Better from the Blues than Whites?

[golf hungry]

I seem to have a mental problem. When I play from our blue tees (6600 yards 72) I sho0t high 70's. When I play from our white tees (6000 yards 69.7) I have a tough time breaking 80.
Anyone else encounter this, and why do you think it happens.

[Shindig]

There's a course near me (Balboa in Encino) where I consistently shoot better from the blues (6600) than the whites (6200?). There's another that I play with friends when I visit them (Shorecliffs in San Clemente) that I tend to shoot exactly 90 no matter where I play from.

[zubady]

Have experienced this also. Has a great deal to do with hitting longer clubs when playing the blues. The tendency on the shorter track is to have a tougher time with the short game because of the carry distances and approaches that are left. I often say when I hit a poor tee shot, in terms of yardage that I am now in perfect position; meaning I am further out; typically 5 wood distance; and I would much rather have that shot than a shorter say 112 shot to the same green.

[julie_m]

I seem to have a mental problem. When I play from our blue tees (6600 yards 72) I sho0t high 70's. When I play from our white tees (6000 yards 69.7) I have a tough time breaking 80.

Reds for me.

(LOL, little joke.) Maybe when you have high expectations for yourself, you rise to the challenge and live up to them. I think your problem is in thinking this is a problem.

[NI4NI]

Perhaps the Blues set up better for your game, or else the Whites force too many "tweener" shots, whereas you can have it with fuller swings closer to your high-end range from the Blues.

Then again, it could be psychosomatic...

[JCDot33]

I would agree with the longer distance supports an easier club selection theory, but let me inject my own here too ...

Playing from the blues you expect the course to play tougher, maybe you focus more on every shot you make. Whereas, with the whites, you expect the course to play easier and don't think about the shots as much, or your take lower percentage shots because the course is supposed to play easier, where when playing the blues you play more conservatively ...

Just a thought ...

[CrazyO_8]

Yeah, I have this too. I find myself hitting into trouble on par 4's because I have a fairly long drive...around 270 yards. Those longcut fairway roughs mess me up. I'm better suited for the blues.

Plus, I have to make more awkward shots from the Whites because of different distnces.

[Parker0065]

I have experienced this at my home club in both directions.

Last year my scoring average from the whites was 2 or 3 higher than the blues. I normally only play from the blues but all tournaments were played from the whites. The Club Pro tried to convince the owners to play the Club Championship from the blue's but they wouldn't go for it. Too many members would have had a fit,,,lol!!

This Spring I hurt my wrist and could not play until early July. I didn't want to stress my wrist too hard the first couple rounds back so I played from the whites for a couple weeks. I shot some of my best scores this year from the white tees during that time frame. A few weeks later I went back to my normal blue tees and struggled for a month or so getting comfortable.

As far as why this happens I know for me it is almost all mental over physical but there is some course management that definitely effects the final score. You may be a bit over agressive from the white tees and not even realize it. If your always trying to bomb it with driver from the whites try hitting less club off the tee. If you do this and shoot what you normaly score from the blue's then your probably trying to force it too much from the whites. Another good tip from the pro's is to always make your aproach shot a full swing whenever you can. This gets rid of those half shots that can be tough to judge!


I also suggest if you have enough length to play from the Pro-Tees when you get the chance. Many higher end courses or resorts offer +7000 yd tees. I played a couple this year on vacation and it was a lot of fun taking on the challenge. I average about 275 off the tee and I would say that's about minimum length needed for +7000 yard courses unless you have a world class short game!

Good Luck and keep playing the blue's!

[golf hungry]

We do have Champion tees, 7100, 74. I am playing with the pro on thursday and he thinks the course plays easier from the tips. So I'll try those next week.
I do find myself pushing things from the whites vs just playing the blues.
I play with a senoir on Tuesdays and I feel bad playing from the blues since he always plays where I do. So 99% of the time I play from the whites with him

[Octuple Bogey]

Myself, I'm definitely a white tee player since I royally suck these days with my woods and rarely hit them. But a few years ago I used to hit a 3-wood off the tee on long fours and fives. I wouldn't normally choose on my own volition to make the game any harder for myself by actually choosing to play the blues but if the hackers the starter teed me up with headed for the blues I would too because I didn't want them to think they were better than me... that way if I obviously beat them, not that anybody was keeping track, they could not use the excuse in their mind that I played from the whites.

But once I stopped hitting the woods I figured screw it. I want to give myself the best chance possible to break 80 and I had no qualms about it since the large majority of the guys I ended up playing with didn't have a snowballs chance in hell of breaking 80 even from the reds and they knew it.

An odd thing of note -- the only standard nine hole round that I ever had that was under par, (-1), was from the blue tees. There was one par 72, 6000+ yard course I could never break 80 on -- my best score there for a couple years was an 80 from the blues. Eventually I did get a 78 from the whites.

The thing for me is that it just doesn't make much difference if one set of tees is 20 yards further than the other. I can hit a 350 yard par four just as well as a 370 yard par four. It is only when the hole is a really long four that it is much of an issue to me.

I thought I might add just for the hell of it that when I lived in Arizona I would say that a majority of the random strangers I played with chose the blue tees. Where I've lived the last two years, Spokane, almost noone ever plays off the blues.

[bruce]

Your short game needs work,hit 3 iron off white tee's until you learn to shoot from 120 in.Maybe your trying to kill a 56 in from that yardage instead off taking a smooth gap wedge,elaborate a bit more please,Remember,off every tee try to get close to your favourite yardage,if driver leaves you 75 and you like 100,then take your 3 wood.long is not always good,play what suits you.

[golf hungry]

Your short game needs work,hit 3 iron off white tee's until you learn to shoot from 120 in.Maybe your trying to kill a 56 in from that yardage instead off taking a smooth gap wedge,elaborate a bit more please,Remember,off every tee try to get close to your favourite yardage,if driver leaves you 75 and you like 100,then take your 3 wood.long is not always good,play what suits you.

I think this is part of the problem. I only hit driver on the straight par 5's. Most of the times I hit a hybrid or 3 wood but looking back I don't try and leave a specific yardage. Smart huh?!? I am playing today with my senior friend and I'll try to be more yardage minded.

120-50 I am pretty dead on, 50 in I need the work.

[golf hungry]

Played today and talked my senoir buddy to play the blues (6500 71.7). This time tried to think my way around the course. This makes the game much easier

[jaragon126]

I find the same issue as some of you ... for some reason it seems like I play better from the blue tees than the whites. I'm not a super low handicap, I'm not a super long hitter ... but for some reason when I play from the blue tees I post better scores.

The courses I usually play aren't short courses (usually around 6200 - 6900 from the white tees), so I don't know why this happens to me. Maybe it's the "tweener" yardages as one of you mentioned.

Alot of times when I hit driver off the tee, I am left with some goofy yardages ... especially on short par 4 holes. If the wind is behind me & it's downhill I can have like 50-70 yards left to the pin. And then comes the wedge shot over the green. At one of the regular courses I play, I am starting to hit 3W off the tee instead of driver ... but that still doesn't guarantee a better score.

Since I'm not a 5 handicap or better I usually try not to play from the blue tees, but it's embarrassing that I can't score very well when I know I can.