Can A 10 Handicapper Break 100 At The Open?

I think it was Tiger who made the comment last year that a 10 handicapper couldn't break 100 on a U.S. Open course under U.S. Open conditions. Right now I'm playing to a 10 and I confess that, at first blush, I fantasized I could do it. Then I heard Phil Mickelson give a more detailed explanation of why it would be near impossible; too much length, too narrow fairways, too tall rough and too fast greens. How might that really play out for a 10 handicapper?

Let me try the fantasy on for size. On average, I guess an Open course at an extra 1000 yards from what I usually play. Using 180 yards as an average shot, that equates to 6 more swings.

Extremely tight fairways and tall rough mean it's an extra shot every time I miss a fairway. All I'll be able to do is hit out 90 degrees with a wedge. Give me 9 more shots.

In order to not go too deep into the rough, I'll probably have to leave the driver in the bag. I'm giving up a good 40 yards with a 3-wood. If I do that on all but the par 3's, that's 14 times 40 for 560 yards. 560 divided by a 180 average club equals another 3 shots.

Because of hard greens and me having to hit longer irons due to the added course length, I'll miss a lot of greens. Then, because of the tall rough and faster greens I'm going to miss more up-and-downs. Give me 6 shots here.

How about those polished marble 13.5 on the stimpmeter putting greens? If I average 3 putts a green, that gives me 54 putts. Even at 48 putts, that probably adds 12 more putts than normal.

Let's tally:
- 6 shots for overall distance
- 9 shots for fairway rough
- 3 shots for using 3-wood instead of driver
- 6 shots for longer irons into the greens
- 12 shots for more putts on fast greens

That's 36 shots without counting any penalties. 36 added to 72 equals 108. And that assumes I'd be playing without anyone watching and no cameras going off during my back swing. The more I think about it, the more it appears that Tiger and Phil are right.

Look at it another way. 100 minus 72 equals 28 shots lost to par or about 1.6 shots lost per hole. Wouldn't it be very easy to lose a stroke and a half per hole given the added length, taller rough, narrower fairways and faster greens. Would even a 'best round of the summer' be good enough? Don't think I'd want to bet my paycheck to find out.