What tee to play from?

[cnl390]

This could be a very easy question, or could open a can of worms.

How does one choose what is the correct tee to play from?  My buddies and I always play from the white tees (usually around 70/123 rating) and shoot between 97-115.

[Patch]

I would think if you played the next shorter St of tees, you would save a few strokes.

I play from the whites, but at our course, the tees are so close together, it really does not matter. I shoot scores in the 80s.

You could always ask the counter guy, based on your scores, what tees you should play from.

Another option is some score cards recommend which tee box to used, based on the player's handicap. 

[chilepepper]

Two things come to mind

a. It depends on the course

b. If I need to hit more than a 7i into most par 4s I’m playing tees too long for my game

[Northwoods88]

I play from whites, I normally shoot around 110. I am trying to improve my game it's my first year, I am not so worried about what I score. I find it easier to be consistent when I play from whites no matter what course I play. It helps me track my progress. I suppose I could move to the senior tee and save a few strokes but I feel like that isn't helping me improve.

[cnl390]

Just now, Northwoods88 said:

I play from whites, I normally shoot around 110. I am trying to improve my game it's my first year, I am not so worried about what I score. I find it easier to be consistent when I play from whites no matter what course I play. It helps me track my progress. I suppose I could move to the senior tee and save a few strokes but I feel like that isn't helping me improve.

I agree, but am also thinking about pace of play. When the course is fairly crowded we find ourselves letting groups behind us play through.

[Northwoods88]

Just now, cnl390 said:

I agree, but am also thinking about pace of play. When the course is fairly crowded we find ourselves letting groups behind us play through.

I normally play by myself, when I do go out in a group we all shoot about the same score and still play from the whites. If it is really crowded we split into two teams and play scramble golf which speeds it up. The way I see it is as long as you aren't taking forever to look for balls and are moving as fast as you can I don't care about having to let people pass.

I paid the same price to play golf as they did, just because my skill level is different from them doesn't mean I should have to play from shorter tees.

[jimnm]

I was once paired up with a couple of senior golfers and they advised that one should play the tees that will put the fairway bunkers in play with a typical drive. This made a lot of sense to me...

Since I usually play as a single, I'll play from either Green (6350) or Black (6780) depending on the majority of the group I'm paired with. But I prefer Green.

The other two options at my home course are Gold (5850) and Silver (5190). I would not play either Gold or Silver, even if the majority of my group chose to do so. It would be too short for me.

[HJJ003]

There is a great thread on this already.

 

[colin007]

24 minutes ago, cnl390 said:

I agree, but am also thinking about pace of play. When the course is fairly crowded we find ourselves letting groups behind us play through.

This is probably not because of the tees you play from.

[rehmwa]

14 minutes ago, jimnm said:

I was once paired up with a couple of senior golfers and they advised that one should play the tees that will put the fairway bunkers in play with a typical drive. This made a lot of sense to me...

 

nice perspective there - that way you are more likely playing as the designers intended intended in terms of risk reward (for the drive anyway)

I like to play different tees on the same course - it's a great way to mix it up and get different challenges and looks.  My only advice is to play whatever you like, but if you are slowing down the field, then you should shorten up (unless you are just slow in general, then learn ready golf).

I like 6500 +/-200 as my 'zone' - it 'typically' keeps the Par 3's from being idiotically long, and usually gives a couple par 4's with longish irons on approach, but the rest decently scattered to my 8i or less - seems like par 5's then also tend to give me at least a chance to consider going for the greens in 2.

[allenc]

If you can't shoot in the 80s, move forward a set of tees.  Repeat.

[Club Rat]

When I bring friends to my club, pending their ability, I typically suggest playing what I feel they will enjoy and not beat themselves up.
Somedays, the course is dry and fairways run, I may suggest moving back.
If the course has had a ton of rain, I'll suggest we move up.
Also, if the wind is a bear, I'll make the play up.

If they struggle, I move them up on harder holes or up for the rest of the round.

[dennyjones]

There is a stigma regarding playing from the forward tees.    There shouldn't be.   I practice from the forward tees and the longer tees because it puts different shots into play.    @HJJ003 had some great advise, read that thread.   @allenc also put it more blunt but I believe correctly...

You don't have to play from the tips or any specified tees to get your money's worth.  

[LeftyWhiff]

I generally play from the white tees, but I play frequently in a threesome with seniors. 2 of us play in the 90s mostly now, one scores considerably higher but is reasonably quick playing. We've been gravitating toward the senior tees. The enticement is the chance for better scores, and a chance to have a few approach shots with scoring irons. Overall, though, I'm not sure our scores are any better from the yellow tees. Speed of play isn't an issue, and not a factor in our tee choices.    

[Buckeyebowman]

Back in the day, when I could really launch the ball, I played from the blues. As time went on and I lost some distance I moved up to the whites. Now (I'll be 66 next month), my buddy and I have moved up to the gold tees.

But, there are different kinds of gold tees. Some older courses were set up for blue, white, and red tees, so they just stick the gold tees in the same tee box just behind the reds. This bruises the ego a bit, but it's just not in the budget to build new tee boxes just for seniors. And moving back to the whites is not an option. On some courses I can't reach the longer par 4's with even a good drive and good 3 wood! I have to play them like par 5's!

So, I'll stick to the golds. It's fun having chances at birdies and eagles again instead of slugging my brains out in futility!

[Moxley]

I'm in the UK, where I think it's more simple. I play from the yellow tees, unless it's a competition, in which case I play from the white tees. The ladies play from the red tees. 

I don't think I've ever played on a course where there has been a choice. Would be interested to know if that is the experience of others in the UK, just seems a bit more set in stone over here. 

[RussUK]

26 minutes ago, Moxley said:

I'm in the UK, where I think it's more simple. I play from the yellow tees, unless it's a competition, in which case I play from the white tees. The ladies play from the red tees. 

I don't think I've ever played on a course where there has been a choice. Would be interested to know if that is the experience of others in the UK, just seems a bit more set in stone over here. 

^^ same here. Yellows (or Mens Tees as it still says on some score cards ). If i ever played the whites i think i'd end up a jibbering wreck by the the back 9!

[rehmwa]

You guys are killing me - the color of the tees doesn't really matter.  Courses come in various distances.  On my last two rounds, the Blue on one course was 7100 yards, and on the 2nd course they were 6200 yards.

I played 'whites' the first day and it was a longer course than the 'blues' on the other day. 

Quoting colors is meaningless, and, frankly, I think the oversimplification where one focuses on the tee colors as an ego validation vs matching ones playing ability to proper course length is a big part of the problem. 

(One day I was on a short course, the 'blues' (or blacks, whatever) were 6200.  I get to the first tee and go to the blues - one guy makes a joke "wow, big hitter".......really?  My example is to just provide a 'feel' here of how people falsely look at the subject.)

Edited August 21, 2018 by rehmwa