PGA & USGA Tee It Forward Initiative

[Golf 'N Gator]

The PGA of America and the USGA have begun to promote their Tee It Forward Inititive suggesting that you move up to a set of tees based on driving distance. I sort of like the idea. Anything to speed up play and make golf more fun is good.

"
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- To help golfers have more fun on the course and enhance their overall experience by playing from a set of tees best suited to their abilities, The PGA of America and the United States Golf Association have partnered to support “TEE IT FORWARD,” a new national initiative to be proposed for golf facilities nationwide from July 5-17.
TEE IT FORWARD encourages all golfers to play the course at a length that is aligned with their average driving distance. Golfers can speed up play by utilizing tees that provide the greatest playability and enjoyment. The program will be promoted this week, at the 72nd Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid, and at both the U.S. Open Championship in June and the U.S. Women's Open Championship in July.

Read more; http://www.pga.com/pga-america/pga-...-tees-in-nationwide-tee-it-forward-initiative

Thoughts????

 

[MikeF]

I'm all for things like this, if it means people can enjoy there rounds more then it can only be a good thing in my opinion.

Hope they adopt the same approach over here in the UK

 

[RxGus]

I love the idea and am glad that people are addressing the issue but...

It doesn't stand a chance in heck of working.
It requires golfers put aside their ego, and honestly admit their playing ability. Even if you convince them to follow the guidelines, you have to convince them that 275 isn't there "average" drive in order for them step back to an appropriate distance.

The best part of the article to me was:

The 6,700-yard course that many amateur golfers play today is proportionally equivalent to a PGA Tour player competing on a course measuring 8,100 yards -- 700 yards or more longer than a typical PGA Tour layout.

I had never thought of it that way, but it really is true.

BTW- I am going to continue to play courses in the 7500 range, because this is obviously only for non-serious golfers. I personally have no problem playing golf from those distances and this does not apply to me. :act-up:

 

[coolbreeze]

Seems like I already play from the appropreate tee's but I like the idea. I hate getting caught behind a 4 some playing the tips who should be playing the whites.

 

[Golf 'N Gator]

I love the idea and am glad that people are addressing the issue but...

It doesn't stand a chance in heck of working.
It requires golfers put aside their ego, and honestly admit their playing ability. Even if you convince them to follow the guidelines, you have to convince them that 275 isn't there "average" drive in order for them step back to an appropriate distance.

The best part of the article to me was:


I had never thought of it that way, but it really is true.

BTW- I am going to continue to play courses in the 7000 range, because this is obviously only for non-serious golfers. I personally have no problem playing golf from those distances and this does not apply to me. :act-up:

I have to agree. Ego is the number one thing that holds most back from being better. I kicked the ego out of my bag twenty five years ago. I know of one course near me that requires you to play tees based on handicap (Purgatory). How much they police it remains to be seen, but the pace of play is pretty good there most all the time. Would be impossible to police though I would think as ego leads to lying when it comes to handicaps in some cases.

 

[RxGus]

I have to agree. Ego is the number one thing that holds most back from being better. I kicked the ego out of my bag twenty five years ago. I know of one course near me that requires you to play tees based on handicap (Purgatory). How much they police it remains to be seen, but the pace of play is pretty good there most all the time. Would be impossible to police though I would think as ego leads to lying when it comes to handicaps in some cases.

The reverse sandbagger... one of my favorite eccentricities in sports

 

[Golf 'N Gator]

The reverse sandbagger... one of my favorite eccentricities in sports

Sooo true!

 

[MattyKrack17]

i was out this past week and 4 asian guys were playing from the tips, its about 6800, i play from the whites 6400, needless to say not 1 of the 4 drove the ball anywhere near 250... made for a long day!!

they also had 250 left to a par 5, the group in fron tof them were still on the green, an dthey wait for the green to clear to hit their second shot, not one was even close to reaching in 2 ugh!!!!!

end rant, as this is the wrong thread lol

 

[JConn]

i was out this past week and 4 asian guys were playing from the tips, its about 6800, i play from the whites 6400, needless to say not 1 of the 4 drove the ball anywhere near 250... made for a long day!!

I get what you are saying and we've all been there, it is very frustrating.

But was the fact that they happened to be Asian really necessary? And just because they are Asian doesn't mean they can't drive the ball more than 250 yards like your "needless to say" implies.

People of all races and ethnicities play from the tips when they should be playing the white tees.

I am not Asian, and maybe I am reading too much in to this, but I found this to be slightly offensive and demeaning.

 

[Snap Hook]

i was out this past week and 4 asian guys were playing from the tips, its about 6800, i play from the whites 6400, needless to say not 1 of the 4 drove the ball anywhere near 250... made for a long day!!

they also had 250 left to a par 5, the group in fron tof them were still on the green, an dthey wait for the green to clear to hit their second shot, not one was even close to reaching in 2 ugh!!!!!

end rant, as this is the wrong thread lol

I get what you are saying and we've all been there, it is very frustrating.

But was the fact that they happened to be Asian really necessary? And just because they are Asian doesn't mean they can't drive the ball more than 250 yards like your "needless to say" implies.

People of all races and ethnicities play from the tips when they should be playing the white tees.

I am not Asian, and maybe I am reading too much in to this, but I found this to be slightly offensive and demeaning.

I"m asian, Its cool, he gets a pass. Not like he said they couldn't drive straight or anything.
My father always played the tips. He always used to say "i'm going to get my money's worth" Did this at Spyglass one year and had a horrible day.

One of the work groups I play with just moved the tees up. (around 6200) and overall it's been a huge benefit for most of them. I"m starting to get a little tired of 3wood then SW on every par 4 but my scorecard sure likes it!

 

[staticline]

It's not about fun. It's about getting your money's worth.

X / Y = Z

X = Green Fee
Y = Yardage (includes distance from back tee to middle of green as well as distance of me travelling from left rough to right rough, back to the left rough, going over to visit the turtles and the carp, hey let's go look at those houses over there)
Z = Value (just like golf, the lower the number, the better)

 

[Jeanthemachine]

Have to install a launch monitor at the first tee and give each player a flag that indicates the tees he (she) must play. And follow up.

 

[Sean]

From GHIN.com

TEE IT FORWARD
Guidelines for Selecting Tees
Driver Distance Recommended
18 Hole Yardages
PGA Tour Pro 7,600 - 7,900
300 7,150 - 7,400
275 6,700 - 6,900
250 6,200 - 6,400
225 5,800 - 6,000
200 5,200 - 5,400
175 4,400 - 4,600
150 3,500 - 3,700
125 2,800 - 3,000
100 2,100 - 2,300

The average male golfer drives the ball approximately 200 yards.

 

[Golf 'N Gator]

i was out this past week and 4 asian guys were playing from the tips, its about 6800, i play from the whites 6400, needless to say not 1 of the 4 drove the ball anywhere near 250... made for a long day!!

they also had 250 left to a par 5, the group in fron tof them were still on the green, an dthey wait for the green to clear to hit their second shot, not one was even close to reaching in 2 ugh!!!!!

end rant, as this is the wrong thread lol

At least it wasn't four of those bloody Canadians. Bad enough they send all the bad weather down to us......

 

[Golf 'N Gator]

From GHIN.com

TEE IT FORWARD
Guidelines for Selecting Tees
Driver Distance Recommended
18 Hole Yardages
PGA Tour Pro 7,600 - 7,900
300 7,150 - 7,400
275 6,700 - 6,900
250 6,200 - 6,400
225 5,800 - 6,000
200 5,200 - 5,400
175 4,400 - 4,600
150 3,500 - 3,700
125 2,800 - 3,000
100 2,100 - 2,300

The average male golfer drives the ball approximately 200 yards.

That is the best news I've gotten all spring! I average around 235/240 so I'm ABOVE average at something. YES!

 

[ogiebogie]

I think the tees are fine the way they are . Longer the better for me 7000 - 7200 range , maybe people should start going to the range a little more instead of playing 18 holes thats the only way they can learn

 

[Sean]

I think the tees are fine the way they are . Longer the better for me 7000 - 7200 range , maybe people should start going to the range a little more instead of playing 18 holes thats the only way they can learn

I think that's off base. Most people don't have time to practice as much as they should and play. Some are lucky enough just to play a couple of times a month. The average male golfer can only drive a golf ball approximately 200 yards as it is.

 

[ogiebogie]

I think that's off base. Most people don't have time to practice as much as they should and play. Some are lucky enough just to play a couple of times a month. The average male golfer can only drive a golf ball approximately 200 yards as it is.

Hey Sean i wasn't picking on you i was just saying people think its fun hitting driver wedge on par 4's all the time to me there is not much skill in that , there is nothing wrong with hitting a 3i in or today a hybryd , just saying they should go to the range more before the go and play a longer course, because they do slow down play

 

[Sean]

Hey Sean i wasn't picking on you i was just saying people think its fun hitting driver wedge on par 4's all the time to me there is not much skill in that , there is nothing wrong with hitting a 3i in or today a hybryd , just saying they should go to the range more before the go and play a longer course, because they do slow down play

Ogie I know you weren't picking on me. But I don't how many times I see guys hitting hybrids and fairway woods into par 4's. Heck, they should be hitting mid-irons most of the time. Even pros have a hard time hitting greens with fairway woods and hybrids. The amateur doesn't stand a chance.

 

[Lefty78]

In our weekend golf group we have been doing this for a while. There will be guys hitting from every set of tees, sometimes in the same foursome. Our rule is to play the tees where you get the most enjoyment.

 

[wcueb923]

You will still have those guys that have to hit from the Back tees and drive it a 100 yards to the front tees. People have the tees set in mind as by age red women, Gold seniors , Wht blue & gold alledged ability. It hurts so much watching 4 knuckle heads slow everyone else because they have to play from the big boy tees. Hope this works out

 

[Golf 'N Gator]

Ogie I know you weren't picking on me. But I don't how many times I see guys hitting hybrids and fairway woods into par 4's. Heck, they should be hitting mid-irons most of the time. Even pros have a hard time hitting greens with fairway woods and hybrids. The amateur doesn't stand a chance.

I have to agree.

 

[DawgDaddy]

I think the tees are fine the way they are . Longer the better for me 7000 - 7200 range , maybe people should start going to the range a little more instead of playing 18 holes thats the only way they can learn

When you hit those mid 60's you may rethink that statement, if I could only play 7000-7200 yards I would imagine I would quit the game from fustration. Standing on a 220/230 yard par 3 with the driver is not my idea of fair. I have noticed a real loss of distance in the last few years, and no amount of hitting the range is going to change the aging process, I think the author is spot on.

 

[Spank818]

Where was this when Golf4Life and myself were playing two Sundays ago and the 4some ahead of us decides they want to see whose schlong is bigger by playing the tips then proceed to banana slice a couple of drives wet just a bit past the ladies' tees. I would never even think about hitting into anybody or at least buzzing the tower but boy was I tempted. If something like this is enforced then I think it would speed up play unless you have one big hitter, one longer hitter, one lower than average and one shorter hitter in your foursome (that means in all likelihood playing from 4 different sets of tees). Of course the chance of this happening is very low but hey you never know. People might actually put their egos aside for once and play from the right tees.

 

[mikedean441]

In our weekend golf group we have been doing this for a while. There will be guys hitting from every set of tees, sometimes in the same foursome. Our rule is to play the tees where you get the most enjoyment.

+1 for this, I agree 100%