When do you start playing blues?

[TexasTom]

I am not a long driver, I am getting more consistent throughout the game, so my handicap is improving, but I still play whites. Is there a point that someone should start playing from the longer tees? Or is it just for the longer drivers out there?

[Lihu]

I am not a long driver, I am getting more consistent throughout the game, so my handicap is improving, but I still play whites. Is there a point that someone should start playing from the longer tees? Or is it just for the longer drivers out there?

Any time you want, as long as you don't hold up pace of play.

[Ernest Jones]

I thought this was a guitar question...

[Golfingdad]

Whenever I get down.  Whether it's because I lost my job, or because my dog died, or because my lady done left me.   But as long as I still have my guitar, I'll be OK.

Screw you EJ!  I had this entire post written, then got sidetracked by a work question before I could hit submit, and you snuck in in front of me.

[TexasTom]

sheet, thats what I get for not reading the post before I posted.. :)

[Golfingdad]

sheet, thats what I get for not reading the post before I posted.. :)

In all seriousness though ... as far as I'm concerned, it's about fun.  If you think you'd have more fun playing the blues, then by all means, go for it!  If not, stay at the whites.  There are no rules.

[SavvySwede]

I am not a long driver, I am getting more consistent throughout the game, so my handicap is improving, but I still play whites. Is there a point that someone should start playing from the longer tees? Or is it just for the longer drivers out there?

Really depends on the course. If the extra length is going to kill your GIR% because you have to hit too many long irons into the greens I would suggest you not play the back tees. If you can still shoot within 2-3 strokes of your usual score without much trouble I suggest you move back.

[newtogolf]

I started regularly playing from the blue tees because that's where all of our club tournaments are played from and I wanted to gain experience playing on the longer course.  I don't typically hit my driver longer than 240 yards so it hurts most on one particular par 4 that plays 308 from the whites and 389 from the blue.   My course isn't very long so I'd expect that on longer courses the additional yardage difference between the two tees is even greater.

[The Recreational Golfer]

If you have to hit a hybrid or fairway wood for your second shot on the par 4s too many times, those tees are too long for you. Remember the point of recreational golf is to challenge yourself but still have fun.

[Lihu]

If you have to hit a hybrid or fairway wood for your second shot on the par 4s too many times, those tees are too long for you. Remember the point of recreational golf is to challenge yourself but still have fun.

It doesn't really matter how he plays the hole, I played with plenty of people who make greens with fairway woods and hybrids. Not everyone hits 400 yard par 4 greens with a PW or 9i. . .

The main thing is that the people behind him are also having fun.

[The Recreational Golfer]

@Lihu

My point was that if he is playing most of the par 4s with the longer clubs, that's making golf harder than it should be.

Of course, you can do what you want to, but why not have a few par 4s you can hit short irons into?

[mvmac]

I am not a long driver, I am getting more consistent throughout the game, so my handicap is improving, but I still play whites. Is there a point that someone should start playing from the longer tees? Or is it just for the longer drivers out there?

As others have said, it depends on the course. In our SoCal outings we play the blues all the time but they typically aren't the "back tees". We just had an outing from the blues and the yardage was 6550 yards.

[Lihu]

@Lihu

My point was that if he is playing most of the par 4s with the longer clubs, that's making golf harder than it should be.

Of course, you can do what you want to, but why not have a few par 4s you can hit short irons into?

I completely agree with you, and enjoy golf under these conditions as well. I've just seen lots of other people enjoy golf even when they need to use woods and hybrids on what I feel are relatively short approaches.

[boogielicious]

I thought this was a guitar question...

Whenever I get down.  Whether it's because I lost my job, or because my dog died, or because my lady done left me.   But as long as I still have my guitar, I'll be OK.

Screw you EJ!  I had this entire post written, then got sidetracked by a work question before I could hit submit, and you snuck in in front of me.

Drew, you forgot about your pickup truck!

@TexasTom

Unless I was gaining distance as I improved, I would stick with the whites.  I'm 55 and moving back is not a reality for me anymore.

[nevets88]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

I thought this was a guitar question...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Whenever I get down.  Whether it's because I lost my job, or because my dog died, or because my lady done left me.   But as long as I still have my guitar, I'll be OK.

Screw you EJ!  I had this entire post written, then got sidetracked by a work question before I could hit submit, and you snuck in in front of me.

Drew, you forgot about your pickup truck!

Ya'll don't know nuthin'. You don't really start playin' the blues until you make a deal w/the devil at the crossroads.

[inthehole]

I thought this was a guitar question...

... same here.   I've been playing 80's metal well, since the 80's ... still suck at playing blues.   Haven't lived hard enough to play blues I guess.

On topic ... why make the game harder - if you're not a long hitter, why torture yourself by playing tees too long for you.   I average 240 ish - I don't care if I ever play anything longer than 6100 yds or thereabouts (typical white tees)

[saevel25]

I am not a long driver, I am getting more consistent throughout the game, so my handicap is improving, but I still play whites. Is there a point that someone should start playing from the longer tees? Or is it just for the longer drivers out there?

I would say don't worry about which color tees you play. Worry about the yardage.

http://www.pga.com/pga-and-usga-step-new-sets-tees-in-nationwide-tee-it-forward-initiative

I like the chart on the let of the page. You want to average hitting mid-irons into the green. So 8 or 7 irons.

[Jeremie Boop]

I would also like to mention, that moving back doesn't always just increase yardage, it can also introduce more hazards, forced carries, tighter tee shots, etc.