Course Record from the Golds

***iacas*** · September 8, 2007

The course record at Whispering Woods (one of my home courses) from the gold tees is an 84. It's 68 from the blacks, 72 from the blues, and 75 or so from the whites (I shot 76 from those tees without making any putts one day). The gold tees are not far behind the ladies (red) tees and measure just under 5,300 yards.

In the past, I've played Lake View (which only has four sets of tees) from the red tees. It makes the course entirely different and brings different hazards into play. You visit areas - or must plan for areas - of the golf course you've never before thought about. It's fun and I believe it can improve your game. It also helps you to become comfortable with shooting well below your normal score.

On the other hand, I've seen plenty of people, egos swelling, step up to the red tees and shoot the same darn score they'd normally shoot because they find themselves in so many weird spots. Combined with the pressure of "I should tear it up from way up there!," and too much aggressiveness, they crack and have several blow-up holes.

Anyway, the course record from the gold tees is 84. I could shoot 84 from the gold tees easily. Yesterday I hit 3W, 7-iron to a par five and had eight feet for eagle. One of the par fours measures 185 yards. And so on...

The question: is it right? The gold tees are kind of the "senior" tees I guess, but that's obviously not a rule of golf or anything. They're just tees on a golf course. The current record-holder is in his 60s or something, but where do you draw the line if age is going to be the deciding factor in whether it's "right" or not - 55? 50? 45?

The other side could be argued as I've hinted: they're just tees on a golf course. Everyone has the right to play pretty much from wherever they'd like. Me shooting 65 or whatever from the golds would be at least more tolerable than someone shooting 110 from the blacks.

FWIW, I'm a 2.9-ish handicap and regularly shoot about 76 or so from the blue tees.

So anyway, the question is this: what would you do? I see three valid options:

Don't play from the golds - even the whites are too far up.
Play from the golds for practice but don't report your score as a new course record.
They're just tees - play from them, claim the course record if you shoot it, and move on.

Thoughts?

**Dent** · September 8, 2007

Id play from it. Like you said, anyone has the right to play from where they want. Maybe the seniors might be a little discouraged, but if they wanna break your record they better start practising.

**lamebums** · September 8, 2007

I'm leaning against it. Looking at it from the viewpoint of the 90 percent of golfers who are total hacks, it's just...wrong. Most people consider tees a measure of skill - it's the exact opposite of the hacker hitting from the tips on a 500 yard par 4 and not reaching the fairway. And it's just as bad. They'd just think that Erik guy, whoever he was, was playing from the wrong tees. And if they ever met you they'd probably think you were a real jerk for playing from the wrong tees.

I guess my answer would be B. Playing from the forward tees does change up your club and shot selection, and gives you a greater variety of places you'll end up on the course, but it'd just simply be wrong to ruin forever someone's chance of holding the course record. (Unless someone who plays from there manages to shoot a 65? Which would probably end up being someone else like yourself, anyway.)

**cbe_golfer** · September 8, 2007

My game is nowhere near threatening course records but I will take a tip from here and play some easier tees to try and break 80 this year from the easier tees.

***iacas*** · September 8, 2007

Looking at it from the viewpoint of the 90 percent of golfers who are total hacks, it's just...wrong.

I don't intend to respond to the general opinions of most who respond here, but this comment stands out. Course records are

never about the 90% of golfers who are total hacks. They neither deserve to set nor expect to set course records. What 90% of the golfers who can't break 90 from any set of tees think about the course record holder is pretty much irrelevant. If you think tees are a "measure of skill," then you get into a massively grey area. Was the guy who shot 84 playing from the correct set of tees? What about the guy who shot 75 from the whites? Where do you draw those lines? Can I play from the whites (as I had to during a tournament one time) and set the course record from those tees or is that, too, somehow "unfair"? In general, I like to avoid grey areas. If you allow people over 65 to play from the golds, why not 60? Why not a guy who's only 50 but who only has one eye and a fake hip? If you limit the ability to set a course record from the golds to a 15 handicap, why not a 14 or a 16? Or a 10? Grey areas lead to problems a lot more frequently than clearly delineated policy. I'm personally leaning towards B myself, but that has more to do with not wanting to get teased by some of my friends and/or for upsetting some old duffer who knows I'm better than he is and doesn't need a 68 or whatever from me from the golds to demonstrate that fact. After all, what would I be gaining besides having my name listed as a course record holder (big whoop)? The fact that my own principles would tend towards the "no grey area" policy of "play anywhere" are almost a moot issue here - it's not as if I'd derive a lot of satisfaction from going low from the golds.

**doublesuited77** · September 8, 2007

a men's record or women's record. At our course, the gold tees are used seniors and better women. Our course record is a women's record.

**Mr.Buckethead** · September 8, 2007

If a person did C and they were under the age that is considered to be a senior citizen 60 or 65, depening on your area, then they would be a jerk. The level of jerkiness rises for every 5 years they are away from being a senior citizen.

**AndrewM** · September 8, 2007

I would have to say, as Im sure you would agree, that even if you shot 83 and had a "course record" that is completely meaningless.

Right? I mean its not like you would run around the clubhouse, with the scorecard in the air, yelling "I shot the course record from the Gold tees!!"

Well at least I hope not lol.

Secondly, the course record is the lowest score ever shot on the course, tees are irrelevant. Of course that can be broken down to men's and women's and tournament/non-tournament records.

84, while Im sure some sort of bragging rights for that one guy at his card games, doesnt mean anything.

**lamebums** · September 8, 2007

I don't intend to respond to the general opinions of most who respond here, but this comment stands out. Course records are never about the 90% of golfers who are total hacks. They neither deserve to set nor expect to set course records.

Here's the problem, though. Courses - whether we like it or not - have to cater to the millions of hackers out there. Otherwise, greens fees would shoot through the roof and/or courses would close down due to lack of profitability. The course record is part of that course, and of the people that go there - like it or not, we are in a tiny minority, and probably will always have to accept that.

I'm getting a bit off topic so let's just leave it at that.

**MountainHip** · September 8, 2007

I'd choose a)

In my opinion, the course record only counts from the longest tee's.

**Warik** · September 8, 2007

Don't play from the golds - even the whites are too far up.

I disagree. You can and should play from wherever you want. As you said before, playing from the reds/golds/whites will expose you to situations you wouldn't normally face playing way back, much like playing way back would expose hackers to situations they wouldn't normally face (like unreachable par 4s, lol). I don't, however, agree with you reporting your score as a new course record.

The question: is it right?

The fact that you're asking suggests to me that you don't think it is. Would you be asking us if it's right for you to post the course record from the blues/blacks? If you were a 36 handicap, would you ask if it's right for you to post the course record from the blacks? Of course not.

I don't want to put words in your mouth, but as a 2.9 handicap you SHOULD feel that you SHOULDN'T be playing so far up and breaking course records.

Play from the golds for practice but don't report your score as a new course record.

Best option in my opinion. Play from wherever the heck you want - it's your time and your money, BUT respect the... I don't know... "spirit" of the tee positions/colors. Red tee course records SHOULD be set and held by women and children. Gold tee course records SHOULD be set by senior players. White, Blue, Black, and beyond course records SHOULD be set by the best players regardless of age and gender.

**Shindig** · September 9, 2007

Yes, play them. Set a record. Give someone who plays from those tees - and has a good short game but not much in the way of distance - something to strive for.

The tees have - I'm guessing - a course rating for a reason.

I believe that there are wrong tees to play from, but 'wrong' can only be 'too far back' : if you haven't much distance or accuracy, and you struggle to break 100 from the whites, then playing from the back-most tees is playing from the wrong tees. This isn't a problem you have at the moment.

I considered playing from the red tees when I was trying to break 100 for the first few times. I never did, but I consider it a valid move.

In short, go for it. If someone challenges you after the fact, encourage them to play from those tees and beat your record. Overall, I think it will be a positive experience, both for you (new challenges and potentially new-to-you pieces of the golf course) and for the course in general (should they really let a 'course record' in the 80s stand?).

**Everardo** · September 9, 2007

My vote is 'B'

***iacas*** · September 9, 2007

Here's the problem, though. Courses - whether we like it or not - have to cater to the millions of hackers out there.

Not when it comes to things like course records from a certain set of tees. Yeah, you are off-topic. Course record talk doesn't apply to that 90%. They don't care about it, it's irrelevant, etc.

FWIW, folks, I've made up my mind already. I did before I started the thread. But in deciding, I asked a few people, and their responses were all different, so I thought I'd see what y'all had to say on the subject too. I think it's an interesting topic. And yeah, using the words "course record" is not quite right. But this course maintains the record for each set of tees, so, that's how I mean it in this case. I honestly don't know if I'd break the 68 set from the Black tees and consider that an irrelevant side topic.

**Finn07** · September 9, 2007

I would definitely say "b". There's no way Im going out there and playing from the gold tees and then reporting it for the reason of attempting to claim the course record. There is just something that doesn't seem right about it, and you (Erik) are a much better golfer then I am. What was your decision anyway?

**Icehawk** · September 9, 2007

Spirit of the game. Play from where ever you want but I would never claim a record from the Seniors or Ladies tee as I am not one.

I play from the frontmost tee btw, but I am a rank beginner.

**TourSpoon** · September 11, 2007

You can play from any set of tees that you wish. If the record is from the senior tees, then it is appropriate for that record to be held by a senior golfer. The same applies for the ladies tees.

Personally, I like a challenge and in my book a 185 yard hole is a par 3 all day long so I usually pick the tees that are appropriate for me. On occasion, I will play up to accommodate the group I am with for convenience. The only record that I pay attention to is from the Championship tees.

**seattlemudder** · September 11, 2007

So anyway, the question is this: what would you do? I see three valid options:

I'm leaning toward "B" as well. Last time I looked, to get a senior discount you in most places you had to be 60 years or older. I'm a little surprised that 84 is the record though, seems very high. I think it could be great practice though. For example, my wife is getting into golf and I've gone a couple of times to par 3's with her and I was a little shocked at my poor GIR percentage - I always thought I was good at turning longer holes into par 3's (good drive = par 3) at regulation courses but reality bit me. Pathetic. It forced me to start really concentrating with 7 iron through PW and make sure I pay attention to hitting the green - where I'm aiming and what my mind is doing/concentrating on. I was amazed that I'm really focused around the green but not into the green. Like a shorter course, it was great practice and skill building.

Sign In

Course Record from the Golds

Recommended Posts

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

Create an account

Sign in

Topics Being Discussed Right Now on The Sand Trap

TST Partners

Posts

Important Information