Breaking 80? Blues or Whites

[jclark3]

Accomplishing a goal is awesome regardless of the tees (as long as they're mens). I can say that on quite a few courses I've actually played worse from the shorter tees. I agree that on certain courses it makes a big difference, but to me people should play the tees that they feel comfortable with based on their length.
It kills me sometimes to see guys playing in our low balls from the tips and then hitting a hybrid into every hole. To me that would be no fun.

[HoffTTM]

Not too sure, I shoot around 78-84 most days, carry a driver 230 and like to play a course between 6300 and 6600, anything over 6800 becomes a slog quickly with my yardages.

My club is 5850 off the normal mens tees and 6300 (par 70 with 6 par 3s ie. plays longer than the card) off the competition tips and I play both sets fairly frequently depending on the competition or company.


Going back to the original question: of course it matters, on my course the back set is at least 2.5 shots harder than the casual set. Still a good accomplishment and keep working at it.

[isaacbm]

Breaking any personal milestone from any tees is an accomplishment.

Having said that though, the OP (or anyone on here) simply needs to ask THEMSELVES: Would I feel the same if I shot that score from the Reds? Tips? I don't think anyone can honestly say that they would feel the same.

[WouldRatherBePlaying]

It only matters if you're making unqualified brags outside of your playing group(s).
I'm happy for anyone reaching new goals (they're more apt to pick up the post round tab!)

[baconkier]

I have to pipe in. I played Pacific Dunes last month (brag), shot a 93 (WORST BRAG ON WRX EVER), enjoyed the heck out of the round, and measured myself against the other players in the group (a senior man and a woman and my buddy who is just learning and bought the round for him and I as a Christmas gift). How did I do it? When the starter asked what tees we wanted to play, I said I will play what everyone else is playing. I don't remember what color they were, but they were the third tees from the back. If you want to determine how you are against other players, post scores for handicap and compete. If not, enjoy the game.

[natedd]

[quote name='isaacbm' timestamp='1424023401' post='10957857']
Breaking any personal milestone from any tees is an accomplishment.

Having said that though, the OP (or anyone on here) simply needs to ask THEMSELVES: Would I feel the same if I shot that score from the Reds? Tips? I don't think anyone can honestly say that they would feel the same.
[/quote]

I would be thrilled to break 80 from the reds at one of my usual courses.

Of course they go 7754 yards, 78.1, 142...

[No_1]

Combine the comments of DavePelz4 & BMC and, IMHO, we have the best answer.

Golf is you vs. the course. Once you have the "you" in the equation under control, take on the course. Stay at the shorter distance until you level out, be it at +8, +3 or par. Try the longer tee occasionally to see if you and your game are ready for them.

[Bear Trader]

It has to be from the tips - everything down to hcp has to be from the tips

[Bigrome26]

I don't believe it matters at all what tee boxes you play from when breaking eighty. I normally play from the tips and struggle more when playing from other tees just because it brings so many more variables in to play. I have actually played from the women's tees a few times just to use clubs I normally wouldn't use when playing from other tees and shot my worst rounds in doing so. Played from the white tees yesterday and shot a 76 (best round of 2015 thus far). My only objection is playing from tees you really should not be playing from as I have been caught behind groups who had zero business playing so far back, but it is what it is.

[sigmapete1]

Breaking a scoring plateau is a personal thing so it doesn't really "count" no matter where it's from. What "counts" when measuring golf ability is the score differential for that round and, ultimately, your handicap.

That being said, breaking a scoring plateau is a really cool and exciting personal achievement in golf and don't let anyone tell you otherwise, especially your first foray into the 70s. Congrats.

[DeNinny]

[quote name='GolfinPastor' timestamp='1420824291' post='10716137']
When breaking 80 for the first time, does it matter which tees you hit from? If you break it from the 80's, is it less an accomplishment until you can do it from the blues?
[/quote]
To me it is clear that it matters because I have done it about 10 times from the whites at my home course and zero time from the blues. I think I have only shot as low as an 81 from the blues.

It is less of an accomplishment in my personal world but I could care less about where somebody else breaks 80. It is a great score no matter what.

[IamMarkMac]

I've always wondered: what difference does it make if you shoot below 80 from the whites or the blues?

To shoot 80 from either means 1) you have a grooved, repeatable swing; 2) you know how to course manage 3) you're a more than decent putter. If you're a sub-80s hitter from the whites, you should be able to do it from the blues (am I wrong?).

I thought that it might mean that you're longer if you play blue versus white but I've seen more than a few short hitters break 80 from even the tips.

The only case I think it may make a difference is if you're a golfer for whom shooting below 80 is a fluke. That being the case, sure, it's easier to hit a fluke 80 from the whites than the blues, I suppose.

But then again, if I only broke 80 because I completely lucked out, I wouldn't be bragging about it.

[twixster888]

[quote name='ratspros' timestamp='1421092830' post='10733695']
If you've never broken 80 before why are you playing the blue tees?
[/quote]

brilliant!

[Munski]

congrats on breaking 80! its a damn good feeling. I personally think it matters a lot. There's a huge difference in distance from all colored tees. All in all you played a great round.

[mantan]

I don't get all the talk about blue and white tees. Many of the courses I play have 5 tee box options and the blues range from 'the tips' to the middle set of tees. For the majority casual golfers out there, slope is a lot better indicator of course difficulty and which tee to play than a simple color or yardage. Yet so many people act like the 'blues' on one course are the same as the 'blues' on any course, when the 134 slope/6600 yard course can play MUCH differently than a 123 slope/6400 yard course. Then things like course familiarity add a whole new variable. I have a buddy who can break 80 at his club....but knows how every nook, cranny and green like the back of his hand. Take him out to another course and suddenly he's 4-6 shots worse.

Pick the right tee box for your game, enjoy your round and shoot the best score you can.

[trapdad]

Some of the best rounds at our club are when we have Red Tee days.... Lots of birdie opportunities and even a couple outside shots at eagles.... Me and my son are doing it more often now fun lixing it up and pulling differnet clubs out of the bag is always a nice change..

[Swashbuckler]

Honestly, I only play the tips. But anyone that says it matters what tees you played it down and scored in the 70's... has never been there before.
It doesnt matter, its your achievement. Enjoy.

[martinbns]

So my take is tee colour is irrelevant, as is overall course length to a degree.

I played a 6500 yard par 71 slope rating (blue tee )124 course for 4 season on the Prairie when I lived in Alberta, course was firm, flat and windy, had to be able to control your ballflight to score, distance mattered as well, but controlling your ball flight in the wind mattered most. I usually had 3-4 rounds a year in the 70's. Index when I left was 8.5 or so.

I moved east to New Brunswick, 30 kilometres from the Gulf of the St Lawrence, started playing a relatively highend 6100 yard par 72 with a slope rating from the white tees of 133. (Blue 6400 slope 139, black 6900 slope 142) The fairways have lots of contour, play soft almost to the extreme, it is very moist where we live, common in July to see a driver pop up when it hits the ground a me a few feet from where it lands. Greens far larger, better, faster but with way more contour, deep bunkering, very lush thick rough pretty much all year round.

Took me 60 rounds to break 80 from the whites, had three last year, index initially went up as high as 10.5 or so, now back where it was out west, but on a shorter but far more difficult course that plays longer than the yardage.

Breaking 80 at Fox Creek in Dieppe, NB is a far greater accomplishment from the white tees than at the Leduc Golf club from the blues ever was, at least for me.

[the FLATSTICK]

Lets all be honest the only holes the tips really matter on are par 3s because on the tips most par 3s go from an 8 iron to making you hit a 6 iron. For par 4s and 5s tips usually only add about an average of 10 yds, ooooohh wow you play the tips so impressive...its only impressive because of the par 3s and anyone that wants to tell you different just wants to blow smoke up their a**

[Creedo77]

[quote name='the FLATSTICK' timestamp='1426644642' post='11163927']
Lets all be honest [b]the only holes the tips really matter on are par 3s [/b]because on the tips most par 3s go from an 8 iron to making you hit a 6 iron. For par 4s and 5s tips usually only add about an average of 10 yds, ooooohh wow you play the tips so impressive...its only impressive because of the par 3s and anyone that wants to tell you different just wants to blow smoke up their a**
[/quote]

Not sure what kind of courses you play but this makes no sense......



The tips from my home course are 7100 yards....compared that to the blues its 6700, white are 6300. There are plenty of elevation changes so if you cant drive the golf ball long and accurate you'll struggle to break 90 as a mid to high handicapper.


In reference to the par 3s the course plays them from 188, 240, 170, 218, and 203

The key to playing the tips well is all about distance control off the tee and being able to hit long irons well (which a lot of amateurs struggle to do).

[the FLATSTICK]

I play the tips and it dont make a difference. Tips just allow me to hit full irons instead of 3/4 knockdown shots im not comfortable with. People on here are the worst to ask advice on when it comes to distance things because they can bomb it 320 on the average and the only reason they arent on tour is because they are all huge liars that want to inflate their egos. You break 80 doesnt matter what tees its an accomplishment. I dont know why i keep coming back to the boards here i always get so angry with these wannabe tour pros that will never be. Worst trolls on the internet are on golf wrx not youtube

[ZacR88]

Does not matter, I've done it on white, blues, blacks, etc. Either way I had to play good golf that day. All felt the same.

[ZacR88]

[quote name='the FLATSTICK' timestamp='1426644642' post='11163927']
Lets all be honest the only holes the tips really matter on are par 3s because on the tips most par 3s go from an 8 iron to making you hit a 6 iron. For par 4s and 5s tips usually only add about an average of 10 yds, ooooohh wow you play the tips so impressive...its only impressive because of the par 3s and anyone that wants to tell you different just wants to blow smoke up their a**
[/quote]


Uhhh what are you talking about? Playing the tips going to make a big difference, depending on the course you could be hitting 4 or 5 irons , even hyrbids on your second shot on par 4s. When playing up further your hitting 8 and 9 iron instead. I don't know about you but that's going to make it harder.

[PooN]

80 is just a number

[PooN]

Oops... meant to add a bunch to that last post but somehow posted it. I liked how it looked all alone as a statement so I left it.

But really, 80 is just a number. Sometimes you shoot more, sometimes you shoot less. It is a nice gauge to use the 40 mark on each nine... If you add everything up on the front and start your tally with a 3 you know you're doing some stuff correct that day.

It really all depends on GIR or scrambling. If you can't hit any greens on approach with a wedge through 5 iron, you better have some serious scrambling ability. If your GIR is on that day but you can't make a putt fall in the hole you'll probably shoot above 80. Pure and simple.

(I use GIR and scrambling as the main points of focus because if you are at the level of breaking 80, your tee ball is probably more under control than not, so just keeping the ball in play lends itself to that not being one of the most important factors)

All that being said, breaking 80 from any teebox is a happy day at my level.

[Pepperturbo]

[quote name='Creedo77' timestamp='1426646484' post='11164101']
[quote name='the FLATSTICK' timestamp='1426644642' post='11163927']
Lets all be honest [b]the only holes the tips really matter on are par 3s [/b]because on the tips most par 3s go from an 8 iron to making you hit a 6 iron. For par 4s and 5s tips usually only add about an average of 10 yds, ooooohh wow you play the tips so impressive...its only impressive because of the par 3s and anyone that wants to tell you different just wants to blow smoke up their a**
[/quote]

Not sure what kind of courses you play but this makes no sense......



The tips from my home course are 7100 yards....compared that to the blues its 6700, white are 6300. There are plenty of elevation changes so if you cant drive the golf ball long and accurate you'll struggle to break 90 as a mid to high handicapper.


In reference to the par 3s the course plays them from 188, 240, 170, 218, and 203

The key to playing the tips well is all about distance control off the tee and being able to hit long irons well (which a lot of amateurs struggle to do).
[/quote]

I agree [b]@Creedo77[/b]. The long courses I still play have 420-460yd Par 4's, Par 5's over 575 with some over 600yd, and Par 3's are 160-215 range. Given my travels, its safe to say there's way more 10yds between tee boxes too. The only time I see 10-15yd difference between blue and back tee's are when back tee's are less than 6600yds.

[robrey85]

I don't think it matters. You still showed that you played well on the course staying out of trouble, putting, GIR, FIR, and what you should be doing when you play golf.

I shot a 67 on an executive course that Par is at 58 this past weekend and I was stoked! Mainly at all the up and downs I managed to get throughout the round. It didn't matter to me that the tees I played from was like 3545, lol.

[BobbyDPlaysGolf]

newsflash! golf is an individual sport, people twist it each and every way to make it seem like they are competing with other people, but in reality, the only thing you are competing against is the course. If you break 80 for the first time you should be proud, it means you have dedicated yourself enough to get to a certain score. I know plenty of guys that will freak out when they do it and I could care less what box they do it from.

[setter02]

Did every golf course all of a sudden become the same length? Color of tees is arbitrary given that they all mean something different to each course. I've played 6000 yd 'blue tees' and 7200 yd 'blue tees'.

[natedd]

[quote name='Pepperturbo' timestamp='1426716133' post='11168961']
[quote name='Creedo77' timestamp='1426646484' post='11164101']
[quote name='the FLATSTICK' timestamp='1426644642' post='11163927']
Lets all be honest [b]the only holes the tips really matter on are par 3s [/b]because on the tips most par 3s go from an 8 iron to making you hit a 6 iron. For par 4s and 5s tips usually only add about an average of 10 yds, ooooohh wow you play the tips so impressive...its only impressive because of the par 3s and anyone that wants to tell you different just wants to blow smoke up their a**
[/quote]

Not sure what kind of courses you play but this makes no sense......



The tips from my home course are 7100 yards....compared that to the blues its 6700, white are 6300. There are plenty of elevation changes so if you cant drive the golf ball long and accurate you'll struggle to break 90 as a mid to high handicapper.


In reference to the par 3s the course plays them from 188, 240, 170, 218, and 203

The key to playing the tips well is all about distance control off the tee and being able to hit long irons well (which a lot of amateurs struggle to do).
[/quote]

I agree [b]@Creedo77[/b]. The long courses I still play have 420-460yd Par 4's, Par 5's over 575 with some over 600yd, and Par 3's are 160-215 range. Given my travels, its safe to say there's way more 10yds between tee boxes too. The only time I see 10-15yd difference between blue and back tee's are when back tee's are less than 6600yds.
[/quote]

Sometimes this depends on the age of the course and when and how it was lengthened.

Older course that decided to lengthen and are land locked sometimes jam a bunch of extra yardage in to par 3's to get to the total number they want.