We've launched the new forums! Read more here

PGA & USGA Tee It Forward Initiative

DawgDaddy said:
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.
Click to expand...

I hear ya DD and when you hit the 60 year mark, the body is not as flexible. We need to play where we can swing without having to take muscle relaxers, hot tub treatments , and hot oil rub downs. Hmmm on the other hand let's go back to the tips :D
 
Ole Gray said:
I hear ya DD and when you hit the 60 year mark, the body is not as flexible. We need to play where we can swing without having to take muscle relaxers, hot tub treatments , and hot oil rub downs. Hmmm on the other hand let's go back to the tips :D
Click to expand...
LOL!!!
 
Ole Gray said:
I hear ya DD and when you hit the 60 year mark, the body is not as flexible. We need to play where we can swing without having to take muscle relaxers, hot tub treatments , and hot oil rub downs. Hmmm on the other hand let's go back to the tips :D
Click to expand...

Yep I am all about the hot tub and would really love the hot oil rub downs, so I am with you, back to the tips we go.
 
My dad is 77 and started playing from the red tees two months ago. He's enjoying it immensely, finally hitting to the green in regulation again.

Otherwise, I'm not confident this will catch on. Math is not a strength of the population. And golfers have an inflated fear of being mocked or ridiculed. I play with righthanded clubs but chip lefty. I carry a long putter half the time. Nobody says a word.

And that will hold true if you walk forward and tee the ball 30 yards forward, in a nice level patch in the middle of the fairway.
 
I support this, a very sensible idea.....However, like others have already stated, too many egos involved for this to be effective. Here is a perfect example to illustrate: two years ago, my club renovated several tee boxes. As a result, several of the blue tees were moved back anywhere from 15 - 40 yards. The course ratings/slope factors were adjusted accordingly. It was suggested that many members should consider moving up to the white tees, which now played slightly shorter than the "old blue" tees. Needless to say, this went over like a lead balloon. Many long time members were enraged that they would have to play from the white tees, as they "have always played the blues". The final solution....the "old blue" tees were restored to their previous length and new set of tees (silver) was installed. Peace and harmony have been restored.
 
Last edited:
I had to suffer through two different rounds with the other 3 guys playing the tips this week. The first round the guys were in the rough so far it slowed us down so much we couldn't even keep up with a couple 65-75 yo ladies who were walking. After the fifth hole we crashed into another group of tip players, great fun there as I couldn't even bail at that point. The next day I'm alone again and same thing. This time though there was one sane man in the group and he was banging a Hogan apex 2i the whole round. The other two had english accents so I'm sure the deep rough they seemed to find every hole was just for good practice. Hah I even tried to tell them how a blind hole played as they hadn't been there before and the guy responded he was veryyy long. It seemed funny that I was the only one with a scorecard.

P.S. This got me thinking I may just decline playing with guys who are going to play the tips. Firstly I don't want to slow down a group if they are legitimate fairways and greens players, secondly if they aren't I don't want to have put up with the baloney of having to wait at the white teebox while some goof throws his balls to the wind from the blues.
 
Last edited:
Guys who play from the regular mens tees seem to be OK where I play most of the time. I think that golf in general would be better off if the regular mens tees were closer to the hole. But it is the guys that insist on playing from the tourney tees that can really slow things up.

Of course as has been noted by tnc200, course management must be something they begin to think about out on the fairway because they have to take driver from back there on every Par 4. I don't wonder if a bigger gap between the tourney tees and regular mens tees would help. Maybe if the regular men's tees and the ladies tees were moved up an appropriate distance, the gap would be greater and it would be harder for guys to convince themselves that they can play from the tourney tees. Kill two birds with one stone. Make the game more like it was intended to be played for ladies and most men and make it harder to convince oneself that he should be playing from the tourney tees.

As it is now, for many of the courses I play the tourney tees are only 10-15 yards back from the men's tees. While that is a significant difference in golf terms I think it is close enough to beckon some players back there. In that sense hybrids have probably not been an asset to the game at least in this one respect. I am sure a number of them figure they will take driver and hybrid to get to the green. As if you would rather hit from hybrid distance than take a 5i to get to the green. Even if the 5i was longest iron in my bag I would rather hit a 5i to get to the green than hit a hybrid any day.
 
HoosierGolfer said:
That is the best news I've gotten all spring! I average around 235/240 so I'm ABOVE average at something. YES!
Click to expand...

Above average, your inline with Cory Pavin, he's not the longest fellow in the world ;-)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Tadashi70 said:
Above average, your inline with Cory Pavin, he's not the longest fellow in the world ;-)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I would be happy with Cory Pavin's game!
 
HoosierGolfer said:
I would be happy with Cory Pavin's game!
Click to expand...

Yes sir, anyone who has game to win a major championship has way more talent that 99.99% of the golfing world. I like CP.
 
I just skimmed, but sounds like I'm the odd one out here because I see this as pretty stupid overall. First off I thought golf was about having a nice day out with the buds and enjoying the weather. I have a problem with slow players not allowing people through, but they have every right to take as long as they like and enjoy what ever distance they want.

Secondly, what happened to all the courses that were struggling across the country? IMHO, the PGA and USGA need to spend more of their time pushing the fun of golf rather than advertising the negatives. I'm no big hitter, thanks PGA/USGA for telling me where and how I should enjoy myself.
 
Sean said:
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.
Click to expand...

I just saw this on my GHIN update as well.

I think this is a pretty reasonable chart. I play the tournament tees at my course which are 6550 and I am comfortable there.. My drive is about 260-280 on the fly (with about a 2 yard backspin haha) and I feel like course management is pretty reasonable.

I have a bunch of buddies (older guys) that I normally play with who keep talking about moving up a tee box, and based on this chart it actually makes an awful lot of sense. They drive the ball around 200-220 and the green tees (one up from the tourney tees) play at 6050.

Interesting for sure.
 
I agree with it somewhat to help some players. I'm all about speeding up the pace of play. However some courses seem to be designed to play from certain tees. If you move up a set of tees it becomes a whole different course and can take the fun out of it. Most places I play it would take driver or 3wd out of my hand and would be hitting hybrid or long irons off the tee. Now this isn't always the case where go from tips to say the blue tees but I've played scrambles where we moved to white tees. It took longer trying to figure a yardage since I know what to hit from where I land from playing there so much. I was lost what to hit since I never play those tees. I do know...if I ever play the Ocean Course @ Kiawah Island again I won't be playing the tips. I've never hit so many 3-5 irons into par 4's in my life. I'd be happy to play their whites especially if the wind was blowing. :D
 
Talking with our PGA Pro today about this while I worked at the course. He says the PGA & USGA are trying to change the mindset (at the course level) in that tee's have been set tradionally by age/gender. The future (starting now) will be to have courses recommend tee's based on ability or index, not age/gender. Some course's already do this and some do not. Out will be "mens" "womens" "senior" tees.
 
New artical this week in Golf Digest; http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-courses/2011-05/golf-barney-adams-forward-tees

I know my home course in being proactive with this. The course has had only three sets of tees since opening in 1959 but the course is being plotted right now to add a forth set.

Lots of truth in these writtings, but it is a up hill battle to get most to change. Ego is stated as the number one reason some will never move up. I think it is a GREAT idea, and it could make the game a lot more fun for many.

Just check the ego at the gate.
 
HoosierGolfer said:
New artical this week in Golf Digest; http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-courses/2011-05/golf-barney-adams-forward-tees

I know my home course in being proactive with this. The course has had only three sets of tees since opening in 1959 but the course is being plotted right now to add a forth set.

Lots of truth in these writtings, but it is a up hill battle to get most to change. Ego is stated as the number one reason some will never move up. I think it is a GREAT idea, and it could make the game a lot more fun for many.

Just check the ego at the gate.
Click to expand...
HG I've been making this argument for a long time and have said that the powers that be need to get on board. I think what would further help is if they got the PGA pros to make appeals encouraging folks to move up. They need to do this campaign on TV, during golf broadcasts. The print media just won't cut it.
 
Sean said:
HG I've been making this argument for a long time and have said that the powers that be need to get on board. I think what would further help is if they got the PGA pros to make appeals encouraging folks to move up. They need to do this campaign on TV, during golf broadcasts. The print media just won't cut it.
Click to expand...

If you read the current Golf Digest article, they make a point to say they are planning some tv ads to run this summer and during the US Open. I agree, they need to really work hard and together to get the word out.
 
HoosierGolfer said:
If you read the current Golf Digest article, they make a point to say they are planning some tv ads to run this summer and during the US Open. I agree, they need to really work hard and together to get the word out.
Click to expand...
I'll be curious to see these ads. I just wonder if most golfer's will think, "Well, this doesn't apply to me," when it's exactly who it does apply to. I think Adams pointed this out in the article.
 
Sean said:
I'll be curious to see these ads. I just wonder if most golfer's will think, "Well, this doesn't apply to me," when it's exactly who it does apply to. I think Adams pointed this out in the article.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing a large number of people will see the ad's and think just that. Our PGA Pro/Course owner built our course in 59' and says that tee's were always set by gender and age, and he agrees 100% that the mindset needs to change where tees are set by ability. The course has always had just three sets of tees, but I worked today using a GPS to get some distances so a forth set can be added to be even more proactive in having tees for all ability levels. The change will come later this summer and new score cards will be ordered.

I've already moved up and it is nice to have a real chance at hitting all the par 5's in two for a change. It has made it more fun for me already.
 
HoosierGolfer said:
I'm guessing a large number of people will see the ad's and think just that. Our PGA Pro/Course owner built our course in 59' and says that tee's were always set by gender and age, and he agrees 100% that the mindset needs to change where tees are set by ability. The course has always had just three sets of tees, but I worked today using a GPS to get some distances so a forth set can be added to be even more proactive in having tees for all ability levels. The change will come later this summer and new score cards will be ordered.

I've already moved up and it is nice to have a real chance at hitting all the par 5's in two for a change. It has made it more fun for me already.
Click to expand...
That's great stuff Hoosier! I'm glad to hear you're taking the bull by the horns. As to the first bolded part...I hope more courses become more enlightened.
 
I'm a long hitter and I play off the white tees. It's not about distance, but accuracy. All of my friends and people who I'll be playing with are all pretty damn good - most are working on their PAT and they have said they don't care if I play from the whites - it's all about building confidence, find a score to beat twice or so and move back to the blues.
 
"Tee It Forward" Initiative

"Tee It Forward" Initiative

Just saw a promo for the "Tee It Forward" Initiative during the US Open. They are encouraging players to play from tees that are appropriate for their driving distance to help speed up play and make the game more enjoyable.

At most of the courses that I play, there are only 3 options - Ladies/Forward, Men's, and Men's/Back. I usually play the middle option, as the back tees are just a bit too long for me. But I never play the front tees, even when I maybe could use the help.

Do you play from "Appropriate" tees or do you always play long?
 
Just saw the promo as well although I had heard about it before seeing it.

I usually let the length of the course determine where I play from. I typically try and play from around 6500 to 6800 yards. If I am struggling I have moved up to a closer tee mid-round. A lot of the courses in my area offer Red(Ladies) White,Blue,Black. Based on the length I like to play it typically ends up being the blue tees.

I am not a particularly good driver of the golf ball so the Blue and sometimes white tees allow me to leave the driver in the bag more often and not still be able to short irons into most greens. Versus needing to consistently long irons/hybrids.
 
I play the white tees. In my area these are the ones in front of the back tees. It is what we play for high school golf, so there is no point in playing different tees.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top