Which Tees Should You Play From?

[stevestrike]

Trying to equalize our rounds

What guidelines do you use to choose the tee box you play from? What about when you play with others of different skill levels and abilities?

This comes from another thread, and I've been thinking about it for awhile. I play golf with my father quite often. The problem is that he's quite a bit shorter off the tee than I am, and we find it hard to pick the right tees. He never complains, but I know when we play the rear tees, his game really suffers. It's just too long for him. If we move up, it gets a lot easier for me as I'm fairly long off the tee box.

I'm easily 265 off the tee box, often a little more. My dad is usually 200-220. This 50-65 yard difference really adds up.

Take this real-life par 4 for example:

Rear 445, Middle 383, Forward 351. Subtract a 275 drive for me and 220 for my dad, and that gives a 2nd shot of:

170, 108, 76 for me--challenging, easy, silly
225, 163, 131 for dad--impossible, challenging, easier

Which tee box would you choose? I don't think he would play a different set of tees from the rest of us, and I would never ask or suggest to him that he do so.

[larrybud]

Which tee box would you choose? I don't think he would play a different set of tees, and I would never ask or suggest to him that he do so.

 

Why wouldn't you ask? We do it all the time.

[Diesel]

why not play 2 tees...?

 

if that's not an option then play the middle ground... seems pretty simple to me...

 

obviously i don't know your dad, and i don't know his age, but he shouldn't feel less a man from playing from the up tees if he's in that age range...

[Johnnyallthetime]

tee box based on how you did on the last hole.

 

if you:

 

eagle: move straight to back tees

birdie the hole: move back one tee box

par the hole: stay at same tees

bogey: move up one tee box

snowman: straight to forward tees

 

nothing funnier than my friend who is 250 lbs and ripped teeing off at the women's tees after 2 straight bogeys.

[Diesel]

that's kind of a cool idea... i might try that the next time i go out with my one buddy... that'll be fun making an a** out of each other when we have to tee off from the ladies box...

[JSmith083092]

I look at the total yardage of the course. I usually try to play between 6700 and 7000.

[SemperFi91]

I like Johnny's answer. I've played that before and it is actually funny to watch the guys teeing it up from the reds.

[stevestrike]

That is a funny idea, to have everyone moving, but I like to track my handicap so I imaging you couldn't do both.

 

Dad is about 59 this year, and he doesn't like to play different tees because of the additional time it takes (wastes). Also, I think he likes teeing off with us (my friends) because of the banter and such that goes on on the tee box. You know how everyone stands around and comments on how good or bad your shot was.

 

I might suggest the tee swapping game to my buddies next time. I was looking for more answers like Jsmith's. Do you pick a yardage? What about playing by slope or course rating?

[Onebulldogs]

My general rule is to pick a tee where I have a plausible chance of breaking 90.

 

There is no reason you have to play the same tee as your father. With his distance, he should be playing the white tees - at most.

[maskedman]

There's no reason not to play 2 sets of tees. I've done it with several fellow golfers, women included.

 

My general rule for 'which set of tees to play' is simple: Play from where you can make GIR for the par 4s and 5s (on average, not your most famous swings). If you are playing from the tips and are always laying up, move to closer tees. Conversely, if you are hitting 9 or PW (or shorter) on your most of your approaches, move back. You can use total yardage as your initial indicator of where to play from when you are playing an unfamiliar course.

[dpriester]

There is a nice trend I've noticed where courses are starting to "suggest" tees to play based on your handicap. Barring that, 6500 yards is a good break point for your dad's age group......

[kittart]

You and your dad definitely need to play from the same tees.

There is no way my dad would have let me make him play from different tees (even when he was 75 years old), and for me to have suggested it would have been like calling him a girl!

I imagine there is quite a difference in your handicaps and that will be partly because of the difference in the distance you both hit the ball (if there isn't a big difference then you need to take every advantage you can and should make him play from the tips!)

What about changing the tees you play from from round to round?

[ApexGrind]

Ummm... You said you play with your Dad "quite often" and I think you're concerned with his enjoying his round. I gathered your assumption to be that his primary goal on these outings is the social aspect. Doesn't sound like you're playing with Dad every round so... Dad should be on the whites unless he enjoys other tees. You should be playing with him. What's to decide? What's the problem with your two partners playing the backs and you and Dad playing the whites?

 

I'm old, I've got 3 boys. He's 60. He's your Dad dammit! You should play where he enjoys it most :drinks:

[kinneywhat]

On my home course, I play the blues. I play it multiple times a week and know the course pretty well. I wouldn't want to be any closer.

 

On courses I've never played before I typically play the white tees as long as the course is at least 6300 yards from them. My friends and I tend to play whatever tees keep play in the 6300-7000 yard range. If it's a course we've played a few times, or a course that's short, we'll play the blues.

 

My wife plays with me quite often and we tee off from different boxes most of the time. There's no shame in your dad teeing off up one box if he's worried about his score. If's it's more of a social event, you could always hit a three wood off the tee so you're closer to the same distance. I've played from the womens tee with my wife and I'll just hit a 5 or 6 iron off the tee to keep us around the same yardage. (she drives about 180 yards)

[nunee]

My wife plays with me quite often and we tee off from different boxes most of the time. There's no shame in your dad teeing off up one box if he's worried about his score. If's it's more of a social event, you could always hit a three wood off the tee so you're closer to the same distance. I've played from the womens tee with my wife and I'll just hit a 5 or 6 iron off the tee to keep us around the same yardage. (she drives about 180 yards)

 

This is a great suggestion. If you MUST play the same tees as your dad, and it is more social, then it seems this is a bit more for him. Play to where he is comfortable. There is no rule that says you have to hit Driver off every tee. maybe take a 3 or 5 wood, or a Hybrid or 4 iron.

 

This will get you to play a different game, and likely make you a better golfer, dispite playing tees that are arguably too short for you.

[tec333]

Have you asked your dad if he wishes you guys played the shorter tees? Would your friends mind playing the whites?

 

Anyway,no matter what tees - you should play with him and not have him tee off sepparately. Lost my Dad pretty young and I picked up the game pretty late myself. He was a scratch golfer - Every once in a while when I play I keep wishing I could have played with him more.

[Sean2]

I agree with masked man. If a golfer can't get to a par 4 in regulation then he is playing from the wrong tee box. But for many it's about ego, which is too bad because they never have a real chance to score.

 

Sam Snead said that if a golfer can't shoot par or better he should play from the forward tees.

[cdesana]

The one thing i see most when i play resort golf is that too many high handicap player head ot the tips. Not sure why most do it, i would rather pick the proper tees and be able to brag about a low score over going to the tips and having to shoot way over my handicap.

 

A good measuring stick would be to play the same distance as you would at your home club or local muni course, at least that would allow for some familiar shots on a new course.

[raidernut1234]

tee box based on how you did on the last hole.

 

if you:

 

eagle: move straight to back tees

birdie the hole: move back one tee box

par the hole: stay at same tees

bogey: move up one tee box

snowman: straight to forward tees

 

nothing funnier than my friend who is 250 lbs and ripped teeing off at the women's tees after 2 straight bogeys.

 

I am SOOOO playing this game next time I tee it up with the boys!!! None of us are sandbaggers either, which will make this work!!

Think I'll add 2 rounds of drinks if you have to hit from the ladies tees, and lower it to double bogey!!!!!

 

Also, Every so often, we will play our par 5's from the red tees to make them reachable. none of our par 5's are less than 540 and uphill, so it's good to practice being able to hit your 2nd shot into the green.

[hobbes]

My typical approach to a new course is to look at the par 3 holes. I try to have only one hole in that awkward long range, for me 190+ anything long than that will usually end badly. I've found that when I get the par 3 holes right the rest of the holes distances work out well. Score is another story entirely, but at least give yourself a chance.

 

That changing tee idea sounds cool to me, might have to slide the scores down one notch though as I am typically a bogey golfer.

[Joe Schmoe]

This is why I think holes should have individual ratings and slopes from each tee. If i go out after work I'll often be jumping around, replaying certain holes, etc. so i have a chance to play 9 holes.

 

Since I don't keep an official handicap. I just do a weighted average of the course ratings / slopes of the tees / holes I played.

[Hathstauwk]

I choose based on yardage and rating/slope.

 

On a par 72 course, I look for whatever tees give me 6500-6900 yards. I alter this if high elevation, dry heat, wet conditions, etc. Here in Houston, I played a set of tees on a course at 7100 yards but because it had been so dry and my ball seems to fly a long ways here compared to places like NY and NJ, it seemed just average for me. In Phoeix, I can play a longer course as the ball goes so freaking far.

 

I aim for a rating of close to par (on a par 72, I prefer not to play a course with a rating in the 60's). Ideal is anywhere 70.5-73.

 

I look for slope around 125-135.

 

Aside from the above, I could care less what color the tees are or whether they are the 'tips' or not. These guidelines are for me. I do not want to go out and shoot 90 and say I played to my 8 index. Neither do I want to say I shot 76 and played 5 shots over my index.

 

I played Torrey Pines and the white tees were 6900 yards. Man, was that ever a beast. Call me a wuss for playing the whites if you like but at that yardage, that is more than enough test for me.

[stevestrike]

Well, Dad and I played again yesterday. We moved up to the white tees (my decision). He always goes along with whatever tees I choose to play. Good ol' Dad...

 

You and your dad definitely need to play from the same tees.

There is no way my dad would have let me make him play from different tees (even when he was 75 years old), and for me to have suggested it would have been like calling him a girl!

This is exactly right. I'm glad some of you here understand where I'm coming from. I've never asked, and I know he would refuse. I'm going to try to play the closer tees more often for his benefit, and the sake of having fun together.

 

For myself, I was looking for some guidelines like eaglecabport posted. Rating of 70.5-73, slope of 125-135, etc... I think there should be some type of easy way to pick tees based on your handicap. I know some courses suggest it, and I think it should be more "enforced" at some clubs. I see a lot of guys teeing it up from the tips who have no business being back there.

[pengster1970]

Well, Dad and I played again yesterday. We moved up to the white tees (my decision). He always goes along with whatever tees I choose to play. Good ol' Dad...

 

You and your dad definitely need to play from the same tees.

There is no way my dad would have let me make him play from different tees (even when he was 75 years old), and for me to have suggested it would have been like calling him a girl!

This is exactly right. I'm glad some of you here understand where I'm coming from. I've never asked, and I know he would refuse. I'm going to try to play the closer tees more often for his benefit, and the sake of having fun together.

 

For myself, I was looking for some guidelines like eaglecabport posted. Rating of 70.5-73, slope of 125-135, etc... I think there should be some type of easy way to pick tees based on your handicap. I know some courses suggest it, and I think it should be more "enforced" at some clubs. I see a lot of guys teeing it up from the tips who have no business being back there.

 

When I play with my dad I have no problem playing different teeboxes, but I usually park the cart on his tee box, and I would run back to my teebox - just so we save some time, and get to hang out a bit after my tee shot. There is no issue with ego, as he was a very decent golfer in his prime.

 

I read somewhere if you consistently have anything more than a 6-7 iron into the green, then you should reconsider. Thats a pretty good guideline, but I think you have to consider what type of shots are meant to be played into the green. It's no fun always having to hit a high fade with a 3 iron just to clear the traps/hazards, etc and having it stop on a dime. Whatever it is, no point taking an a** beating out on the course.

[deepballer]

FRONT 9 PAR BACK 9 PAR TOTAL YARDS TOTAL PAR MENS RATING MENS SLOPE LADIES RATING LADIES SLOPE

Championship 2682 34 2849 36 5531 70 66.5 112 71.1 122

Regular 2564 34 2722 36 5286 70 65.0 109 69.8 120

Forward 2318 34 2655 37 4973 71 63.5 106 67.9 112

 

This is a course I play when I play with my one buddy.

He is the shortest hitter ever and refuses to play the back tees. Those are for the pros he thinks.

I played the whites for years before ever suggesting I would play the back tees and he could stay at the whites.

He didn't like that!

If I play with him I play whatever tees the group wants from here in. If the group wants a different set to play I'll play that set. If one guy feels like playing up that's their call. I have no problem doing it either way!

[stevestrike]

That is a pretty short course! A course we play a lot here comes out like this (ladies tees not included)

Tees   	Rating   	Slope   	Yards   
Gold	72.8 	126 	6,777
Blue 	71.1 	122 	6,368
white 	68.6 	119 	5,756

 

Our white tees (which are the shorties!) are longer than your rear tees? Tell your buddy to man up.

 

On the flip side, maybe I am asking a bit too much from pops to play from the Blue or Golds. I'm going to average out all the par 4's, and make sure he's got a 6 or 7 into most of them.

[Johnny]

I typically play blue.. somewhere around 6800 or so yards at the course I normally play.. I could easily play 7000+ tees too..my score wont change. Only if I play some insanely long course 7200-7400 will I struggle.

[SJFP]

I never bumped in to this problem. I live in Belgium, and we cannot play a golfcourse without having a official handicap. You can only get that handicap after passing a theoretical (rules & etiquette) and a practical (more or les straight shots, decent distance with 7 iron, some chip shots etc.) exam. There are a few public courses but they're mostly par-3 courses.

 

The advantage is that your official handicap determines which tees to play from. For instance i have a 9,2hcp so i play off the back tees (white ones). My father is a 28-handicapper and plays off the "men's front tees" (yellow). Then there are women's tees; red and blue ones.

Men usually play from the back tees if they have a handicap of +/-16, depends on the slope of the course.

 

I like this system for several reasons, some related to things like this, but also a lot of other things ...

[SHERO]

Play from whatever tees you have around 150 yards in from on an average par 4

[sandwedge59]

The course i regularly play at , plays at about 6400 from the white tees which has a good mixture of holes but nothing that is unplayable, what i mean by unplayable is par 4 's 450 or longer or par 3's over 225 , when i was younger playing from the back tee's over 7000 yards was a regular occurance but being 50 now golf courses that length are just too long for me now not for lack of ability but i am just realistic , i just dont hit the ball as far as i used too..