I'm moving up a tee or two

[Mr. 82]

After being humiliated by the longest 6,700 yard course I have ever played down at Grand Cypress New and in reflecting on how poorly I played, I've come to the conclusion that I will never ever play tees longer than 6,500 yards ever again.  And if I have the option, I'm moving up closer to 6,000 yards when it makes sense.  I'm 51 years old, and I just spent the weekend getting schooled and outdriven by a bunch of teenagers and 20-somethings who are hitting it around 300 yards.  I'm at least 50 yards behind them, and the difference in distance comes into play on approach shots.  First off, I can't reach par 5s at that distance.  Even my best 4 wood (I don't carry a 3 wood because I can't hit one good) comes up short on any par 5 of longer than 490 yards.  Meanwhile, I'm watching these kids hit it 300 yards and have iron into the same par 5s that I can't reach in two.  I know I'm getting old, and don't have the distance these kids have, but it's humiliating to not even come close to being on a level playing field with the youngsters who make the longer distance look so easy and effortless.

I'm not going to go through the psychology of trying to figure out how to get more distance out of this body.  I tweaked my back on Thursday and spent the next 72 holes in pain from it.  I ignored the pain for the most part, but it's just not fun playing golf this way.  I'd much rather play the 6,000 yard tees and be able to hit more greens with my irons then playing further back and having 4 and 5 iron into every par 4 and 3.  So what if I'm playing shorter courses and tees.  The game isn't any fun when you can't score.  I want to go out and feel confident knowing I can reach par 5s in two and have no more than a mid-iron into par 4s, with the rare exception.  I'm guessing doing this will make the game a little more fun again, which to me is the whole purpose of playing.

[Miketheripper]

Welcome to the club, I'm 56 years old and realized a few years back that I needed to move up to the white tee box, my local golf course gave me a false sense of how far I actually hit the ball due to firm fairways that let the ball run, but, after playing a course we're carrying the ball a long distance was necessary for a good approach shot, I realized just how short I actually drive the ball. Old age and reality suck!

 

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[MaxEntropy]

I'm in a similar boat at 50. When I played a couple weeks ago, the gap between the two middle sets of tees was pretty big, so we chose the longer of the two at about 6700 yards. Combine with the soft, wet conditions and it was a pretty draining round having long irons or hybrids to many greens. We still had a great time and played pretty well, all things considered, but it really illustrated the point to me that I get the most enjoyment if I stick to around 6500 yards max.

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[silver & black]

I'm 59 and I've been playing the white tees for 6 years. I can still play from the blue tees, but I don't feel the need to anymore.

 

edit: I can play from the blues, but I score around 5-6 strokes worse. It's more fun to play when you have approach shots that are no more than 170 - 100  to the green depending on the length of the hole.

[PlaidJacket]

GSWAG got Woke!

First off why were you trying to compete from the same tee with young guys that hit the ball 8 miles? I play with some young guys off  and on but they play the back tee. Not me. At my course I play the White tee which is about 6300 yds. So when those young guys are wearing it out from the tips I'm wearing it out from the white tee. And... we're competitive!! Who cares? The various tee markers are not there due to scoring ability. They're there for distance purposes meaning how far a person hits the ball.

I'm two months shy of 64 and moved up a couple of years ago. Now I play better & score better. Why?... distance!!

[LeftyHawk]

I'm knocking on the door of 60, and I guess I'm just an old grumpy dude. I don't care what tees everybody plays from, My criteria for what tees I play from is par 3 in 1, par 4 in 2 and par 5 in 3 strokes. be it white, yellow or red. The only one I answer to on this is ME, and I know me pretty good and can live with what I decide. If someone wants to give me a hard time because I wont play from the same tees as them, guess I don't need to play with them !!!!

 

Chris

[LeftyHawk]

Another thought on this topic, sometimes during a round I will use different tees based on yardage, a 200 yard par 3, yea, I can reach it with my 3 iron, but it's pretty much a poke and hope. I move up to the reds at around 160 and it becomes a golf shot!

When playing my myself I'm always bouncing between colors of

 

Cuz the tees, based on yardage. After all golf is supposed to be fun....right?

[bens197]

The point is to have fun. What’s so great about dribbling fairway woods into the collar of every short par 4 when you have the option to still hit an iron or hybrid.

I think the game is lost on some who feel the delusion of pairing their game with par. There is nothing wrong with playing an easier set of tees if it gives you that great shot and great shot result feeling more often during a round.


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[Mr. 82]

13 hours ago, PlaidJacket said:

First off why were you trying to compete from the same tee with young guys that hit the ball 8 miles?

A)  It was an FSGA event and I was intrigued by the alternate shot format, which I had never played before.

B)  I was attracted mainly to the course, Grand Cypress New, that I had never played before, and wanted to see what it was like.

Obviously I had no clue I'd be hitting from the longest 6,700 yards ever.  Live and learn I suppose.

[revkev]

Another thought on this topic, sometimes during a round I will use different tees based on yardage, a 200 yard par 3, yea, I can reach it with my 3 iron, but it's pretty much a poke and hope. I move up to the reds at around 160 and it becomes a golf shot!
When playing my myself I'm always bouncing between colors of
 
Cuz the tees, based on yardage. After all golf is supposed to be fun....right?

I’m fully in this camp but I believe GSwag plays in competitive events with handicap. If that’s the case this option is off the table for him.

I keep my events to league ones or at the league or club course where everyone knows me and my handicap committee s consistent with the group.

Other than that we play the course we agree upon as the round proceeds because we want to have fun!


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[chisag]

... Always an interesting topic. I would start by saying most people that play golf cannot reach par 5's in two strokes. As a +indeex at 65 I can probably rich about 25% of par 5's in 2, an on some courses it is 0%. Much like guys on tour that lay up for a 3rd shot on a par 5 while Dustin/Rory/Justin can reach a 600yd par 5 with an iron, the shorter hitters  manage the hole and certainly get their share of birdies. So what young guys hitting the ball 300yds can do should be irrelevant to which tees you play. 

... The key to playing golf is the ability to play the hole the way it was designed to be played. I like to use all the clubs in my bag and challenge myself, so maybe a very difficult 485 yd par 4 into the wind or slightly uphill that allows me to run the ball onto the green or I may not be able to reach in 2 is a good strategic challenge. But more than one unreachable par 4 and I am most likely playing the wrong tees. Greens are designed to be approached with a specific club, for instance a short 295 yd par 4 with deep bunkers and steep fall offs are designed to have a short iron or wedge that you can hit high and land softly. Same with a hole designed to be approached with a mid iron at worst but certainly not a hybrid or wood. If that is the case, time to move up and play the hole the way it was designed. 

... And not only do you have to look at if you can play the hole with the right clubs, you have to consider how well you play overall. If you are a high index player with inconsistent contact producing poor shots even if you have the length to play the hole if you hit every shot perfectly (which of course you don't) hitting a short iron is always easier than hitting a longer iron. So while low index payers may enjoy the challenge, a high index player finding bunkers, water and trees because of inconsistency is not a recipe for fun. 

... Much like my mantra that all golfers should play the most forgiving irons they can effectively play, I think all golfers should play the closest tees they can effectively play. Moving up is always a good idea unless the course plays so easy you are hitting driver wedge on every hole. The bottom line is as amateur golfers, first and foremost we should be having fun when we play, and for different players that can have a different meaning. But I think using the right clubs and playing the right tees is a great place to start.  

[davidy48]

In the Netherlands where I live and play the Dutch Golf Federation has issued guidelines as to which tees are appropriate for different levels of player. Typically we have 5 tees here - white are the back tees ( tips ? ), yellow are for everyday play, blue are a mix of red and yellow, red are what used to be called the ladies tees, and orange are very short for beginners.

They reckon to play from the tips you need to be able to hit it 240 yards plus, yellow a minimum of 210, blue a minimum of 175. Of course most people think they hit it further that they actually do, but I've persuaded my colleagues and many others to play from blue instead of automatically marching to yellow - with much more pleasurable results and more fun generally , which is what we're aiming for right ! Plus it speeds up play...

[Kenny B]

All you 50 and 60-something year old golfers, all I can say is "been there, done that".  At 71 years old I moved up years ago, and depending on the course I might more up further.  

My course only has four sets of tees:  Black 6600, Blue 6100, White 5400, and Red 4700 yards, and the elevation is 400 feet.  I play from 6100, and actually the way the course is set up, playing from 5400 yards doesn't offer me that much advantage on most holes which is why I haven't considered moving up further.  Most of the difference between Blue and White occurs on only 5 holes, and there is very little difference on the par 5's.  

One par 3 from the Blues varies in distance from 180-220 yards, and typically plays into the wind.  I can't reach any par 5 in two shots; depending on the wind, I may not reach two of them in three shots.  Lack of distance is a killer, and it's why I have spent so much time on my short game just to maintain the game I have.

When my wife and I travel, I always look for courses that have tees around 6000 yards.  I did play a course in Albuquerque, NM from 6500 yards with some friends a few years ago, but it's at 6000 feet elevation and firm fairways.  I scored OK, but I would never do it anywhere else.

[Har in the Hat]

I'm getting depressed reading this thread.

[chisag]

19 minutes ago, Har in the Hat said:

I'm getting depressed reading this thread.

... Hang in there Har! I am 65 and still playing 6500-6700 because I work out doing both cardio and lifting weights. Ya can't cheat father time but you can keep him at bay for as long as possible. And the good news is you can play into your 90's even if you have to move up tee boxes and what other sport allows you to play til you cash in your chips? 

[Sluggo42]

Nailed it, as usual, Chisag...

Approaching 63, I’ll still play the blues as some of my friends won’t play whites. But others won’t play blues, so I’ll play whites with them. It obviously is easier to score from up, but it also allows me to use a lot of different clubs by playing different tees randomly. But as soon as I start losing distance, I’ll probably get some new clubs that are more distance friendly, and then eventually move up. For me right now, it’s more about fighting the inevitable process of aging. Right now I still can play the blues so I will, until I physically can’t. I’m hoping to get a few more years in. Another thing is that by being used to playing blues, when you do move up, it almost feels like cheating, but it’s not!

reaching par 5’s in two is possible now and then, but requires two great shots. Often you’re penalized if you miss by getting into an icky trap or something. Laying up is often much more birdie friendly, with a good chip, vs a long sand or rough shot, but I’ll still go for it if I’m within say 200 yds, cuz I’m a glutton.

[Rickp]

OK youngsters I’m with you. At 72 I’ve been playing white tees for around 1.5 years moving from the blue tees. A couple of the guys are even talking about moving up one motto the green tees. I’m staying @ the whites for probably 2-3 more years then make the move. At first I felt a bit guilty but not anymore, it is what it is, I’m an old fart and got to deal with it!


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[JohnSmalls]

2 hours ago, chisag said:

But I think using the right clubs and playing the right tees is a great place to start.  

This whole post should be printed and given to every new golfer.

[GolfSpy Dave]

My usual course added blue/white combo tees this year, and I played them for the first time a few months ago. Drops yardage from 6700 to 6300. No huge difference in scoring, but way more fun to play. I'll definitely be playing these tees this soggy winter. Once fairway roll returns in the spring, we will see about going back to blue.

[Har in the Hat]

1 hour ago, chisag said:

... Hang in there Har! I am 65 and still playing 6500-6700 because I work out doing both cardio and lifting weights. Ya can't cheat father time but you can keep him at bay for as long as possible. And the good news is you can play into your 90's even if you have to move up tee boxes and what other sport allows you to play til you cash in your chips? 

That's what I want to hear. I am also busy with cardio,stretching, and strengthening exercises.  Even though, when I was testing the Ping i500's without a driver and hence moved up to the white tees, that is not where I want to stay. Is that my ego speaking? 

[chisag]

... Dave, you reminded me that as long as you are not posting a score for handicap purposes, you are free to make your own Tee Combo. I have played with groups that play the par 3/5's from the back tees but move up a tee box for all par 4's. And others that just put a limit on distances like 420 or under for par 4's, 525 or under for par 5's and 190 and under for par 3's and they circle the hole before teeing off so they know which tees to play. 

[GolfSpy Dave]

4 minutes ago, Har in the Hat said:

 Is that my ego speaking? 

Ego plays a role in it for me. My foursome members looked at me funny when I said I was playing combo, but they also bomb it 50+ past me off the tee. Hitting 3H when they are hitting short irons is an ego blow as well.

Makes it fun is my new life goal.

The rest is just negative self talk and pride. And Marsellus Wallace taught us about the value of pride.

6 minutes ago, chisag said:

... Dave, you reminded me that as long as you are not posting a score for handicap purposes, you are free to make your own Tee Combo. I have played with groups that play the par 3/5's from the back tees but move up a tee box for all par 4's. And others that just put a limit on distances like 420 or under for par 4's, 525 or under for par 5's and 190 and under for par 3's and they circle the hole before teeing off so they know which tees to play. 

That's a great idea for casual rounds. 

[revkev]

My club actually has three combo tees that are rated (normally - right now we can't post because of the repair work being done to 17).  There is a Gold/Blue, Blue/White (the MGA tees) and Green/White (Senior MGA).  I honestly like to play the White but will move up on a couple of the par 4's and back on a couple of par 3's - it creates greater balance IMO - when you play the straight whites there are 5 par 4's that are over 400 yards long - other than in the winter when the ball runs out it will mean that there are two of them that I can't each in 2 (assuming there's any wind and given that the course is a mile from the Gulf of Mexico there's normally some at least.) 

[Rickp]

That's what I want to hear. I am also busy with cardio,stretching, and strengthening exercises.  Even though, when I was testing the Ping i500's without a driver and hence moved up to the white tees, that is not where I want to stay. Is that my ego speaking? 

Probably


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[Har in the Hat]

3 hours ago, revkev said:

My club actually has three combo tees that are rated (normally - right now we can't post because of the repair work being done to 17).  There is a Gold/Blue, Blue/White (the MGA tees) and Green/White (Senior MGA).  I honestly like to play the White but will move up on a couple of the par 4's and back on a couple of par 3's - it creates greater balance IMO - when you play the straight whites there are 5 par 4's that are over 400 yards long - other than in the winter when the ball runs out it will mean that there are two of them that I can't each in 2 (assuming there's any wind and given that the course is a mile from the Gulf of Mexico there's normally some at least.) 

MGA??

[Kenny B]

4 hours ago, GolfSpy Dave said:

My usual course added blue/white combo tees this year, and I played them for the first time a few months ago. Drops yardage from 6700 to 6300. No huge difference in scoring, but way more fun to play. I'll definitely be playing these tees this soggy winter. Once fairway roll returns in the spring, we will see about going back to blue.

Haggin Oaks?  I liked that course.

[GolfSpy_BNG]

I play a couple 9-hole courses around me and we will normally switch tees for the par 3’s just to create different looks. I have been trying to get my father to move up tees since he only hits it at most 220. He is adamant that he don’t want to play them tees when everybody else is playing back. So when it is just the two of us, I play the forward tees with him trying to get him to realize how much more fun he would have. I am hoping next year it will sink in!

I am a firm believer in playing whatever tees you want and however you want as long as you aren’t posting a score.


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[GolfSpy Dave]

2 hours ago, Kenny B said:

Haggin Oaks?  I liked that course.

Ancil Hoffman GC is the current weekly stroll location.

[cksurfdude]

In the Netherlands where I live and play the Dutch Golf Federation has issued guidelines as to which tees are appropriate for different levels of player. Typically we have 5 tees here - white are the back tees ( tips ? ), yellow are for everyday play, blue are a mix of red and yellow, red are what used to be called the ladies tees, and orange are very short for beginners.
They reckon to play from the tips you need to be able to hit it 240 yards plus, yellow a minimum of 210, blue a minimum of 175. Of course most people think they hit it further that they actually do, but I've persuaded my colleagues and many others to play from blue instead of automatically marching to yellow - with much more pleasurable results and more fun generally , which is what we're aiming for right ! Plus it speeds up play...

We need more of that kind of guidance here in the US .. eg. maybe some sort of signage at the 1st tee box along the lines of.. 'if you *CARRY* your tee shot NNN yards use the (whichever) tee on this course'.

What I'm understanding as a bunch of you guys are saying when golf is fun - is hitting your tee shot into each hole's preferred / designed landing zone.......

[revkev]

MGA??

 

Men’s Golf Association

 

It’s the normal set of tees for guys under 60. The course is 6500 from there. Course rating is 72.7 slope 134. The tips are 7200 course rating of 74.7 slope of 144. You could play a tour event at my club if you set the course up that way, no need to do anything but double cut the greens, grow the rough thicker, bring in the fairways a few yards and convert one of the front nine par 5’s to a long par 4 by using a forward tee.

 

 

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