What would you shoot at Lancaster Country Club as it was set up for the US Women's Open (2024)

So you’ve seen it, you’ve walked it and you’ve marveled over the championship layout at Lancaster Country Club during the 79th U.S. Women’s Open.

But ... what might you shoot if given the chance to play it — from the same tees, and navigating the same rough and same undulating greens with their mid-11 Stimpmeter speeds?

Uhhhhh ...

Right. Remember now. If asked last Thursday what she thought she’d shoot in the first round, world No. 1 Nelly Korda might likely have said 69, 70 or something like that.

She shot 80. Nevermind one-eighth of her score came on one hole.

“I’d shoot 80 out here,” Dean Frohnapfel, a former golf teammate of Jim Furyk’s at Manheim Township, said without hesitation. Frohnapfel has caddied around here for 40 years, so, yeah, maybe. Had a 12.3 handicap index last year, but hasn’t kept it current.

“It’s all right in front of you — fairways and greens, fairways and greens,” the 54-year-old from Lancaster said while taking in the final round on Sunday. “No three-putts, stay out of the rough.”

Let’s call in the USGA, shall we?

The USGA maintains a Target Score calculator on its tournament website, which, when provided with your handicap and average score for 18 will give you what your target score should be, specific to the same championship layout the Open players navigated, including slope and course rating. But then it advises you to add 3 to 5 shots to it for a more realistic score.

Entering a 13 handicap and average score of 80-84 into the calculator, which Frohnapfel said is about right, the USGA calculates his target score to be 81 ... add 3 to 5 to that and perhaps a more realistic score range would be 84-86.

OK, so he’s in the ballpark.

“I’m hoping to shoot 85 tomorrow,” said Steve Leaman, 43, an LCC member with a handicap of 11. “You’ve got to hit good shots, keep it in the fairway and put it in good spots on the greens.”

Calculator says ...

Again 81, which he acknowledges would be a “good day” score.

The calculator’s hot, like a mystic monkey predicting presidential elections.

“I’d probably shoot 95 out here,” said Veronica McCarthy, from New Smyrna Beach, Florida, visiting a local friend. McCarthy shoots 80s and 81s mostly at her club — and taught golf for a while, so she’s got game.

A 95 would pain her, would it not?

“Not as much as 100,” she fires back.

“You gotta stay in the fairway. If not, you’re dead.”

Calculator says ...

Before the reveal, some serious caveating needs to happen.

Most women play tees more forward than what the women played at the 79th Open. Most men, generally if they’re not seniors, will play distances approaching what the women played. Key word there … approaching. Consequently, the calculator might be more accurate for men.

Injecting McCarthy’s average — she has no established handicap, but used to be a 9 back in the day — the calculator spits out a target score of 85, 10 shots lower than her prediction.

“I don’t know about that,” she said.

Blake Madonna, 12, plays regularly at LCC and claims a handicap of 18.5, with average scores in the low 90s from tees not as far back as the Open tees. His best score is an 81.

“I’d shoot probably 120,” he guessed. “It’s tough, it’s long.”

But 120? How about 110 or lower?

“I’d have to have a very good round,” he said.

The USGA gives Blake a target score of 93. Add the 3 to 5 shots for realism and the kid could do it, maybe.

Kathy Ginett, 79, regularly plays at Meadia Heights. She has no established handicap, but shoots 45-47 for nine holes from the forward tees. Pretty good, right?

“Well, Meadia Heights ain’t this,” she said, perched in her chair watching action on the 18th fairway Sunday. She manned the hole crossings at No. 7 and No. 8 as a volunteer for the first three rounds. “I’d probably shoot 75 to 80 for nine out here.”

Kathy might be selling herself short.

“OK, I’ll go down to 70,” she conceded. “That’s it.”

The calculator says ... “more information needed.”