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Appropriate Tee Box

conceptDawg

By conceptDawg,
in Golf Talk

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conceptDawg Member

conceptDawg

I've been golfing for a few years now (HCP floats between 11 and 16) and something has been bugging me lately. Specifically, what is the best way to choose the appropriate tee box when playing.

For instance: All of the courses that I play on are used for higher level competitions (either major collegiate or LPGA) and have a "competition" tee box. That is obviously not the one that I want to be using.

When I started playing I shot only from the whites. Somewhere along the line I started playing with a group that was a little better than I was and I started playing from the blacks (one tee box back from the whites) with them (to speed play). Now I pretty much just walk to the blacks by default, with no thought put into it. I fear that this is the case with most amateurs.

What is the CORRECT way to determine whether somebody should play from white or black? Boy that got long winded.

Burner 10.5° (Mitsu Fubuki 63TPR)
QuadPro 13° 3W (ProForce65 S-flex)
Snake Eyes Viper450 22° 7W (ProForce75 S-flex)
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chingali Well Established Member

chingali

Which tees do you enjoy playing from, that's probably your answer.

50% of my rounds will be in club, interclub, regional or state competition so I never have a choice, we play from wherever they set the tees for the day.

40% of rounds will be at my home course during practice rounds or practice rounds at a course before a tournament so I'll always play from the back tees because that's where I'll be playing from during competition rounds.

The other 10% of the time will be played from whichever tees the people I am playing with want to play from. I often play with my mother and father-in-law or other family members or friends and they are not as proficient as I am so it makes sense to make things easier for them and I think it's a bit rude to let them play from the front and wait for me to walk back 60 yards all of the time. Also whenever I play with them I play off scratch (I'm normally off betweeen 1 and 3) and if it's a difficult course I'll give them a few extra.

As for trying to determine which tees you should play from, I reckon the ones that give you an even money chance of playing to your handicap.
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AMGfan Well Established Member

AMGfan

I've been golfing for a few years now (HCP floats between 11 and 16) and something has been bugging me lately. Specifically, what is the best way to choose the appropriate tee box when playing.

I've always been under the impression that if you are +11 and above stick to the white tees. If you are +10 to +6 go to the blue tees and +5 and below you can hit from the back tees.

Da Bag:

TM Super Quad R7 (w/Stulz stiff shaft)
TM CGB R7 4-PW (steel)
Cleveland Halo 1i, 3i, 5i (steel)Cleveland CG10 SW, GWHeavy Putter A1MTitliest ProV1xTitliest Tour BagClub Glove head coversFootjoy Classic Dry Premier

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chingali Well Established Member

chingali

I've always been under the impression that if you are +11 and above stick to the white tees. If you are +10 to +6 go to the blue tees and +5 and below you can hit from the back tees.

If you are off 10 and you can play to it from the back tees and you find it enjoyable, then play from the back tees.

If you are off 10 and can only play to your handicap from the front tees, then the front tees it is. So long as you can keep up and not be keeping everyone waiting by playing from the plates then I see no problem at all in doing so.
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flap Great Member

flap

My rule of thumb is if you need a wood or hybrid to reach the par 4's in 2 then you are on the wrong tee box,MOVE UP!!!

In my new FT carry bag
FT-9 Tour nuetral 9.5
FT-15 degree 3 wood
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Fisherdude Established Member

Fisherdude

It's not a simple answer, so using the tee where you enjoy yourself the most is probably as good as any.

Choosing the one where you're close to your handicap isn't the best answer, since, statistically, everyone only shoots their handicap approximately 30% of the time. Besides, your handicap is established based on the tees you used when you shot each posted score.

Probably the best answer, although it's based mostly on your skill with the driver as much as anything else, is to take a look at what you're using for second shots on par fours as Flap mentioned. If you can't hit any of the shorter par 4's using an iron, you're probably making things more difficult on yourself than you need to. For example, on a 375 yard hole, if you normally hit driver 200-210, which is common for most average players, then you might hit 4 or 5 iron in. If you usually have to hit a fairway wood or hybrid from 175, you'd probably have more fun moving up one tee.
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Just Blaze Member

Just Blaze

I play wherever everyone else in the group is. It just makes things smoother.

Driver: 907D2 9.5˚
3 Wood: 904F 15˚
Hybrid: 585H 19˚
Irons: 695.CB, 3-PW, S300
Wedges: 588 56˚, chrome Vokey 60˚ chromePutter: Ally

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allin Great Member

allin

I generally agree with the length question as a good starting point. I you need a fairway wood on more than 1 hole a 9 to reach a par 4 from the fairway or more than 1 par 3 in a round, thats asking a lot. But don't ignore other factors, if you are long but still don't have 2 or 3 GIRs and can break 90 on a decent day move up until your iron play and short game improves.
I take a look at the course rating and slope, if the slope on the Whites is over 120 I figure the blues are to tough and stay there. If the Whites are under 115 or the blues under 122 I play the Blues. If the length is over 6500 from the Blues I stick to the Whites irregardless of slope.

1W Cleveland LauncherComp 10.5, 3W Touredge Exotics 15 deg.,FY Wilson 19.5 degree
4 and 5H, 6I-GW Callaway Razr, SW, LW Cleveland Cg-14, Putter Taylor Made Suzuka, Ball, Srixon XV Yellow

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B-rad Member

B-rad

What was said about slope rating is very true. Play within your game. However, don't feel afraid to challenge yourself from time to time. This will only make you better.

Here and there I'll tee it up from the black or further.
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niblick Dedicated Member

niblick

I'll continue to play from the whites until my index gets in the low teens. I figure if I'm not consistently shooting in the low 80s, I have no business playing from back there.

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AMGfan Well Established Member

AMGfan

What was said about slope rating is very true. Play within your game. However, don't feel afraid to challenge yourself from time to time. This will only make you better.

On a recent round, my buddy and I played with a scratch player and we were playing the white tees and decided to play with us. By the 9th hole he said he had to play from the back tees because he did not feel comfortable at our tees. He stated that he had to more things to think of at that shorter yardage, whereas at the back tees he could use his driver without fear of hitting into a hazard. Go figure...it didn't slow us down at all, but it does point out that sometimes a shorter hole can present a more interesting challenge some times.

Da Bag:

TM Super Quad R7 (w/Stulz stiff shaft)
TM CGB R7 4-PW (steel)
Cleveland Halo 1i, 3i, 5i (steel)Cleveland CG10 SW, GWHeavy Putter A1MTitliest ProV1xTitliest Tour BagClub Glove head coversFootjoy Classic Dry Premier

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Shindig Incredible Member

Shindig

This doesn't depend on your handicap as much as your distances and play style.

If you are an average 10+ handicap, play the forwardmost tees that you can. I'm very tempted to play from the reds sometimes.

If your short game is the issue, maybe moving back could be in order if it speeds the game along (allows you to hit sooner and move to your ball for 2nd shot).

If a 430-yard par-4 is a driver shot of 280 yards and then a PW of 150 yards [these are most certainly not my distances!], maybe playing from blue or black isn't a bad decision, even if you have a 10+ handicap.

If playing an average par-4 means hitting driver, 5-wood, then PW, not because you have a bad drive, but because your distances are short, then you should be playing from the white tees, even if your short game is Tiger-level.


I play from the white tees. Always.

-- Michael | My swing! 

"You think you're Jim Furyk. That's why your phone is never charged." - message from my mother

Driver:  Titleist 915D2.  4-wood:  Titleist 917F2.  Titleist TS2 19 degree hybrid.  Another hybrid in here too.  Irons 5-U, Ping G400.  Wedges negotiable (currently 54 degree Cleveland, 58 degree Titleist) Edel putter. 

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Mr Bogey Member

Mr Bogey

I think it all depends. Some courses there isn't much of a difference 10 yards or so. If that is the case pick your color. There are the very nice courses that there is quit a difference where the black tees are on a whole other tee box in a different location, maybe not quite in line with the fairway, that is reserved for the more accomplighed players, e.g. not me!

In My Bag:

Driver: Nike SQ tour 10.5° (Aldila NV 65S)
FW Woods: 4+ Cobra SZ, Stiff, 5 wood: Orlimar HipSteel 16°, Callaway X 21°, Stiff
Irons: Titleist DCI 822OS Nppon NS Pro950Wedges: Cleveland 900 54°/CG 10 60°Putter: Rife 2 bar offset blade putterBall: Callaway HX Tour primary but...

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Shindig Incredible Member

Shindig

I think it all depends. Some courses there isn't much of a difference 10 yards or so. If that is the case pick your color. There are the very nice courses that there is quit a difference where the black tees are on a whole other tee box in a different location, maybe not quite in line with the fairway, that is reserved for the more accomplighed players, e.g. not me!

Which brings up a good course management suggestion: once you tee the ball, make sure it's within the tee markers, and then ignore the tee markers! Figure out where you want the ball to go, and set up accordingly. If you're at a 45* angle to the "line" made by the tee markers, so what?

-- Michael | My swing! 

"You think you're Jim Furyk. That's why your phone is never charged." - message from my mother

Driver:  Titleist 915D2.  4-wood:  Titleist 917F2.  Titleist TS2 19 degree hybrid.  Another hybrid in here too.  Irons 5-U, Ping G400.  Wedges negotiable (currently 54 degree Cleveland, 58 degree Titleist) Edel putter. 

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lamebums Great Member

lamebums

I almost always tee it up from the white tees. I figure, "Men", but not "Pro". Or something like that. My ball will go into the woods regardless what tee I hit it from.
"Shouldn't you be going faster? I mean, you're doing 40 in a 65..."

Driver: Burner TP 9.5*
3 Wood: 906F2 15*
2I: Eye 23I-PW: 3100 I/HWedges: Vokey Spin-Milled 56*06, MP-R 52*07/60*05Putter: Victoria IIBall: Pro V1xCheck out my new blog: Thousand Yard DriveHome Course: Kenton County...
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B-rad Member

B-rad

Also, there is a mental stigma with some of the longer tee boxes.


When you walk onto a course and see "Championship," it gets in your head a little. I play better from closer tees because of higher confidence.
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golfchief Dedicated Member

golfchief

You need to look at the distance the tees play too and find the distance your able to play well from. I've played courses where the back tees are only around 5800 yards. most blue tees are around 6100-6300 which is the yardage I like to play from. To get the best from your game look at the score card and pick the color tee's to the yardage you like. Yes some course will be more difficult with the same yardages but you still have to hit the shots.

R7 9.5 S Shaft
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iacas Hall of Fame Member

iacas

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One of my favorite things to do every few weeks is to play from the red tees at my course. It's totally different, as someone else stated above, and really pushes different things on your game. If you don't play well, you won't score anywhere near as good as you think you should.

Personally, I have no problems choosing the right tees for me. 6700 yards is fine. Anything beyond that and I need some pretty wide open fairways.

Erik J. Barzeski — ⛳ I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
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