Where you should play from!

[ButchE]

I play mainly competition golf, where your age determines tees. 50-60: blue, 60-70: white, 70-80: gold, over 80: red. your handicap is determined from these tees. having to tee up against guys 10 years my younger, makes it a mental issue as well as physical.

[jolter1]

I just turned 70 this year and depending on the course I will play either the white (max 6500 yards) or senior tees. I know I can score better from the seniors, but I am still competitive. from a bit further back. I do agree though, unless you are still entering tournaments, play from where you have fun. 

[TJ1975]

I play with a group of 9-10 guys every Saturday. Ages 40-57. None of us are going to qualify for the US Open. We play for fun and a couple of dollars. Five of the guys were getting frustrated and a few stopped showing up. I talked to them about playing the gold tees and talked them into a money game (just a trick). Some of us had to play tips, some white, and some gold. 4 of the previously mentioned frustrated golfers participated and I had them play the gold tees. They had a blast and continue to play from the “up” tees.  Take ego out of the equation. It puts too much stress on you mentally and physically to have to hit two perfect shots to reach every par four. I’m a 2 hdp and I would not have much fun or success hitting woods on every second shot. It’s a game. Have fun. The only guys that get eye rolls where I play are the guys playing the tips that can’t break 90. 

[Esg777]

I'll play from any where from 6300-6800 yards.  My average drive is 250 yards and just played a very hard course at 6700 yards and handle it no problem.   With that said play from where you are comfortable and are not holding up pace play 

[DisVet1]

I play from whites, or closer ‘Military’ tips in our Veteran group play, whatever the others prefer. When pain isn’t excruciating, I maintain pace, as focus isn’t all over the place no matter where we play from. Just so nice to be able to do something to stay active these days considering….

[ForwardTee40]

OK, lots of good stuff on this thread. I am 83, played golf on and off since I was 11. Good athlete all my life in several sports (no brag, just fact). In late teens and early 20s I hit drives with persimmon woods over 300--now, with all this jacked up equipment am lucky to get 170. Soooo, to have any fun at all at this wonderful game I have determined that I will not play a par 3 over 175, a par 4 over 350, or a par 5 over 450. I adjust the tees if I have to, but usually play "forward" tees and shoot my age more often than not. Who wants to be macho at my age?  And I have fun.

[Bill Lemke]

13 hours ago, Brooky03 said:

To the pace of play point that's often made, I don't think tees are the big issue.  It's the, 'search the woods for 5 minutes, find ball, get rangefinder, triple check it, take 3 practice swings, duff, repeat' that seems to slow play down, in my experience.

 Brooke03 you are spot on! Especially ready golf! I also agree that carts actually help create terrible pace of play!

[B_R_A_D_Y]

NOT FAIR? Slightly different take on which tees to play: AGE v ABILITY     
We had an extremely animated discussion on this very topic after our men’s league last week … our course has black, blue, blue/white hybrids, white, red, & gold tees. Our discussion that night debated blue v hybrid v white … blue=69.2/126/6000yds. Hybrids=67.1/118/5539yds. And white=66.3/116/5324yds. The white tees are for 60+, but hybrid can be played by anyone, which means that on some holes ur hitting from blues & some from white. So for example: the complaint from guys playing blues, is that the #2 par five hole, plays like a par 4 form the white tees, and often that is where the hybrid tee is located. Guys playing blues can reach #2 hitting driver/3 wood and I can reach it hitting driver/4 hyb. Another ex: on #7, the blue tees hit driver / 6 iron while white tees can be hitting driver / gap. So I’m 65 and very often hear complaints that the white tees are too easy for me. That’s what the hybrids were supposed to fix. The problem for me is that there are 3-4 holes that are too long for me from blues … I can’t hit it as far as the younger guys. Our conversation went round in circles with no definite answer (typical, right?) because it boils down to the course is rated from certain tee locations and therefore tee box boundaries are pretty much set in stone. So if I play hybrids, I get 1 more stroke, but the added distance on those few holes adds 2-3 strokes to my game. It’s not worth it to me. Ya know, I’d love to be alive in 20 yrs to hear their opinion when they hit their 60s. 

[Q22Golf]

I agree with many here - play from where you have fun! I think the latest trend to update tees to be based on handicap is smart! Shoot, it is fun to even play from the front tees sometimes

[RuttyB]

I try to play where I am most comfortable. The 5 iron times 36 actually works out to the tees I’m playing now. Driver then 3-5 wood into par 4s is definitely no fun

[Bcorny]

I typically play from the white tees.  Not too long and not too short.  Play from the tees that bring the most enjoyment of the game.

[jhajduk]

Going by the 5 iron x 36 formula, that puts me at 6100-6300 yds. (5 iron is my 170-175 club) My home course is on the NC coast, and has 6 sets of tees, have played 4 of them:

Black (6850): Miserable. 3w/5w/4h into all the par 3s (175-215) and all but 3 of the par 4s.  3 of the par 5s required a mid iron 3rd shot.

Green (6400): Nice challenge most of the time.  A little too much on a cold windy day, or if we've had a lot of rain.  Can't reach the par 5s in 2, but have 9i / wedges in.  Par 3s play 160-190. Par 4s require every club in the bag.

Blue (6000): Fun. Par 3s play 125-175.  Can hit a few irons/fairway woods off the tees on par 4s to play for position instead of whaling away at driver every hole.  A big drive on any of the 5 par 5s give you at least a chance to go for it in 2.  A good round means all 14 clubs get used strategically.

White (5500): These are our "senior" tees.  A little too short for me.  May use driver on the par 5s and 2 of the par 4s.  Lots of SW/LW.  I could probably take driver, 4h, PW, SW, and a putter, and I wouldn't miss the other 9 clubs.

Long story short:  Find the tees that are the most fun for you and your friends.  That's what brings you back each week!

Edited July 10, 2023 by jhajduk

[Mr_BogeyPro]

A lot of the courses in my area have only 4 tees; Senior's, Ladies, White's, and Tips.

My home course has a middle tee, Silver, that is 50 yards longer (more on some holes) than white's, but not quite tips. If we were to play whites, many of the holes are too short (such as a 98 yard par 3). 

Play what tees gives you a challenge, but doesn't hold up the course. 

[Mike B]

I have to agree with many posters on this thread, it is not the tee that creates slow play. It is the player that has to go through some kind of rigamaroll he was taught when he was a kid. Just go to your ball get the club in your hand and hit it. Thanks now walk up or ride and hit it again.

[notuserone]

A lot to be said for ready golf  yes play with respect but while waiting for others to hit figure you attack so your ready when your turn 

[Markjr100]

My pops always told me that whites were for 10 handicap and up, 5-10 play blues and 5 and under play tips. 

always worked for me.

 

P.S. I wish the COVID golfers would take the time to learn the etiquette part of the game. 

[Preeway]

I would generally agree with the 5-iron x36 principle. However, it isn’t that simple either. That math says I should be playing tees at 7,000 yards. While I enjoy the occasional challenge playing at that length, I usually try to play around 6500-6800. As a 5 handicap, I find courses they play around 6200 a little boring or lacking the challenge I like. So ultimately, I’d say you should use several factors when deciding where to play. First and foremost, what brings the most enjoyment when playing? Is it having a lot of short shots into greens or the challenge off the tee? How often will trouble come into play from different tees and does that matter to you? Ultimately, play the course you want it to play. Another gauge is to loom at the par 3s on the course and figure out which tee will set up the par 3s best for you and play the whole course from there. As long the game stays fun you are doing it right. 

[Kurazawa]

I play with a group 3 days a week.  All tee off from the member tees or gold.  If your 70 and older you can tee off from the reds.  If 80+ and struggling, to maker the game fun again we vote to allow to tee off from the 200 yard out except par 3's, tee from reds.  We all have prongs, so it keeps it competive.

[Billy-Bo-Jim-Bob]

For the enjoyment of the game, players need to have a realistic chance at making par. Thus a player needs to have a realistic chance to achieve GIR's. If a player can not achieve GIR's on 100% of holes with a mid (6-8) to short iron (9-W), its time to move up. Check the ego and make more pars = more fun!

[mrmatt2you]

I would play the tees that gives you the best opportunity to make birdies.  I go out looking to have fun, not get kicked in the groin over and over again to say I played X tees and did not enjoy it.   I would rather be putting for birdies and pars than scrambling for bogeys and doubles.   

[OldGuyGolf]

21 hours ago, Collar said:

The biggest issue facing “pace of play” is too many people playing from tees they have no business playing from. When will people learn that it’s based on skill and not age.

 

[DBezeau]

Play from where you can reach the green on par 3s, reach par 4s reasonably in two (not driver/ 3 wood) and par 5s with your third shot being inside 100 yards after 2 decent shots. That should be fun for you and not hold up place. 

[Willie L]

For me it is pretty simple.  I hit my short irons fairly well and my long irons pretty poorly.  If I'm feeling good, i.e. the long irons are going well, I play from further back.  If I need a confidence boost, I play from closer up.  And I know what my problem is.  When I swing too hard my game suffers.  I need to have confidence to take a good normal controlled swing for my long irons to go further.  I generally defer to the group, but will hit from where I want to if I lack confidence (further up) or feel good (further back).

[CaptStang]

My group is comprised of retired golfers with high single or low double digit handicaps. Most still hit the ball well and in play. When traveling to a new course (or at our regular courses), we choose the tees that average 6,000-6,200 yards...that works for us and we complete 18 holes in around 3 hours.

[OldGuyGolf]

I am 74 with with a 6.5 Hdcp and played Senior tees up until a little over a year ago. I started to lose distance again and was doing the Driver - 3 Wood routine on Par 4’s and getting very frustrated. I went on the USGA Site and Super Seniors can play the most forward tees ! I moved up and now hitting from 7-Wedge on all holes with a 6 Iron here and there on missed drives. Golf is fun again ! My Hdcp is down to 6.5 and on a good day I shoot my age !

[OldGuyGolf]

9 minutes ago, OldGuyGolf said:

 

Totally agree !

[trike11]

Agree with everyone who says, whatever makes you keep it fun which probably means your pace will be just fine.

[Willie T]

Well I was going to say “play it as it lies”, but as we are talking tee boxes, as a slightly older (64 this year, newer golfer - started playing in ‘17 after a motorcycle wreck that took all the toes on the left foot, still have most of my foot) I tend to play up one tee from the member tees. This puts me playing around 5,500 to 5,800 yds.  Most par 4’s are driver or fairway w/ 7i or shorter in.  When I feel like mixing it up, I play rotating tees - back tees on 1, then move up a tee box on the next hole until I have cycled through all the colors. Then I start over and keep that rotation until the round is over.  There are other variants I play, but you get the picture.  These are done when I am solo. In a group setting I tend to stay in the aforementioned yardages.  Nice pace of play and allows me to mix it up a little. 

[GilB]

I hit 72 last year and playing from the whites. I finally left my ego in the car and moved up to the yellow tee markers and the game has become a lot more fun. Driver and iron on the par 4's and irons/hybrid on par 3's is now the norm. We all get older, and shorter so be honest with yourself and have fun with the greatest game ever invented.

[Bobby C]

I'm 75 with a 12.6 index.  If I use the 5 iron x 36 rule I get 5,400 yds.  I play from the 5,600 yd tees at my course and I think they are perfect for me, they are the forward / white combo tees.  I thought that before I saw the 5 iron recommendation.  Play where you have the most fun.  The other recommendation I've heard is that from most holes on a par 4 you should drive at least to the 150 marker.