Playing from the back tees as a beginner?

[DocPangloss]

Originally Posted by yatzr

I like to play from whatever tees make me actually use my low-mid irons for approach shots.

...

I agree with yatzr. When you are using low-mid irons for approach shots, you are giving yourself a reasonable shot at par on every hole. If and when you miss the green, you have a chance at up-and-down for par.

When you are almost always looking at 3 shots to make it onto a par 4, you never feel bad about not making par, and reasonably so. But the best way to improve your game is to learn how to scramble for par, since basically until you are a scratch golfer you should be much more concerned about not making bogeys (or worse) than anything else. If you never feel the pressure to par a hole via your short game, then you're not learning how to play well as fast as you could be.

And for that reason, you should move up a tee box, or two, until you can reach most of the par 4s in two. Once you are capable of reaching all of the par 4s on the course in regulation, try stepping back a tee box.

[Dan Garcia]

Originally Posted by JohnLund

Hey Dan...I definitely think you will get more out of the game by moving up to the middle tees. Nothing builds confidence faster than shooting for the pin versus trying to merely get it on the green in regulation. Couple that with the inspiration you get from watching your handicap index go down and you will be on your way to more competitive play. As a course marshal and course starter, I used to say to guests when asked what tees to play, "Play the middle tees and then move back if you start making too many birdies!" Much more fun and you can easily keep up with the group ahead of you. Have fun Dan and enjoy this the greatest game. John L

Thanks John L. Your advice is definitely appreciated. What's the distance at your course from the middle tees?

[Dan Garcia]

Originally Posted by DocPangloss

I agree with yatzr. When you are using low-mid irons for approach shots, you are giving yourself a reasonable shot at par on every hole. If and when you miss the green, you have a chance at up-and-down for par.

When you are almost always looking at 3 shots to make it onto a par 4, you never feel bad about not making par, and reasonably so. But the best way to improve your game is to learn how to scramble for par, since basically until you are a scratch golfer you should be much more concerned about not making bogeys (or worse) than anything else. If you never feel the pressure to par a hole via your short game, then you're not learning how to play well as fast as you could be.

And for that reason, you should move up a tee box, or two, until you can reach most of the par 4s in two. Once you are capable of reaching all of the par 4s on the course in regulation, try stepping back a tee box.

Doc - forgive my misunderstanding...but what exactly do you mean by "scramble for par"? I tried googling it, but came up emptyhanded.

[DocPangloss]

with regards to Wikipedia

when a player misses the green in regulation , but still makes par or better on a hole. Scrambling percentage is one of many statistics kept by the PGA Tour. ...

[Dan Garcia]

Originally Posted by DocPangloss

with regards to Wikipedia

when a player misses the green in regulation, but still makes par or better on a hole. Scrambling percentage is one of many statistics kept by the PGA Tour. ...

Got it. Thanks, it makes sense. I can imagine it would be much more fun (and definitely increase confidence) if I was consistently GIRing and even had more opportunities for birdies.

[JohnLund]

Glad to help Dan. My home course plays 6,250 yards from the blues. During wet or windy weather I move up to the whites at 6,000. When playing a new course I look at the score card to check the slope and try to match the new course's yardage with my home course's slope which is 126. I reckon this best suits my course handicap of 12/13. Does that make sense? Cheers, John L

[mdl]

Agree that to some degree it's a personal preference thing.  But in general I have a hard time believing shooting a 130+ isn't slowing down play.  I've never played with anyone shooting that kind of score who didn't significantly slow down play unless they picked up their ball on like their worst 50% of holes.  And if someone at that level was playing 7000 yard tees with me and turning my 4 hour round into a 5 hour round I'd be really annoyed.

Think about it.  If you're playing with, say, an 80s player.  He tees off, then you tee off, hitting a not so good drive.  You walk to your ball, line up your shot, then chip out of the trees.  Then you walk out to your ball and hit a hybrid.  Now maybe the 80s player still has to wait for you to walk up to your ball and line up your shot and hit a wedge to the green, or maybe chip out again after a bad hybrid and then hit that wedge to the green.  Now the 80s player has waited for you to hit 2-5 shots before he gets to hit his second.  Not that you're not allowed to be a beginner, but if you're hitting 6 shots to the green on a fair number of holes, then even if the course is pretty open, if you've got other people in your group you're making their round WAY slower.

If you're solo or only with friends and not holding anyone behind you up, then yeah, it's totally personal preference and if you enjoy having to play a lot of par 4s as par 5s cause of the added challenge, then go for it.

[meenman]

I have to agree with the others that said you are slowing up play when you shoot a 130. At 110 you can keep up with the pace, but averaging 7+ shots a hole - you dont have a prayer.

I will never understand the fascination with those that want to play tees beyond their skill level. We all joke in my group that we cant wait to hit 55 so we can move up to the senior tees in tournaments.

The blue tees at my course are rarely used except for the club championship. I see plus handicap golfers playing from the same white tees the rest of us play with all the time.

The goal of the game is to shoot as close to par as you can, not to shoot triple digit scores just to get your money's worth. You may occasionally make par on a par 5, but you are begging for 7's + 8's on par 3's.

It is a lot easier to hit a good 7,8,9 iron twice than it is to hit a 3 wood twice.

[walk18]

Dan, I live 2 minutes from Foxford and play there all the time. That course is a bear from the tips. Wouldn't you at least want a chance to break 100? There's more than enough challenge from the gold tees.

[max power]

If you keep pace then it's your business.  But if you move up you will speed up, and I think you'll improve at exactly the same pace.  I usually play the white tees until I break 80 at a course, unless they're especially short.  If after moving up you keep getting better and start hitting par 4s in regulation with  mid or short irons I'm pretty sure you'll find you've gotten better at hitting longer irons as well.  You're just a beginner, so there's absolutely no shame in shooting 130, but it is some pretty bad golf, and I'd move up and focus on breaking 100.

[Jmdmbike]

What do you think about the actual play though? Usually on an average par 4, I'll hit: driver -> 4h -> wedge and then 2-3 putt. Would you consider a game more enjoyable it was Driver -> 7i (GIR) and putt?

I'd definitely try and move up. Even if pace of play isn't an issue, not having a realistic shot at a GIR on a typical par 4 can't be enjoyable. I think hitting your 2nd into a par 4 is going to be much ore enjoyable than playing them as 3 shot holes, essentially a par 5. Just my 2 cents.

[Roblar]

I started out playing the tips, but sometime before I broke 100, I moved up to the senior tees, and I did it primarily as motivation to improve.

I'm pretty competitive, so I moved up to the senior tees and wouldn't let myself move to the 'blues' until I broke 90.  Then I set a goal of breaking 80 before I moved back to the tips.

Now, every time I shoot over 90, I go back to the senior tees and work my way back to the tips.

It's good motivation for me, and changing the tees helps me use all my clubs.

Do what you want -- obviously -- but I think it might be a fun challenge to set for yourself to play some forward tees until you break 100 / 90 / 80.

It makes the game a bit more meaningful for me.

[Harmonious]

I see one of two scenarios here.  Either the OP plays with guys who are better than him, in which case they are probably in agony watching him take 40-50 extra strokes per round, helping him search for an additional 5 or so lost balls, and constantly making sure that the group is maintaining pace of play. Or, the OP plays with guys who play as poorly as him, in which case there is no way they aren't holding up play, especially on weekends.  Move up to a reasonable tee box until you are able to play farther back. Your game, your playing partners and the groups waiting behind you will thank you.

[GJBenn85]

Playing from the correct tees is really a pet peeve of mine.  If you are not a long hitter, stay off the back tees, especially if the course is busy.  I get so tired of seeing terrible golfers playing from the tips and slowing down play because they refuse to play according to their actual skill instead of ego.

[clubchamp]

Move up playing from the back tees isn't really going to do anything for you except make you shoot a higher score.

[Motley01]

You know what would be nice. Is at every course. The starters or marshals enforcing tee assignments.

It's very simple. "Hi sir, what is your handicap. OK you'll be playing the blue tees today".

But then again, some courses don't even have marshals to keep pace of play moving along.

Wishfull thinking....

[Dan Garcia]

Guys, thank you for your recommendations.

I snuck in 9 at Maple Meadows in Wooddale today, and per your recommendations, I moved up a tee box and played from the whites. (ON A SIDE NOTE - once again, the course was empty...so I could have easily played from the back tees without holding anyone up). From the white tees, I shot 3 pars, 4 bogeys and 2 double bogeys.

I agree with those of you who get annoyed of people who play outside of their skill level and hold up other golfers . This is not the case for me. Although my scores are high...I keep up with the pace of play.

Quote:

I started out playing the tips, but sometime before I broke 100, I moved up to the senior tees, and I did it primarily as motivation to improve.

I'm pretty competitive, so I moved up to the senior tees and wouldn't let myself move to the 'blues' until I broke 90.  Then I set a goal of breaking 80 before I moved back to the tips.

Now, every time I shoot over 90, I go back to the senior tees and work my way back to the tips.

It's good motivation for me, and changing the tees helps me use all my clubs.

Do what you want -- obviously -- but I think it might be a fun challenge to set for yourself to play some forward tees until you break 100 / 90 / 80.

It makes the game a bit more meaningful for me.

Roblar, this sounds like a great idea. I think I'll do this as well.

[Dan Garcia]

Originally Posted by JohnLund

Glad to help Dan. My home course plays 6,250 yards from the blues. During wet or windy weather I move up to the whites at 6,000. When playing a new course I look at the score card to check the slope and try to match the new course's yardage with my home course's slope which is 126. I reckon this best suits my course handicap of 12/13. Does that make sense? Cheers, John L

This makes perfect sense. I have to check what my handicap is in order to determine the best choice of tees. I really liked the idea of finding the tees which maximize my use of my irons.