When do you start playing blues?

[JoeSeaton]

I'm 14 and play off the 6800 yard blacks out here in Australia the ball goes about 15-20 yards shorter out here due to ultra slow fairways so my average drive is 220 (I'm 5 foot 7 inches) this has made me a better player than when I used to play off the 6000 yard course that I played 7 months ago in the UK I enjoy the challenge and can play decent low 80s golf on the championship course. Plus it's more fun shooting 82 on a championship course than shooting 78 on a 6000 yard course

[mcanadiens]

Something just dawned on me seeing this thread.

I play whites almost always. In August, I'll play my first tournament (a club championship) and I don't know if I'll have to play off the tips or not. If so, that can be painful on our longer course.

[TexasTom]

Played 6200 this weekend, couldn't make long Par 4's in 2 but my 58 wedge flopped near the hole on 3 occasions and let me save Par.. Seriously, a Chip-an-a-putt is a real thing???

[anthony]

I'll play the blues when my handicap is a single digit. Even then, that will only be when I'm by myself, or if I find new golf buddies.

[imsys0042]

Something just dawned on me seeing this thread.

I play whites almost always. In August, I'll play my first tournament (a club championship) and I don't know if I'll have to play off the tips or not. If so, that can be painful on our longer course.

I'm in the reverse case.   For anything other than the club championship I play from one in front the standard men's tees.   They flight things a little differently than I've seen before at my place.   Which means that I rarely play where the championships are held!

Championship Flight -  Back tees (also cannot use drop areas)

First Flight -  Standard men's tees   (this is done by handicap range)

Second Flight (remainder) -  this is from the Third set of tees, which is one in front of the standard men's tees.

That's medal play.  Also the match play championship is like this.   Top flight is from the standard men's tees and everything else from one in front of the standard men's tees.   This is because there are a number of lower handicaps who don't play the back tees, so it starts at the standard men's tees.

The Championship flight for medal play is opt-in only.   If you don't want to play 27 holes a day, two days, from the back tees with no drop zones, then you play in the First Flight.

[newtogolf]

I'll play the blues when my handicap is a single digit. Even then, that will only be when I'm by myself, or if I find new golf buddies.

Every club/course uses different colors for their tee boxes.  At my club we have;

• Red for ladies
• White for seniors/high cappers
• Blue standard tees / tournaments tees
• Black are the championship tees

All tournaments and scrambles play from the blue tee boxes except for the club championship tournament which plays from the black tees so if you want to participate in any of the club events you have to get used to playing from the blue tee boxes or you'll be at a disadvantage.

[mdl]

I like the rule of thumb that you should play the tees closest to 36 times the distance you carry your 5i on an average shot.  For me that gives 6,840, which is exactly right.  At that distance there's usually a mix of holes that are challenging because of the length and holes that are birdie opportunities because of the length.  Above 7,000 yards and the course feels challenging long all around.  Around 6,500 yards it feels like there's a bunch of short hole birdie opportunities and at most one or two challengingly long holes.

My own rule of thumb rec is that you should only move back to a distance significantly above that 36 * 5i yardage distance only if you get down to mid single digit handicap territory, shooting regularly in the 70s, and you want more distance challenge.

[Shindig]

Something just dawned on me seeing this thread.  I play whites almost always. In August, I'll play my first tournament (a club championship) and I don't know if I'll have to play off the tips or not. If so, that can be painful on our longer course.

That depends on your flight. I doubt the highest-handicap flight plays the tips, even in the club championship. At my home club, we have four flights for the CC, with the A-flight at the tips, B and C at blue, D at white. We also have a combo tee set, which uses some from all three, but isn't in use for that event. [quote name="newtogolf" url="/t/82416/when-do-you-start-playing-blues/54#post_1152684"][QUOTE name="anthony" url="/t/82416/when-do-you-start-playing-blues/30_30#post_1152609"]   I'll play the blues when my handicap is a single digit. Even then, that will only be when I'm by myself, or if I find new golf buddies. [/QUOTE] [LIST] [*] Red for ladies [*] White for seniors/high cappers [*] Blue standard tees / tournaments tees [*] Black are the championship tees [/LIST] [/quote] That sounds horrible. Every woman from my mother to Michelle Wie would have to play the same tees at your place?

[mcanadiens]

That depends on your flight. I doubt the highest-handicap flight plays the tips, even in the club championship. At my home club, we have four flights for the CC, with the A-flight at the tips, B and C at blue, D at white. We also have a combo tee set, which uses some from all three, but isn't in use for that event.

That sounds horrible. Every woman from my mother to Michelle Wie would have to play the same tees at your place?

I suppose you are probably right.

They'll surely have a lower flight for people like me. Lord knows there's enough guys running around Kittyhawk that are at least as bad as I am. Having us hacks go off the tips on the Eagle Course sounds like a nightmare.

[newtogolf]

That sounds horrible. Every woman from my mother to Michelle Wie would have to play the same tees at your place?

I'm not sure how you reached that conclusion.  The red tees are the ladies tees but we're permitted to play any tees we want as long as we complete the round in 4:15.  The Ladies Tournaments are conducted from the white or blue tees depending on flight.

[Shindig]

[QUOTE name="Shindig" url="/t/82416/when-do-you-start-playing-blues/60_30#post_1152702"] That sounds horrible. Every woman from my mother to Michelle Wie would have to play the same tees at your place?[/QUOTE] I'm not sure how you reached that conclusion.  The red tees are the ladies tees but we're permitted to play any tees we want as long as we complete the round in 4:15.  The Ladies Tournaments are conducted from the white or blue tees depending on flight.

My apologies; I thought the reference would be readily apparent. It's mostly that the phrase "Ladies' Tees" is a pet peeve of mine.

[Lihu]

I like the rule of thumb that you should play the tees closest to 36 times the distance you carry your 5i on an average shot.  For me that gives 6,840, which is exactly right.  At that distance there's usually a mix of holes that are challenging because of the length and holes that are birdie opportunities because of the length.  Above 7,000 yards and the course feels challenging long all around.  Around 6,500 yards it feels like there's a bunch of short hole birdie opportunities and at most one or two challengingly long holes. My own rule of thumb rec is that you should only move back to a distance significantly above that 36 * 5i yardage distance only if you get down to mid single digit handicap territory, shooting regularly in the 70s, and you want more distance challenge.

I like the 36 times carry 5i or 28 times carry driver for maximum "challenge" as well, but nothing stops us from playing whatever we like. 6800 feels perfect for me even though my 5i carry indicates 6670 yards would be better. Just means I need to club up a few times a round.

[mdl]

I like the 36 times carry 5i or 28 times carry driver for maximum "challenge" as well, but nothing stops us from playing whatever we like.

6800 feels perfect for me even though my 5i carry indicates 6670 yards would be better. Just means I need to club up a few times a round.

Of course.  You can play whatever tees you want, at least up to the distance at which you can keep pace.  Hell, on a course with no one behind you, play from behind the tips and make the course 7,400 yards if you want to.  I just like that rule of thumb for giving a length with a good mix of long and shorter holes.  If you like the way courses play longer or shorter than that, that's cool.  I just think that's a good distance to start from if you're wondering how long of tees you should play.

[mcanadiens]

It's a matter of common sense really.

As a distance-challenged individual, I know that anything around 7,000 yards is flat stupid. I do play one course that is 6700 from the whites occasionally when I feel like abusing myself. Honestly there is just no real chance at birdie of many of those holes. Most of my rounds come on courses between 6,000 and 6,400 and I still play a little short course that is just a shade under 5,000.

I don't hold anyone up and adjust my expectation levels accordingly.