I would almost definitely not been on the green in 2. :D Loved hearing his process on each shot.

[@bogeywins]

"I'm not thinking of anything", proceeds to tell what he's thinking about. 😂

[@pluckw496]

You guys are so lucky to know someone like him.

[@golfingbuddy1]

It’s nice to see a pro roughing it like the rest of up on bumpy greens = reality, and add a 15 minute wait time on the tee box. Good luck on the 2024 season!

[@natedog805402]

im new to golf and i loved this video. thanks

[@gregbarnes4660]

so watching in 2024... very likeable fellow, career earnings at $111,000 yet goes out and shoots -5 making it look easy at that. Goes to show everyone how good tour players are. Great video.

[@mitchkent1052]

Excellent golf! I am pumped up right now! Yelling at the phone screen and punching holes in my drywall. LETS GO!!!!!

[@CJZup16]

This is great for the insights alone from James.

[@robrussellmusic]

He sounds like Michael Cera to me. Great casual 5 under though... I mean... He left at least 5 or so out there and didn't really look like he was even remotely worried at any point. This just goes to show that on a super average or maybe even below average day, the level that you have to be on to compete against world-class opposition. I will probably never have a 5 under round. So cool to watch; also great to hear him explain his thought process and evaluation of trouble situations on every shot. Great content.

[@johnmeore2153]

Love this!!! My home course! I would not move back to the blues until I shot par from the whites! I was wondering when this was coming out! Great video! That drive on 18!!! Holy Cow!

[@Golficity]

Appreciate you!

[@JapChaeJan]

What this video showcased is how difficult golf is to your recreational golfers. So many variables come into play. Course familiarity is a big one. The maintenance of the course itself (greens, fairways, rough, fringe, bunkers etc when compared to tour level courses). Makes me feel much better knowing breaking 95 is a big achievement.

[@heavyq]

It's nuts that James is practicing for Q-School and is this good. Like, mind boggling just how good pro golfers are. His second shot on hole 1 I would've hit four trees and ended up closer to the tee box than the green.

[@Ctharvey]

Also the way he is processing the shot at hand is very insightful.

[@zesolodar]

you want a good example of that go watch rick shiels videos with james robinson. guy was an ex pro who played in the open but is a teaching pro now because basically he wasnt good enough to make it on tour. he shot 1 under par on 9 holes with a 70 euro package set they bought from a costco equivalent store, played another 9 holes with rick i believe he finished 2 under but whats crazy about that is the challenge was he was only able to use 4 golf clubs

[@heavyq]

@@zesolodaryeah I watch Rick and James. I like James a lot. He turned me on to Takomo irons a few years back!

[@mikehoffman3142]

James Robinson was very, very good. I couldn't believe he wasn't on the tour. But, he was super nice. I wonder if he was missing the killer instinct. Kind of like a guy who wanted to stay out of the way of everyone and keep it friendly. Just saying@@zesolodar

[@patrickhoward4080]

Wish there were more videos of this style with pros walking you through verbally what they are thinking during the entire round…shot by shot. Learn a lot of how they think and their course management

[@mcappello30]

I planned on skipping around, but I watched every second. I learned so much from the commentary

[@tropx8995]

I wish James all the best in his quest to play the PGA Tour. He's an all-around athlete. He was recruited to play football at Yale. He was also the 6th highest career scoring in HS hockey in New York state history. He eventually stopped playing football to only play on Yale's golf team where he was all Ivy League multiple times.

[@leethecaddie5173]

My oldest son played goalie against James for 4 years in high school and he was a beast!

[@howardchen3456]

Most people have no idea. Anytime a. Pro level golfer plays my local club, they go so low, even from the tips on a tough course. I’ve seen a guy shoot -9 and it should’ve been -11. He shot it pretty easily. They really take advantage of par 5s so it’s like they’re playing par 67s or 68s on most courses. He was getting home in 2 with irons for the most part and hitting them inside 10 to 20 ft and make a ton of putts. An elite player like Spieth or scheffler shoots low 60s every round at the local club that he’s familiar with.

[@rockbandgamer]

James Nicholas is the man. Really rock with this dude

[@colet8940]

Getting that bogey first hole really gave me hope.

[@ShaveItDown]

Your boy working the camera is an absolute savage. Getting a shot of the 8 iron in the grass and not saying a word for the content. W

[@the1ceman]

I think they found out in the edit. Not intentionally leaving it for content

[@cinematicadventures]

Awesome content and concept, wish I could see a pro cane my local courses.

[@lilyaro3634]

6:48 cleaning club with gloves is funny😂😂😂

[@HiltonShaves74]

Had my best and worst round on the same day. When I was playing as a professional we were in Florida on a 7200 yard track. I had 9 birdies, 2 eagles and finished with a 73. Two weeks later in Vegas I started a round five over after five holes and finished with a 67. Remember, it's not how you start, it's how you finish. I've had dozens of rounds like this and there's a lesson from them, "Never give up on yourself"!

[@danielmurray9521]

What a video! He smashed it. Have you seen the yoing saudi pro Amah Dragmah? His swing is so similar!

[@tomsanger5548]

My primary courses are a couple of very nice munis with greens the speed of this course. I was stoked that the women's tour would be playing there & wondered if I could compete with them if I could have played with them by at least making the cut at 4 under. Meg Mallon went & shot a 10 under 60 with rough so bad there are times when you knew exactly where the ball would be & you couldn't find it. Brutal. Also played with a visiting retired senior tour player & his buddies got him a crappy set of graphite irons but a decent driver. He didn't birdie any par 5's plus left a bunch out there & shot a 6 under 64. Followed Annika for 3 rounds on the other muni course for an LPGA event & she missed a ton of 6 to 12 footers & she shot 24 under. Ridiculous different world.

[@jackbodnar7617]

spook rock is my home track too. cool to see him tear it up

[@MLH0214]

Could have easily been 8 under. The info you get from walking with pros while they play is almost overwhelming. They are surgeons. When in trouble, they see and can hit though "windows" us amaetures don't see let alone can hit. I keep saying I appreciate you guys and the work you do. It was GREAT to watch James Nicholas play. I will check out the podcast and will cheer him on too. Have to, he's a Golficity homie, one of us.

[@robertshawnmitchell]

Cool to see Spook Rock on KZbin! I shot my lifetime PB there many years ago.

[@qstar710]

This was really nice to watch

[@Jeff-lf6hv]

Those greens and what your use to playing on are totally opposite. I played professional in the 90s and I can tell you your games just gets much better on tour level golf courses. I played alot of public golf courses and I found it my game was not at the level of play of playing on tour . Greens were slower and did not break correctly. Fairways were fluffy or not cut tight. Hard to spin the ball. This video is really good for people to see that way they can understand that sometimes or alot times your putts a missing are not always your fault.

[@Ignacio_Kingsley]

This just proves that crappy public courses can actually be more difficult than say a country club. Nothing is manicured well, crab grass, dirt lies, greens are crappy, a million trees overhanging and blocking greens. Hard to play good golf when everything is different every hole

[@notanobodywithabody]

Never thought of it that way, but it's a solid point!

[@stevenchampion8137]

A friend plays on the Asian Tour, and has had starts on the DP and US Tours. When we played at my club we squeezed 14 holes in. He was 11 under. This course was only 6,400 yards and he tore it apart.

[@hungry_arch]

I’ve always found Spook Rock challenging. It’s on the upper edge of my comfortable distance and there’s tons of trees. I love this video so much because he’s like yawning while he dominates the course.

[@Golficity]

Yeh it’s a tough one David no doubt

[@Bigmarv187]

Did he really dominate the course? Definitely was enjoyable watching him play. However, he finished at a gross score of 73.

[@LocksmithRudimental]

Amazing player, love the journey!

[@terminallychill9580]

Getting a 5 hole 1 with a lost club.... this made me feel a lot better becasue i do this exact same thing!.... rip to my gap wedge

[@MrAverageHipster]

wouldd love to see red shot tracers (or any color) on those bright skies

[@davehurley26]

Brilliant video 👍

[@dylandylandylan3940]

These tour pros are so good because even with a bad/slow start they know a good stretch is coming. They stay focused and even on a not so great day shoot mid 60's Pretty amazing.

[@ikewalter8096]

Gotta say…as a 7 handicap this video definitely changes my personal expectations if a tour pro is only shooting -5 at a muni course while playing from the whites….guess I should be happy with my 85

[@shadowhaunter]

Oh man on a day with a bit better luck, he'd killlll that course! Would love to see him play this again with a bit more course knowledge

[@turffboy]

Another great video guys! I saw you at Cabot Farms.......

[@Golficity]

👊🏼

[@thesaneparty4079]

There are definitely disadvantages on the Munis, and closer tees are not necessarily a help. I don't hit it far at all, but all of my best rounds are from the back tees, mainly because there's less trouble off the tee. I'm sure a pro would destroy them if they get used to them, but coming straight from their world into ours is no picnic.

[@ModestM2]

Love Spook Rock golf course, 1st hole James proceeds to take a line I wouldn't dare dream of. Just once, I want to know what that feels like

[@turkeyandcheese]

Cart path only... cut to the drone shot on #7 with the group ahead driving through the fairway lol

[@shaneWARs1]

Love how he talks about the bumps in the greens im so used to them i dont notice anymore but imagine if i got to play perfect greens how many more putts id make

[@tomsanger5548]

Been playing our munis for 20 years. The greens are excellent now due to Troon taking over management but in the past they have often stimped at no kidding 6 or 8. You may as well putt with a 3 wood. Drove me nuts that good putts would bobble left or right but never seemed to get a bobble going in on a bad putt. Got to play a few rounds on flawless bent grass & made all kinds of putts so on rough muni greens its more about luck than skill.

[@jeffbilling2515]

The thing about a lot of public course is the condition of the fairways and greens. I have played courses that being in the fairway ends up being on hard bare ground

[@retroraider23]

Great Job editing that was enjoyable 18 to watcg

[@LevelUPGaming-gg9if]

Congrats on 100 thousand subscribers!

[@Golficity]

We appreciate it 👊🏼

[@joebro391]

great video!

[@erniestarkey8856]

I am a scratch golfer myself. Enjoyed watching him play. Would like to have seen a tougher course. A lot of open areas under the trees which gave him good shots. Like to see pros show how scrambling makes the game and not always the big bombs. Great video.

[@Jeff-lf6hv]

There is a difference between scratch golfers and touring professionals.

[@erniestarkey8856]

@@Jeff-lf6hv your right. But I also don't have the luxury of someone marking my ball in a hazard or thick rough. Saves pros avg 3 shots a round. That's 12 a tournament. Do the math. Not saying they are not awesome but, playing straight up I can hang right there.

[@Jeff-lf6hv]

@@erniestarkey8856 have you ever played at that level play touring pros. It's a whole new game. Faster greens, more bunkers, tighter fairways and the pressure is totally different. I know because I played on tour in the 90s. It was fun but damn miss 1 putt or 1 fairway that can cause you to miss a cut. It's that close as all the way around. Every shot is your life

[@erniestarkey8856]

@@Jeff-lf6hv I have played several PGA PRO Am's and twice beat the Touring pro I played with. When no one is marking the ball, they lose strokes same as you and me. Not all Touring Pros are that consistent. Not patting myself on the back just stating facts. Have a good day.

[@mashedpotatoes5276]

@@erniestarkey8856where are you from?

[@bixby9797]

So interesting to listen to a pro and the thought process

[@Golficity]

Thanks, we just released part 2!

[@patrickcook1566]

What a class act he is!

[@JoeSmith-gp5dm]

Spook!!!! This is my home course, I learned how to play here. Took lessons with Chris Cohen who is one of the head guys at Spook Rock. Keep up the great content !

[@Golficity]

Same! My home course too! Cheers! - Mike

[@LeftyLyfeGolf]

Would love to do something like this with you guys !

[@BobLeeeSwaggga]

Sit...sit....sit-sit-sit-sit-sit-sit-sit-sit-sit-sit

[@sferguson1130]

I managed a public city course, for 6 years, and our lost and found, was bonkers lol. I’m talking hundreds of clubs over the years. That’s the problem, when you end up with half your bag on the ground, in those scenarios. The other culprit, was not leaving your extra clubs, between the hole and your cart, when putting.

[@karenbaisch2868]

My pre round prediction since I know a bunch of guys who played the Canadian tour and were part time Korn Ferry guys (and James is still young and on the rise) they average about 5 strokes below the course rating in normal conditions (this course does seem pretty tough with its slope rating though) Rating from the whites is 70 so I am guessing 66 since it has a 130 slope. Love watching video's with talented players in normal conditions. I always tell people that if they want to make a living golfing they better shoot 5 to 6 under the rating 8 out of 10 days on an average course. Post match, 67 was pretty good, the wind was kind of tough and slow greens are actually tough for tour pros (something they just don't play) My other thought was did the greenskeeper know a tour pro was playing as I would say the pins were in some of the toughest positions they could be on many holes. Very nice round James, my husband who played professionally said he would give him a 7 to 7.5 on that round with the wind and pins plus how wet the course was. James was also excellent in teaching the average golfer how to think and play a course. Thank you golfcity for the great content.

[@daevydjae]

325 with a driver. The furthest I ever hit one was roughly 300 - but that was with a blistering wind at my back and downhill to the green from 100 yards. In other words I don't hit long at all, so 325 is absolutely insane.

[@FiveFootFore]

So you can’t have slope/wind on during tournaments that allow distance measuring devices, but you can use a compass?

[@donackerson5194]

I grew up on this course and worked on the driving range in high school. Haven't been back in a couple years. Maybe next season.

[@Golficity]

Same! Grew up here playing it.

[@onkelsort5381]

Awesome dude.

[@Handletaken4]

Guys around here shoot 61-62 in Monday Qualifiers for Korn Ferry. They always miss the cut by 3-8 shots.

[@ikigai47]

At first the sadistic side of me was hoping for him to stink it up but seeing what a genuinely nice guy he is I was rooting for him. Easy name to remember, will keep an eye out for him

[@mauricejones3387]

I remember watching pros complain about conditions being unfair because the course is not perfect. Sand bunkers, greens, fairways, tight fairways......even calling a greeb a postage stamp when we have seen smaller greens than that near water. Always said....we play on "harder" courses than they do because of conditions.