Not sure what tees to play?

[deafheaven]

My foursome just had a little three day tournament where we played from the tips (blues) on the first day, reds (men's) on the second day and whites (women's) on the third day. I have to say I really enjoyed it. Each presented their own set of challenges.

So I say mix it up. Now my foursome isn't the best and we wouldn't play from the tips at say noon. We tee'd off at 6 am. There are some higher handicap players that keep the ball in play (me included).Also used inexpensive balls and my group didn't spend any more than 60 seconds looking for any ball that went out of play.

Just be considerate... that's all it takes.

[Titleist Man]

I agree but i dont like their formula because i hit my 5i 165 so that gets about 5800 and i play alot of 6,000 yard courses and have wedges into half of the holes and from the 6500 yd tees i still dont have that much of a problem.

[Shindig]

I have to admit: I hate that 5-iron rule. 160-yard 5-iron x 36 = 5760. There are courses around here that would have me teeing off from ahead of the forward tees if I obeyed that. And it wasn't too long ago that my 5-iron was 145 yards (5220 yard course).

Maybe it's just Los Angeles, but a lot of the courses around here have middle tees at 6400-6600 yards, with CR about 70 and SR around 117.

When I was on vacation last weekend, I just looked for similar CR and SR to home - and for each of three rounds, I felt I had the right tees, even if they varied from 6100 to 6600 yards.

[Big_M]

In the past I had always shot for a tee box around 6500, but lately I have moved back a bit. Just today I played the tips from my home course 6970yds, 73.5/137 and I shot an 85, loosing most of my strokes to poor putting. At this course I never had more than a 6-iron into a par 4 (with the exception of the hole where I nipped a tree bordering the fairway), and overall the course seemed to play more appropriate for my length... so I think I'm actually going to start moving back once in a while.

the 5-iron rule is a pretty good one...
my 5 = 190-195... 6840-7020
wife's 5 = 125-140... 4500-5040

and she can usually manage to play proper shots at that length...

just a note... I think during winter I will likey go back to the 6300-6700 range more often since shots are shorter.

[Taylor Shrake]

There was a foursome of guys at my course today playing from the black, its close to 8000 yards from back there, and most were hitting their drives about 180... I was amazed about how they refused to move up to a realistic level.

I continue to play the white tees at the moment, as I move into single hadicap more I will scoot back to blues.

[enis750]

5i ~ 190-195 x 36 = 6840 - 7020
we only have one course here that plays to that and they wont let me play from the 7200 tees (need to have a registered hcp of 2)
not a member anywhere...kina sux, cause id like to see what i can do from those tees
usually shoot mid-high 70's from the current tee boxes (furthest back to the tips)

[clubchamp]

There was a foursome of guys at my course today playing from the black, its close to 8000 yards from back there, and most were hitting their drives about 180... I was amazed about how they refused to move up to a realistic level.

Can you post a pic of the score card? I never seen anything over 7400yds and I really want to see how 8000yds sets up because that would seem almost impossible to me.

[Motley01]

I think it should be the responsibility of each golf course to ENFORCE tee box rules. Simply have the starter ask what handicap, or typical scores they shoot, and tell them they MUST play the correct teebox.

If the people lie, then i'm sure the marshalls will identify the fools teeing off from the black tees, and hitting their drives 100yrds.

I have always played the right tee with my skill levels. Why the hell would I want to make the game harder than it is?

I could never understand this, but then again, men are all about how big, tough, and how good you are, and want everybody to know "hey I'm playing from the black tee's, look at me I'm the best!".

[schapman]

I always play from the whites on the local courses. I'm sure there are a few I could play the blues from distance wise. For the most part it's not an issue of distance as I can drive pretty well, but it's the extra hazards that come into play. Pretty much comes down to, driver on the whites I'm safe even if I hit it shorter where if I played the blues I'd probably be in the sand or water. So for me, I'll stick to whites until I'm good enough to score well on blues.

[shades9323]

I think it should be the responsibility of each golf course to ENFORCE tee box rules. Simply have the starter ask what handicap, or typical scores they shoot, and tell them they MUST play the correct teebox.

Who cares what tees they play from if they have fun and keep pace?

[senorchipotle]

Personally, I'm not on the golf course to ''have fun.'' I'm on the course to a) shoot my lowest score b) place my iron shots and tee shots in a fairly small radius of where I want them to go, c) put my pitches within 10 feet, chips within 5, d) beat whomever I'm playing against.

Don't get me wrong, I want to enjoy myself, which I do, but having fun really isn't in my mind on the course.

[MSchumacher]

Watching a guy top it while playing the tips is frustrating. More courses need a sign on the first tee with handicaps directing you to which tee.

I feel 5 iron X 36 works better if you use max/pured instead of average. Average is about 160 but then 5800 is too short. That means 9 iron or pitching wedge all day. 175 X36 for me works better because I get to use all my clubs.

[shades9323]

Personally, I'm not on the golf course to ''have fun.'' I'm on the course to a) shoot my lowest score b) place my iron shots and tee shots in a fairly small radius of where I want them to go, c) put my pitches within 10 feet, chips within 5, d) beat whomever I'm playing against.

If you are enjoying yourself, you are having fun

. If you don't golf for fun you either: a. are a professional b. shouldn't be playing the GAME I am guessing you aren't a pro.

[senorchipotle]

If you are enjoying yourself, you are having fun

there's a difference, imo, in having fun and enjoying one's self. i was a college athlete, and have competed in high levels in a few different sports. i take that mindset with me to the golf course. no, i'm not a pro, but i want to get to where i can feel comfortable playing in tourneys for money and compete.

[Leftygolfer]

there's a difference, imo, in having fun and enjoying one's self. i was a college athlete, and have competed in high levels in a few different sports. i take that mindset with me to the golf course. no, i'm not a pro, but i want to get to where i can feel comfortable playing in tourneys for money and compete.

That is how I am. I take golf seriously when I play. I don't cheat, I putt out. Too me a nasty 3 footer downhill is fun. I like the pressure I put on myself. Some say I should just play to have fun and who cares if you move it out of a really bad lie, but I just can't play that way. I love the feeling when I have a good day, played by the rules, and know that I can usually beat most with my same index because theirs is deflated because of the little things.

[deafheaven]

Well I only hit my 5 iron 140 yds so that means I have to play from the whites??? Sounds not too brilliant to me. I'm short but I'm in play. I spend far less time looking for balls than most. My short game is decent and I'm getting still better. I don't top the ball all the way down the fairway. I fail to see how far I hit my 5 iron has to do with anything. You are basically saying your swing speed should determine where you tee off from.

I shall reiterate... be ready when it's your turn to hit, don't spend all day looking for lost balls, keep up to the group in front of you and be considerate of others.

BTW everyone I play with can hit their 5 iron 200 yds, maybe more, and I beat them all playing from the tips.

[Motley01]

Who cares what tees they play from if they have fun and keep pace?

See.. the thing is, they never keep pace, i'm always waiting for the guys playing the tips, and they're looking for their balls in the woods, on every hole!

[deafheaven]

See.. the thing is, they never keep pace, i'm always waiting for the guys playing the tips, and they're looking for their balls in the woods, on every hole!

and I bet they'd be doing the same no matter where they were playing from. Regardless, the problem is not that they can only hit their 5 iron so many yards, it is that they are inconsiderate of others.