Which tees would you play?

[GenErr]

If the OP was telling us what clubs he hit for each par 4, he should definitely be using the championship tees, in my opinion. Those distances and clubs are so far out of my range - I'm hitting the "senior" tees every chance I get!

 

[kiteman]

I hit my 3 wood 260y consistently, but my driver is between 240 and 310 because for some reason I cannot hit a driver consistently at all. That's why I choose the 3i or 3w a whole lot. But still, I've yet to play a course and say "dang this is way too long for me!" It's usually just penalty strokes or short game that screw up my round. The whole reason I started this thread was to have a "how important is distance" discussion, without any handicap considerations. Truthfully I don't think it's important. Golf would be boring to me if it were all 4 irons and pitching wedges, never mind the resulting score.

 

[kdjmu1]

I hit my 3 wood 260y consistently, but my driver is between 240 and 310 because for some reason I cannot hit a driver consistently at all. That's why I choose the 3i or 3w a whole lot. But still, I've yet to play a course and say "dang this is way too long for me!" It's usually just penalty strokes or short game that screw up my round. The whole reason I started this thread was to have a "how important is distance" discussion, without any handicap considerations. Truthfully I don't think it's important. Golf would be boring to me if it were all 4 irons and pitching wedges, never mind the resulting score.

You don't want to seem to have a discussion about the importance of distance at all. It only seems like you want to talk about how far you can hit the ball and have everyone agree with you. To clarify, the point of lesser handicaps playing shorter tees is to improve their chance of scoring, not because it's too long. I enjoy hitting the ball a long ways too, but if I'm long and wrong, I'm not enjoying punching out of the woods or hitting 3 off the tee. For me, I'd rather score well. Hitting an 8 iron to 2 feet can be just as exciting as a driver that goes 300.

I used to play with a 70+ year old guy that didn't hit it over 200 yards on a good day but shot in the 60's/low 70's just about every round. I don't think he would agree distance is as important as you do.

Point being, distance does have its place in golf, but it's not everything. Golf also requires strategy, finesse, imagination, patience, precision, confidence and a host of other things.
It's about picking when to be aggressive and laying back. Making a decision and dealing with the consequences of that decision.

So when you want to base your tee decision on just how far you can hit the ball and not factor in how often and accurately you actually do that, you're being very short sighted and it's a disservice to you as a golfer, fellows golfers on the course who have to deal with your tee choice and the game itself.

 

[Sox_Fan]

Hitting the clubs listed on each of the holes would leave me about 50 yards short of the green on every hole! I could get to all of them in 2 but I would have to play them with a more club...

 

[kiteman]

I I

You don't want to seem to have a discussion about the importance of distance at all. It only seems like you want to talk about how far you can hit the ball and have everyone agree with you. To clarify, the point of lesser handicaps playing shorter tees is to improve their chance of scoring, not because it's too long. I enjoy hitting the ball a long ways too, but if I'm long and wrong, I'm not enjoying punching out of the woods or hitting 3 off the tee. For me, I'd rather score well. Hitting an 8 iron to 2 feet can be just as exciting as a driver that goes 300.

I used to play with a 70+ year old guy that didn't hit it over 200 yards on a good day but shot in the 60's/low 70's just about every round. I don't think he would agree distance is as important as you do.

Point being, distance does have its place in golf, but it's not everything. Golf also requires strategy, finesse, imagination, patience, precision, confidence and a host of other things.
It's about picking when to be aggressive and laying back. Making a decision and dealing with the consequences of that decision.

So when you want to base your tee decision on just how far you can hit the ball and not factor in how often and accurately you actually do that, you're being very short sighted and it's a disservice to you as a golfer, fellows golfers on the course who have to deal with your tee choice and the game itself.

So rude. I didn't start this thread to exemplify my playing skills, it just turned into that because no one understood what I was asking.

FYI I played a 7,400 yard course today and shot 97. It took me 2 hours and 45 minutes, I walked, and I passed 8 groups along the way. I don't think I did a disservice to anyone.

Not once was a hole too long for me. I actually birdied a par 5 545 yards with a perfect 290 drive and a 3 wood cut to follow. A 2 putt and the outing was worthwhile. Next time you play behind me, I'll gladly let you and your complaining kind play in front of me. So rude.

 

[kdjmu1]

I I

So rude. I didn't start this thread to exemplify my playing skills, it just turned into that because no one understood what I was asking.

FYI I played a 7,400 yard course today and shot 97. It took me 2 hours and 45 minutes, I walked, and I passed 8 groups along the way. I don't think I did a disservice to anyone.

Not once was a hole too long for me. I actually birdied a par 5 545 yards with a perfect 290 drive and a 3 wood cut to follow. A 2 putt and the outing was worthwhile. Next time you play behind me, I'll gladly let you and your complaining kind play in front of me. So rude.

Dude. Relax. You asked for opinions and that is what I gave you but you missed the point a second time. I never said the course was too long for you, I said it gives you a better chance of scoring a good score.

 

[yoopergolfer]

Yeah, I hate short courses, I usually thumb my noses at anything under 10,000 yards. See I hit my driver about 440 on the fly and I always play as a single so I can pass people and show them the long stick. 700 yard par 4's are my bread and butter, 440 drive followed by a 260 6 iron, 1 putt birdie.

 

[kiteman]

Dude. Relax. You asked for opinions and that is what I gave you but you missed the point a second time. I never said the course was too long for you, I said it gives you a better chance of scoring a good score.

Sorry. My car died in the middle of the road yesterday, kind of a stressful day for me.

Anyway, I really wasn't trying to brag. I made the original thread vague on purpose so it didn't come across as bragging. Unfortunately the more people got confused, the more arrogant my explanations became. My bad.

I really intended to have a discussion about distance without considering handicap. Doesn't look like that's happening at this point though.

 

[Hawk]

That was a good post kiteman. Let's not make this some lame flame thread.

 

[SkiBumGolfer]

You obviously hit it way further than I do, kiteman. On a 414 yd par 4, I'd be hitting driver, and either 5 or 6 iron, and I usually try to play courses between 6000 and 6500 yards (6500 is pushing it). Sounds like you're 2 to 3 clubs longer than me, so around 7000 yards or so is probably fine for you. That being said, don't discount a course/tee set just because it's shorter, especially on a tough course - the US Open at Merion proved that this year!

 

[yoopergolfer]

You obviously hit it way further than I do, kiteman. On a 414 yd par 4, I'd be hitting driver, and either 5 or 6 iron, and I usually try to play courses between 6000 and 6500 yards (6500 is pushing it). Sounds like you're 2 to 3 clubs longer than me, so around 7000 yards or so is probably fine for you. That being said, don't discount a course/tee set just because it's shorter, especially on a tough course - the US Open at Merion proved that this year!

I agree this, the shorter courses really expose your 3/4 shots into the green. I find both to be challenging, short and long courses. I know on a short course my wedge game will have to be on to score better than normal. At times I put pressure on myself on a short course, thinking "I should eat this course up." But some days my 7 and 8 irons get me closer to then pin than a sand wedge. When I want to work on wedges I play from short tees, when I want to work on long irons I play back, by driver is really consistent, so it depends on the day.

If I am playing in an event, I like the course to play 6800 or longer.

 

[rollin]

Your tee selection shouldn't be based entirely on how far you hit the ball. You select tee based on your level of ability as well. I have seen a ton of folks that hit the ball a long ways but have no business playing the back tees because they don't play well enough.


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This right here. But in the same sense I dont think you can use score always to tell what set of tees to play. If you can hit the ball great but take a ton of strokes around the green and putting and throw up low-mid 90's still you may still be able to play the back tees.

I can tell you one thing for me is no matter if I play the back tees or the tees one up my score stays extremely close to the same. One of the reasons is I cant hit 50-100 yards shots to save my life and that seems to be what I hit the most on the forward tees.

I usually use this gameplan anything 350 and under I use my 2 iron anything 350-400 is usually my 3 w and anything over 400 is my driver. That is unless there is a ton of room in the fairway or a chance I can drive the green then plans change

IMO the idea of tee it forward for higher cappers is that you wouldn't have to hit driver or 3wd on as many holes, you could tee off with a hybo/long iron that is more easily controlled and will vary off line less than driver/3wd.

The idea of teeing it forward and using the exact same club off the tee for a long hitter puts them in just as much trouble as playing back a set or two.

If you play a par3 at 6i distance at the blues then move up to yellow its a 9i, that same philosophy should be applied to every whole except possibly the really long par 4's. So instead of driver, 9i you should hit hybo/long iron 7i/8i/9i depending on how much the difference in tee boxes is.

The idea of "tee it forward" is about distance, not handicap level. The idea is to offer shorter hitters the chance of using shorter clubs for the approach shots. And not always be forced to use nothing but the longest clubs into greens. The idea is that its would be much more enjoyable to be able to hit shorter irons and wedges into greens instead of constantly using woods, long hyb's, or 3,4 irons etc. But its not at all about simply removing all long shots from his game. I think thats where alot of misconception is. Its not about that but it is all about allowing him to add the same amount of short shots and being allowed to play the same gam as the loger hitter. There is a big difference in the logic between the two.

If one were to tee it forward but then use a shorter club from the tee they would still have the long club approach shot and it negates the whole point of it. There will be plenty times on the shorter holes where the longer hitter may lay up a tee shot and if the shorter hitter is teeing it forward (playing relative distances) then he too will also be able to lay up so there will also be times when he will not have to use a driver too. What it does is that it allows him to play the same type of game on that hole. Its all about that and relative distance and not overall level of play.

Not using driver or removing his relative long shots is not the motive. The whole idea is about offering the same game (club choice wise) as the longer hitter with the same enjoyment of being able to use alot of the clubs in the bag especially on approach shots. Its about adding the same amount of shorter shot oportunities. Its about him being able to experience the same type of game except it would be at his relative distances. Its not about the fact that a higher cap player can hack it up on a given hole. Its all based on distance and not how well one overall scores.

 

[malemotives]

Combination of clubs only comes into play in that whatever clubs are selected, they can be expected to reach the greens in regulation. The object of golf is PAR. Thus, playing forward affords the player a chance to score PAR. If no combination of clubs affords that chance, then the player needs to play forward until the probability is attainable.

 

[Smallville]

Combination of clubs only comes into play in that whatever clubs are selected, they can be expected to reach the greens in regulation. The object of golf is PAR. Thus, playing forward affords the player a chance to score PAR. If no combination of clubs affords that chance, then the player needs to play forward until the probability is attainable.

Honest question. Are you playing the most forward tees until you finish a round at even par?

I don't care what tees people use as long as they can play at the pace of the day (i.e., staying behind the group(s) ahead).

 

[rollin]

Combination of clubs only comes into play in that whatever clubs are selected, they can be expected to reach the greens in regulation. The object of golf is PAR. Thus, playing forward affords the player a chance to score PAR. If no combination of clubs affords that chance, then the player needs to play forward until the probability is attainable.

Honest question. Are you playing the most forward tees until you finish a round at even par?

I don't care what tees people use as long as they can play at the pace of the day (i.e., staying behind the group(s) ahead).

cant speak for him for certain but I dont think "malemotives" meant you should only move back if you par. I think he just means to have a reaslistic fair chance at par. And while I agree with some of that thought where i differ is that he says as long as any club combination gives the chance. This is part of the issue for a shorter hitter. Any club combo could mean driver and 5w. To constantly have to hit 5woods, or longest irons and hybrids into greens is not a consistant realistic chance at par and also is one not being fair to themselves. the whole concept is to be able to play that approach with any clubs meaning also shorter ones.

 

[kiteman]

cant speak for him for certain but I dont think "malemotives" meant you should only move back if you par. I think he just means to have a reaslistic fair chance at par. And while I agree with some of that thought where i differ is that he says as long as any club combination gives the chance. This is part of the issue for a shorter hitter. Any club combo could mean driver and 5w. To constantly have to hit 5woods, or longest irons and hybrids into greens is not a consistant realistic chance at par and also is one not being fair to themselves. the whole concept is to be able to play that approach with any clubs meaning also shorter ones.

I agree and think that is where people get misled. If you're constantly hitting driver and 3w/5w/3i/4i/3h/4h into greens, your tee selection is too long. If you're constantly hitting driver and 8i/9i onto greens, then moving forward only changes your club selection to a driver and a wedge or a 3 wood and an 8/9i. So maybe the point here is to move up until you eliminate the driver? :act-up:

 

[golfinFF]

Canadaniel I will agree that the original idea of behind tee it forward was for "shorter" hitters.

But I also believe that it isn't a bad idea for those who are "average" or even longer to tee it forward if they struggle getting off the tee with driver when the course is busy. Playing from the woods or other fairway is not speedy golf and it gets frustrating playing from trouble all day.

I know for me there are days I just don't want to fight the driver and will tee it forward. When I do this I'm generally in the same area distance wise from the green off the tee by using a club I can control better. My round is also faster and less frustrating.

 

[Fourputt]

Sorry. My car died in the middle of the road yesterday, kind of a stressful day for me.

Anyway, I really wasn't trying to brag. I made the original thread vague on purpose so it didn't come across as bragging. Unfortunately the more people got confused, the more arrogant my explanations became. My bad.

I really intended to have a discussion about distance without considering handicap. Doesn't look like that's happening at this point though.

For many players, length and handicap are inextricably joined. Players who hit the ball 300 yards without control should no more be playing the tips than the player who only drives the ball 220 down the middle.

 

[Lefty78]

Since I still haven't figured out what is being asked. Since it seems to be about which tees to play, this is only my opinion but I don't think total yardage is the best indicator of which tees to choose to play. Generally, for a high handicapper, a course slope of 120 or lower will be more enjoyable. Length is a factor in a course's slope so that, in a way, limits the high handicapper from playing too long a course.

For a low handicapper, the course rating is a better indicator of how tough the course will play. So for a low handicapper to enjoy a challenge, they should choose the tees where the course rating is equal or higher than par.

For myself, somewhere in the middle (6-10), I like slopes about 125-130 with course rating maybe a bit less than par. When my handicap is down to the very lowest in the 3-5 range then I want to play courses rated at par or over par.