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Edited June 29, 2020 by Delete
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[Tom the Golf Nut]

Golf Magazine put something out a while back the same as what Timo Te noted.

5 iron distance x 36 = the course yardage you should be playing. 

So for a 180 yard 5 iron you should be playing 6480. Play the tees close to that yardage.

 

[Guest Delete]

On 6/17/2020 at 7:12 PM, Tom the Golf Nut said:

Golf Magazine put something out a while back the same as what Timo Te noted.

5 iron distance x 36 = the course yardage you should be playing. 

So for a 180 yard 5 iron you should be playing 6480. Play the tees close to that yardage.

 

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[RickyBobby_PR]

7 hours ago, TimoTe said:

Exactly, if it is a par 72 that works. 

I play a local 9 hole par 29 often. Par 29-(9 holes x 2 putts) = 11 shots per round. Back tees 1,731 yards ÷ 11 = 157 yard average distance per shot. Forward tees 1412 ÷ 11 = 128 yds/shot. 

I bring this up because I play with an 89 year old duffer who should play the forward tees even at this course but, he plays the back Everytime. Since it is a short course in general it works out but, he ends up with 90% bogeys or worse. 

His driver usually goes about 130 with the occasional 150 yard perfect shot. I'm not trying to change him. I just know he almost never hits a green in reg. 

Does he have fun when he plays? 

[Guest Delete]

On 6/18/2020 at 3:54 AM, RickyBobby_PR said:

Does he have fun when he plays? 

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[edingc]

I don't have much of a choice as my course is older and tops out between 6,200 and 6,300 from the back tees. In reality several of the holes are a combo box, with back and middle tees on the same box and maybe separated by 10 yards or so. A few holes have forward tees significantly in front, and few the forward tees are maybe 20 yards in front. Interesting design.

It's a reasonably comfortable distance for me because driving is a weak spot of my game, and to keep it straight I usually top out around 230-240 on wet, longish fairways. On a lot of holes that still leaves something shorter than a 7-iron into the green. The par 5s are not setup in a way that you can hope to do much better than birdie (one of my frustrations with the course), because you would need to clear water hazards that are placed extremely close to the green. 

I played a very nice course, Pilgrim's Run, in Pierson, Michigan, last fall and our group played the blue/white combo tees, which were a mix of middle and one back from the middle for a total of 6,205 yards. It was very enjoyable. I wish more courses would have rated hybrid boxes like that. (All middle plays 5,737 and all one back from middle plays 6,471.)

There's another course around here that is only 5,900 from the middle tees, but due to wind and long grass all over the place, we almost always play from there and it's a blast. The easier holes are decent chances are birdie, you can still hit driver, and there are still a lot of challenges to navigate around. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

13 minutes ago, TimoTe said:

Oh yes. He has a great attitude

That’s all that matters. If it didn’t affect his attitude playing from longer tees then doesn’t matter if he should play the front tees or not.

I played with an older couple at a course that is hard from the middle tees yet they both played from those tees and didn’t hit a fairway all day and some of the par 3s had to play like a par 4 for them. They didn’t complain all day about missing a fairway or never making par. The guy I was riding with we both thought they should play further up but they were enjoying themselves and we left it at that.

[Guest Delete]

On 6/18/2020 at 7:25 AM, RickyBobby_PR said:

That’s all that matters. If it didn’t affect his attitude playing from longer tees then doesn’t matter if he should play the front tees or not.

I played with an older couple at a course that is hard from the middle tees yet they both played from those tees and didn’t hit a fairway all day and some of the par 3s had to play like a par 4 for them. They didn’t complain all day about missing a fairway or never making par. The guy I was riding with we both thought they should play further up but they were enjoying themselves and we left it at that.

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[DiscipleofPenick]

I prefer to play the longest tees because it allows me to play every club in my bag.  That can be mitigated by course layout of course.

I can play a 6000-6200 yard course and hit lots of different clubs, just leave the driver in the bag. I actually found playing shorter courses once in awhile is a nice change and makes me think about different ways to attack (manage) a course.

 

Take Dead Aim

 

 

 

[crope1]

I think Jack Nicklaus said to multiply how far you hit your 5 iron by 36, and then play the tee that is closest to that yardage. I use that when I play a course I am not familiar with. As an example, for me my 5 iron goes 180. So 180 x 36= 6,480 yards, so I pick the closest to that.

[Hoyoymac]

In our men’s group this question comes up from time to time.  We’ve tried to get away from an arbitrary age or handicap/skill level equation. The consensus is it doesn’t really matter what tees you hit from as long as that is where your handicap is established from.  If you play from a tee box other than where your handicap is established then an adjustment is made depending on whether you’re moving up or back.

Our pro has encouraged everyone to enjoy the game and believes that people will have more fun if they can reach the greens in regulation, dependent of course on hitting good shots, and not consider it an age thing but more of an ability test.  If you can’t reach the 150 yard marker from the tee then you should consider moving up a set of tees.  If you are inside of the 100 yard marker from the tee then you should consider moving back a set.  This also helps figure out where to play on unfamiliar courses.  

Course design and location can make a big difference in tee selection as well.  On my home course there is a subtle rise in many of the  fairways that causes tee shots from the blue or black tees to hit into the backside of the hill reducing roll out and causing the course to play longer than the stated yardage.  The same player from the white or gold tees will find their tee shot land on the backside of the rise and get a big kick forward adding to the roll out causing the course to player shorter.  Our course also has forced carries over water or marsh on three of the par 3s.  As you move back the carry distance increases substantially and leads to many more lost balls and penalties for errant shots.  

Since we are at sea level with a fair amount of humidity, carry distances are lower than in an arid climate at higher elevation.  In Arizona where my Mother lives, when I play there I have to move back at least a set of tees or take 1 to 2 clubs less on every shot compared to home.

Yesterday I played 18 with my friends and we played from the back tees.  Afterwards my wife wanted to play 9 and so I played from the forward tees with her and never took the driver out of the bag, teeing off with irons or hybrids to try and match my normal landing areas.

Sometimes I’ll play up a set of tees with my Father in law and I find that if you don’t adjust club selection off the tee, then trouble off the tee comes into play more often.  

While hitting the ball a long way is an advantage, regardless of which tees you use, most of the shots are still within 100 yards and on the green. If you can’t chip and putt you’ll still struggle to score well.  

[RickyBobby_PR]

2 hours ago, Hoyoymac said:

 

In our men’s group this question comes up from time to time.  We’ve tried to get away from an arbitrary age or handicap/skill level equation. The consensus is it doesn’t really matter what tees you hit from as long as that is where your handicap is established from.  If you play from a tee box other than where your handicap is established then an adjustment is made depending on whether you’re moving up or back.

 

This is all part of the new handicap system and was in the previous system although a little more complicated then

[Hoyoymac]

The new Handicap system has made a dramatic impact on course handicaps in our area.  At my home course with an 8 GHIN Index the course handicap from the tees that I regularly play used to be a 10.  Now with the changes, the new course handicap from the same tees with the same 8 index is a 5.  From the forward tees, the adjustment is even larger.

In my opinion, a person’s handicap index and the course handicap calculator is not a particularly good indicator of which tees someone should be playing.

[JDHolmes]

5800 - 6300 because thats my tournament senior playing distance. If im yhe only senior in the group, ill usually move back to the whites because thats what most people think they should play. However, almost all should be playing the gold senior tees because they are poor golfers.

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[dlow206]

Once my driver swing started to get better, I moved from the White tees to the Blue tees at my club (6000 to 6500). I just made the switch recently. Got confidence by playing with some older guys that wanted to play from blues and then I outdrove them on many holes except when I hit OB.

[Letthebigdogshunt]

When I played well I would play from the men's tees usually around 6400, played with my BIL and he played from the back tees 6800 yards once. It was different and I played well shot 82, but I did not feel comfortable at that length course. These days if I go to a course I have not play before I look at the length of the par 4s and that usually gives me an idea of which tees to play. Usually around 6000 yards. I am and old fogey and have a hard time getting it out to 200 yards these days. 

[chisag]

... The answer is play the distance that allows you to play the course they way it was designed to be played. Here are 2 examples:

#2 is a short 369/339/315 and a 90* dogleg left guarded by 2 bunkers at the corner. A very shallow but long green, so you can miss left or right but not long because the green slopes from back to front and the rough behind the green makes it a very tight chip to get close. The front is guarded by a very deep bunker with heather surrounding it. Your tee shot needs to be past the bunkers so you have a good look at the green and most importantly the shallow green is designed for a short iron approach. From 339 I hit an iron just past the bunkers or even a little short leaving me a 9i-pw approach. I play with golfers that can't reach that distance with a driver consistently and have to hit a long iron or hybrid. Even iff they reach the green, they have no chance of stopping the ball on the green. The hole is not designed to be played with a long iron/hybrid and moving up to 315 will allow them to play the hole with the appropriate club.

#7 is a long 448/431/407 and after a level tee shot to around 200 yds off the tee, the hole slopes uphill and usually into the wind. It is not unreasonable to be hitting a 3 wood for a 2nd shot into the wind or as little as a 7 iron with the wind. Designed to accommodate a long iron/hybrid or fairway wood, the hole has 2 bunkers on the left ( a better players miss) and a grass bunker on the right (a higher index miss) but most importantly the green is both long front to back and wide and the front is open allowing a run up shot with a fairway wood. And even coming up short, the open front allows bump and runs without having to fly a deep bunker and stop the ball. But with no wind, if you can't reach the green with 2 good, not great shots you are playing the wrong tees. 

... Just 2 examples of being able to play a hole the way it was designed, and if you don't have the distance for the correct approach shot, moving up a tee box will make it a better hole for your ability.  

[Letthebigdogshunt]

When you get near 80 years old there is not a tee box you can move up to other than the Ladies and my wife plays there and in order to let us play fairly against each other I can not go to the Ladies tees. 

[Guest Delete]

On 6/21/2020 at 11:29 AM, Letthebigdogshunt said:

When you get near 80 years old there is not a tee box you can move up to other than the Ladies and my wife plays there and in order to let us play fairly against each other I can not go to the Ladies tees. 

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[TBT]

I look at total yardage first, then I look at par 3’s and par 4’s.

To me it’s not fun to have to hit a hybrid or Fairway wood into a par 3 or multiple par 4’s.

I’ve played courses with friends where I’m hitting 5 iron or longer into every par 4 and that’s just not fun.

Find a distance where you’re comfortable and can hit various clubs into par 4’s and par 3’s....you don’t want all wedges either.


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[tony@CIC]

On a course I'm unfamiliar with I'll pick a tee between 5700 and 6000 yds. I'd like it to be challenging but not frustrating. I also like courses that use combo tees and play those. For instance at our club the gold's = 5700 yds and whites = 6300 yds. The combo tee using both of those boxes = 6000 yds.


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[Kenny B]

7 hours ago, TimoTe said:

I am not a fan of calling them ladies tees because it can be derogatory. I try to encourage women to play as much as I can. Part of that is referring to the closest tees as the forward tees. 

I also try not to comment on others shots as hitting like a girl or you hit like Sally. 

These comments discourage women from playing with men too often. 

Back to your comment, it makes sense that you would play at least one tee box back from your wife if, and only if, you hit the ball longer than she does. 

When guys get old like me, we can just move up to the next tee box, then up again until we reach the forward tees.  But my wife plays from the forward tees, and asks where does she get to move to?  I told her that she can put a tee in the ground wherever she wants.

[GolfSpy_SHARK]

I aim for the 6800-7000 range. Certain courses can play the tips but others I would get eaten alive at. All depends on the course but I typically base any new course of total yardage if I am not familiar. 

[GolfSpy_SHARK]

13 hours ago, Kenny B said:

When guys get old like me, we can just move up to the next tee box, then up again until we reach the forward tees.  But my wife plays from the forward tees, and asks where does she get to move to?  I told her that she can put a tee in the ground wherever she wants.

Did she slap you? If my wife golfed she would of for that remark 

[Kenny B]

5 hours ago, Lacassem said:

Did she slap you? If my wife golfed she would of for that remark 

No.  My wife occasionally plays from the White tees, but does much better from the Forward Red tees.  Men can move up a tee box whenever they choose because their handicaps keep going up as they age.  Women playing from the Forward tees can't move up, so their handicaps just keep going up and up.  I think it's one reason I see a lot old (older then me) guys out playing, but I see very few older women.  There are several ladies in our club's league that can't get to greens in regulation.  Some have 40-50 handicaps.  I know for me that at some point, it will cease to be fun to take an excessive number of strokes to get to the green.  I don't know what that number is, but someday I'll know when I reach it.  

Personally, I think many courses would benefit from a set of tees further up from the Forward tees for kids and players like the Havacamps.  

[GolfSpy_SHARK]

6 minutes ago, Kenny B said:

No.  My wife occasionally plays from the White tees, but does much better from the Forward Red tees.  Men can move up a tee box whenever they choose because their handicaps keep going up as they age.  Women playing from the Forward tees can't move up, so their handicaps just keep going up and up.  I think it's one reason I see a lot old (older then me) guys out playing, but I see very few older women.  There are several ladies in our club's league that can't get to greens in regulation.  Some have 40-50 handicaps.  I know for me that at some point, it will cease to be fun to take an excessive number of strokes to get to the green.  I don't know what that number is, but someday I'll know when I reach it.  

Personally, I think many courses would benefit from a set of tees further up from the Forward tees for kids and players like the Havacamps.  

I think courses could seriously benefit from creating a more forward tee and allowing kids to play as well as whomever but designed for the kiddos. There are not enough courses I can bring my son to where he can get a good fun round in while I can do the same with a somehwhat challenging course. Few par 3's around but not in great shape. I would much rather be able to go to a few of my favorite courses in the area and be able to play my normal tees and drive up to let my son tee of from 100-200 range per hole.. I think youre on to something there.

[StrawberryShortCake]

2 minutes ago, Lacassem said:

I think courses could seriously benefit from creating a more forward tee and allowing kids to play as well as whomever but designed for the kiddos. There are not enough courses I can bring my son to where he can get a good fun round in while I can do the same with a somehwhat challenging course. Few par 3's around but not in great shape. I would much rather be able to go to a few of my favorite courses in the area and be able to play my normal tees and drive up to let my son tee of from 100-200 range per hole.. I think youre on to something there.

One of my local courses has Jr.s tees they are not quite the same as the regular tees but they do move them around.  They have tee blocks that they put onto the fairway. Usually around the 150 and in mark. The first time I played I didn't know what they were, and my partner told me the were Jr. Tees and I thought it was a great idea. They move around all over the fairway and you can move them if your ball lands too close to make a swing. Just put them back when your done they have 2 spikes in the bottom that stick them into the ground. I would love to see more of these around my area because my kids cant hit it very far and we usually drop a ball when my first shot lands for their first shot.

[GolfSpy_SHARK]

Just now, StrawberryShortCake said:

One of my local courses has Jr.s tees they are not quite the same as the regular tees but they do move them around.  They have tee blocks that they put onto the fairway. Usually around the 150 and in mark. The first time I played I didn't know what they were, and my partner told me the were Jr. Tees and I thought it was a great idea. They move around all over the fairway and you can move them if your ball lands too close to make a swing. Just put them back when your done they have 2 spikes in the bottom that stick them into the ground. I would love to see more of these around my area because my kids cant hit it very far and we usually drop a ball when my first shot lands for their first shot.

Yea I need some of those courses here. My son is 7, loves the game but we can really work out stuff in the yard and hit the range. Not to many courses he is able to play. There was one in town where I learned to play but that sold about 15 years ago and is houses now.

I would probably play 4x a week if I could bring him onto a course. He is right around the 100 yard mark right now on his good shots maybe a little more so 150 would be absolutely perfect for him. I have brought him a few times and we just toss a couple balls in the fairway and he hits, but the SOB's actually charge me full price for a round, couldnt believe it.

[Kenny B]

4 minutes ago, StrawberryShortCake said:

One of my local courses has Jr.s tees they are not quite the same as the regular tees but they do move them around.  They have tee blocks that they put onto the fairway. Usually around the 150 and in mark. The first time I played I didn't know what they were, and my partner told me the were Jr. Tees and I thought it was a great idea. They move around all over the fairway and you can move them if your ball lands too close to make a swing. Just put them back when your done they have 2 spikes in the bottom that stick them into the ground. I would love to see more of these around my area because my kids cant hit it very far and we usually drop a ball when my first shot lands for their first shot.

One public course in my area has what they call "Family tees" that are Turquoise in color.  The course is located in a relatively new development and a lot of people playing there live in the area.

[Guest Delete]

On 6/22/2020 at 4:51 PM, Lacassem said:

I think courses could seriously benefit from creating a more forward tee and allowing kids to play as well as whomever but designed for the kiddos. There are not enough courses I can bring my son to where he can get a good fun round in while I can do the same with a somehwhat challenging course. Few par 3's around but not in great shape. I would much rather be able to go to a few of my favorite courses in the area and be able to play my normal tees and drive up to let my son tee of from 100-200 range per hole.. I think youre on to something there.

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Edited June 29, 2020 by Delete
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