When is it time to switch to a different set of teeboxes?

[Mr.Buckethead]

At what point should a golfer move back to a different set of tees? When will you move back?


As for me, I normally play from the whites at my club (they are the 2nd to the back tees--blues). However, my brother-in-law, a 2 handicap should be playing from the blues in order to get ready for the club championship and other tournaments that he is entering. So, lately we have been playing from the tips and I have seen that my golf game has numerous holes in it. I shoot anywhere from 77-83 from the whites but I have shot 87-93 when I have played from the back tees.

What I have noticed is this:
-my driver distance (275-300 depending on roll) has allowed me to hit either a 9, PW, of GW for my approach shots when I play from the whites.
-When I play from the blues, I have to hit 5-8 iron and I am forced to shape my drives more (which I don't do, I just hit a nice draw).
-My 10.2 handicap is not really indicative as to my playing ability. I think I am much worse because I play like crap from the blue tees.

I plan on moving to the back tees next season. I am going to stick with the whites because the club championship is in a few weeks and my flight will tee off from there. However, I do not think I am improving my game or my swing when I am hitting wedges into the greens.

[despereaux]

My goodness, how long are the blue tees at your club? If you can consistently hit a driver 275-300 yrds you should almost ALWAYS have a wedge into any green, even from the blues...at a minimum 7 or 8 iron.

Let's take a look....longest theorteical hole at a non PGA tournament course for a par 4 is probably 430 yards (at least the ones I play on). So if you pound it out to 280 (to be conservative) you've only got a little 7 or maybe a smooth 8 to the green. And that will probably be only 1 of the par fours, likely the longest...the rest are prolly more like 400 yarders or so - chump change when you are pounding the ball like you are.

You sure you hit your tee shot that far that often?

Are you a member at Sugarloaf or some other TPC course that is very long?

Have I been gone from the game so long that they are Tiger proofing everycourse there is?

To answer your original question...I've seen most courses post that the back tees are for folks with single digit handicaps. Probably a good measure to go by.....

[Mr.Buckethead]

To be honest, I have only played my home course from the blues less than 4 times.

As for the drive, I generally get it out there that far, but, at times I get a hook or a terrible shot.

It was not so much the par 4's that hurt me, it was the lengthened par 3's ( 200, 185, 170, 210). It was also the chutes and the change in approach angles. The blues also put more hazards into play for me.

[iacas]

I've gotta call B.S. on this. I think you have drastically overestimated your driver length. If you hit the ball 275-300, your 5-iron goes at least 200 yards, and there aren't many 480-500 yard par fours at regular golf courses around the country. And par threes all measuring under 211 yards really shouldn't pose any problems if you hit your driver 275 on your "weak" drives.

Which is just another way of saying what despereaux said...

Something's off. If you want some help from us, be honest.

To answer your original question: learn to hit a 5-iron to approach some of the greens regardless of how far you hit your driver. Then play from those tees. And be honest about your driver length.

[Mr.Buckethead]

I really am being honest about my driver length. When I hit it, it goes 280-300. The ninth hole at my course is 385 yards. I was inside 15 paces from the 100 yard mark. I have played with +4 to 3 handicappers and I am just as long as any of them when I hit the ball, the bad part is that a well struck shot occurs maybe 60 percent of the time. When it goes bad the other 4 times, it usually puts me OB.


"And par threes all measuring under 211 yards really shouldn't pose any problems if you hit your driver 275 on your "weak" drives."

Yeah, because no one can be good with a driver but have trouble with a long iron. We all have strengths and weaknesses.

I know what I need to do to improve my game. I am not asking for anyone's help in my original post, go back and read it.

So, aside from calling BS on my driver distance, when did other people decide it was time to move to the back tees? Perhaps we can answer the brunt of my thread.

[iacas]

So, aside from calling BS on my driver distance, when did other people decide it was time to move to the back tees? Perhaps we can answer the brunt of my thread.

I already answered your question. Learn to hit a 5-iron on up. When you can, go back to those 500-yard par four tees.

[lamebums]

Right now I hit from the white tees, although I plan to move back to the blues pretty soon, when I consistently shoot in the mid 80's (I can do it once a week perhaps, but then I follow it with a smooth 95.) At my courses, it usually only means 20-30 yards on each hole. My long game is decent although I'm not particularly long - 250 on average with the driver, 185-190 with the 5 iron. I have trouble making any weight shift at all without spraying my shots really badly, so until I figure that out I am powering the swing entirely with my arms and upper body.

I'd say the line is best drawn if you're a single handicap or not, give or take a few strokes (You will invariably add a few shots when you move back).

[Shindig]

At what point should a golfer move back to a different set of tees? When will you move back?

If your scorecard doesn't list a handicap suggestion, single-digits should be the breakpoint for whites vs blues. If you're accurately measuring your drives - are these your consistent driver length or your career drives? - then what are your iron distances? Let's assume you're accurately measuring the distances on everything. Here's my suggestion: play from the whites with nothing stronger than a 5-Wood / 2 Hybrid in the bag. That way, you can see if it's the driver shape or the distance on irons holding you back. Work on that, and when you can get back to your 'usual' white score with this bag combination, go back to your usual 14 clubs and play from the blues. If the shot shaping requirement bugs you, go to your pro for a lesson on shot shaping that you'll need on that course.

[Fourputt]

You say your handicap is 10.2 from the whites. What does that translate to for course handicap, and how does that course handicap change when you play the blues? It WILL change because your course should have a significantly higher rating frm the blues than it does from the whites. My course is rated at 69.4 (120 slope) from the whites (6500 yards), but the rating goes up 2 strokes to 71.5 (127 slope) from the blues (6950 yards). My 12.2 index makes me a 13 from the whites, but a 14 from the blues.

Had you established your handicap from the blue tees, it would reflect that. Moving up to a higher tee box is always going to be a traumatic experience for most players, but it's necessary to change up your game. You need to play different courses and different tees or you get into a "comfort zone" where you never have to make any decisions. That is when your handicap suffers from inflation... and you get the false impression that you are better than you really are.

In order to truly establish a portable handicap, you need to take it on the road... play unfamiliar courses and different tee boxes on a regular basis. It may be uncomfortable at first, but you WILL play better golf in the long run.

[despereaux]

Another piece of advice not related to you teebox question....

When I STOPPED hitting driver all the time and started playing my tee shot to set up 2nd shot distance, my scores got a MUCH lower.

To wit, you stand on a 340 yard par four (obviously white tee boxes)...barring any trouble/hazard on this type of hole, I would typically pull out my hybrid (goes about 210) or my 3-metal (about 230). When I hit the fairway I've got a 9 iron or a wedge left. As I've learned in my "comeback" after a 2 yr absence, it is very difficult to play feel wedge shots well all the time. Its much easier to dial in "a full wedge".

Similarly, if you are standing on a tee box of a 550 yard par 5, why bother with the driver? For most of us mortals its going to be a 3 shot hole, unless conditions are such that your drive can "run out" to 300. Hit the 3 metal, hybrid, or maybe even a 4 iron. See if you playing partners scoff and mock you when you are consdering your layup shot while they are off into the trees hunting a ball contemplating the "walk of shame" back up to the tee box.

My $0.02.

[golfchief]

It's not just the color of the tees your playing from you have to look at the yardage the tees are playing too. All course have different distances from the color of tees your at so start looking at the total course yardage from the tees you want to play. Some courses it's as little as 300 yards others maybe 400-600 yards between the whites and blues.

[Roody]

I see so many guys who DON'T belong on the blue tees when I'm out playing on the weekends. It's pretty hilarious when the group ahead of you hits from the blue tee, and 2 or 3 of the guys either shank it, or hit it off into the trees somewhere.

I think with some guys it's a macho thing to play from no less than the blues. Myself, being a 15 handicap, I figure I better at least start shooting in the high 70's from the whites before I think of moving to the blues consistently. The only time I really shoot from the blues anymore is if we're playing a really short course, or during my weekly league (not really by choice in that situation since that's the rules of the league).

[iacas]

You say your handicap is 10.2 from the whites. What does that translate to for course handicap, and how does that course handicap change when you play the blues?

I assumed because it was a decimal it was his handicap index.

But either way, you're right: your actual handicap (whole strokes) is relative to the tees. How much would your handicap go up from playing the whites to the blues? I often play the blacks at Lake View - they're not much harder (if any) than the blues. But I won't play the blacks at Whispering Woods (I probably should eventually) yet and I'm only a 2.6. Hit from whatever tees make you comfortable.

[Undr Par]

I see so many guys who DON'T belong on the blue tees when I'm out playing on the weekends. It's pretty hilarious when the group ahead of you hits from the blue tee, and 2 or 3 of the guys either shank it, or hit it off into the trees somewhere.

I agree, good 1st post by the way, the blue tees are for LOW cappers (single digits imho) ..........if the course is empty fine play from the blues, but if it's a weekend and the traffic is as expected, if your not a low capper (say 1-5) stay off of them.....

[The Golfing Polack]

I played from the blues for a while, but on the course I normally played it only added around 10 yards a hole, which increased my sand wedge to a gap wedge, which I hit better anyway. Lately I've been playing more with my dad, who plays the whites, so I do to. It really hasn't brought my handicap down at all. I usually tee off with my hybrid, even from the blues, which will leave me a 6 iron at most into most par 4's.

[Jeepthrills]

On two of the courses we play regularly we will often play from the Blues. It doesn't add a ton of distance and on some of the shorter par 4's it actually helps me. Instead of hitting driver and 3/4 wedge I can hit a full wedge in and be more consistent. Length is not the only factor in selecting a tee box, although it should be considered. If you are a low handicap, but don't hit the ball very far off the tee, you can put yourself in a bad spot if you are playing a course with lots of forced carries off the tee.

The last few rounds I have played with my brother we have gone back to the blues in an effort to get ready for our upcomming golf trip. The courses we are playing are longer and even a good drive can leave you 200 into a par 4. I have also played a couple rounds where I have laid up off the tee to leave myself a longer approach shot. The courses I play don't have too many 450+ yard par 4's, so unless I miss hit my tee shot I am usually not holding more than a 7 iron for an approach.

[JustMe]

You say your handicap is 10.2 from the whites. What does that translate to for course handicap, and how does that course handicap change when you play the blues? It WILL change because your course should have a significantly higher rating frm the blues than it does from the whites. My course is rated at 69.4 (120 slope) from the whites (6500 yards), but the rating goes up 2 strokes to 71.5 (127 slope) from the blues (6950 yards). My 12.2 index makes me a 13 from the whites, but a 14 from the blues.

Bingo! My kid has a 7 handi....his drives range from 200 to 250. He switches tee boxes all of the time. He says, I don't play, that it changes the course, and it's good for him to play different clubs. For tourneys,and he knows the course will be long, then yes, he'll play from the tips for a week prior to the tourney. Heck he's played off the ladies just to work on his irons.

[M4t-Pro1]

Move to a differnt set of tee boxes when u feel your game needs to improve a bit more and ready for the challenge of a longer and tougher course, if you think ur gonna struggle at the moment moving backwards, dnt bother, will only drop your confidence.