A Man Hitting from the Red Tee. Post your thoughts.

[Mango Smash]

I will normally play the reds when I take my wife out to play. Makes more sense than playing 2 different tee boxes for the 2 of us. I am a longer hitter, but will normally leave my driver in the bag those days and just work on my ball striking with irons. The association I play with lets me play golds because I am a double digit handicap. You just have to play the length of course that makes everything enjoyable. Having fun is the most important part for us Hacks.

 

[Tadashi70]

I think you should be allowed to play what ever tees you want. Based on what you have written, you enjoyed the game more and scored relativity well. If we got rid of the idea of the red tees being for woman, it would never be an issue.

 

[Canadan]

Hello. I'm the guy who mentioned that red tees-skirt thing.

I don't really hit it long. In a very, very good drive, I will hit it 270 total, with a lot of roll, on good weather, when it's not humid. But I'm happy with my driving distance because I can keep it up with the rest of the guys, considering I'm only 140 pounds.

I think it's a matter of choice - would you rather score well on short tees, or score not so good on long tees? Personally, I prefer the latter, so that when I'm on another course I'm not familiar with, and they give me these ultra-long par 4's, I have the proper mindset to accept the hole as it is and if I have to hit 4 into the green, so be it, because I'm kinda sure the rest of the guys will be doing that just as well.

The psychology is, if you're used to really long par 4 holes, where you're hitting 3 into the green, finding a short par-4 hole where you actually make it in regulation is a big psychological bonus to you.

But if you're on the other side of the spectrum, where we're spoiled with 120 to the green on our second shot, our mindset is a bit more uncomfortable with long holes.

The other upside to being used to long par 4's, is that if you're hitting 3 into a par-4 green, you better have your short game real good to make par. If you've been always hitting 3 into par 4's, chances are you've worked out your short game so that the worst you can make is bogey.

Again, it's a mind thing. If you've climbed Mt. Everest, everything else is peaches for you. But if you're used to just the hills, then Mt. Everest is a long stretch.

I once played in a tournament where we played from the senior tees. I shot 86. The first time I broke 90. But let's be honest - is that validation for me? For myself, not really. I also played with a guy who insisted on playing from the champion tees on the premise that in a tournament the blue tees will be a lot easier psychologically since he was used to the gold tees.

My suggestion? Challenge yourself. As much as you can. Because if you don't try, you'll never know how good you are.

Part of the fun in golf is discovering that you're actually capable of doing things that you didn't realize you were capable of.

This distance thing has complicated the game of golf. Not many people can hit it long, including myself. But if you're used to long par 4's then dinky par 4's will be a great opportunity for you. If we're used to playing short holes, when we get to other courses with longer par 4's, we are at a psychological disadvantage even before we've hit our first shot.

Also, like it or not, our golf game kinda equates to the other pressing manly issue - how long is our wiener? We will all, um, extend, but the reality is it's not the length, it's how we use it. For me, who cares if my opponent hit his drive 70 yards past mine? If I made par to his bogey, I still get the girl, right?

Finally, let's look at the tour pros. It is not all the time that the long hitters win the tournaments. Distance is great, and makes life much easier, but if we're not capable of that, there are other ways to win.

Bottom line, just for kicks now and then, fine, go hit from the red tees. But challenge yourself. Why golf is so attractive to us is that we can take chances with the minimum of consequences. Lousy game? Add a few more beers.

I have about 1,000 questions/comments i could make about this, but I'll start with the following:

- You hit it 270 on a good day. Do you think someone who hits the ball 200 yards on a good day should play from the same tee boxes?
- If yes, why do you get the unfair advantage?
- Do you think someone is forced to hit driver - 3 wood - wedge on a par 4 is challenging themselves or not playing from the right set of tees?
- I hit the ball about 265-270 carry on average. Am I cheating myself by playing tees less than 6,500?

This attitude of a baseline for all is downright ridiculous. Course tee boxes are not built for prestige, they are built to accommodate every golfer. That's why we are seeing so many courses adapt a combination or "member" tee box that groups numerous tees to make it fair for a majority of the membership.

Don't look down on someone for wanting that same 9 iron into the green that you have. Praise them for ignoring the BS comments about wearing a skirt and teeing it forward to the appropriate box. Allow them to enjoy the same experience that you do without believing you reserve an advantage for being notably above average in driver length (allegedly).

Tee it Forward, and don't be a jerk when others want to do the same.

 

[StLCardsFan]

I have no problem with someone wanting to do it. I group I used to play with has a vary wide skill range. Most everyone was a decent to good golfer, some just weren't very long hitters, but they could still score. We would usually just play skins and greenies and some guys would have side bets going on. Depending on the group, the shorter hitters would play shamble within the foursome or they would play their own ball from the red tees. No one every really kept a handicap so we never had any strokes involved but this was a great way to equal everyone out. Some of them wouldn't have a chance to get anything otherwise, so it made it more fun for them and helped increase the competition for everyone.

 

[Sp.campbell]

Around where I live we are getting rid of the stigma red=ladies, white =men but now on all the scorecards you play the tee based on your handicap. Like everyone else is saying play from the tee that works for you!!


Scott

 

[jitzy]

That chart ^^^^for me is right on the money, I hit about 200-220 and usually try to play around 5700 to 6100, (6100 being pretty long for me)to have a great time. Problem is when I go to any events or tournaments I'm forced to play further back because of my age and I play like crap.

 

[Agent Jay]

Some of my most fun rounds of golf have been played from the Red tees! We use to do that just for fun and to play a fast round of golf. Plus, it made course so much shorter that it made for an almost completely different course. You should all play your home course from the Red tees at least once!

Bottom line, play from where you have the most fun playing this awesome game! Don't let anyone tell you other wise!

 

[Canadan]

That chart ^^^^for me is right on the money, I hit about 200-220 and usually try to play around 5700 to 6100, (6100 being pretty long for me)to have a great time. Problem is when I go to any events or tournaments I'm forced to play further back because of my age and I play like crap.

Still one of the DUMBEST pieces of logic used for tournaments. I have been in long discussions with people on the tournament committee at my home course trying to convince them to be smarter about how they set up their tournaments. It's unlikely that it will change any time soon.

 

[huhhh]

Still one of the DUMBEST pieces of logic used for tournaments. I have been in long discussions with people on the tournament committee at my home course trying to convince them to be smarter about how they set up their tournaments. It's unlikely that it will change any time soon.

Understood, but I'd think that would be difficult to regulate. People sandbag handicaps, they'd sandbag distances too.

 

[Canadan]

Understood, but I'd think that would be difficult to regulate. People sandbag handicaps, they'd sandbag distances too.

Not at a home course tournament it would not. We utilize GHIN which has a great deal of info behind the process. All they need to do is run a report to see who has played more than 80% of what tees and generated their handicap from that particular set.

Boom, tournament tee determined.

 

[huhhh]

Not at a home course tournament it would not. We utilize GHIN which has a great deal of info behind the process. All they need to do is run a report to see who has played more than 80% of what tees and generated their handicap from that particular set.

Boom, tournament tee determined.

In that case, yeah that should work. I don't have a home course (I wish I did) so my brain doesn't always work that way.

 

[Fourputt]

The course should stop calling them "ladies" and "men's" tees.

I play all five tee boxes. Forward Tips to Back Tips. And I am 100% man

My old home course opened up a fourth set of tees midsummer last year, and they no longer have red tees, since they have the stigma attached of being "ladies" tees. The gold tees are a mix of some of the old reds and several new shorter tee boxes. They also mixed some of the old reds and whites for the new whites, and some of the old blues and whites for the new blues. They also mixed some of the old blues with some new tees for the back tees. The course really has a tee now for just about every player who likes a full par 72 course, from 5362 on the gold tee to 6920 on the blacks.

Although I can still stretch myself out to the blues at 6578 yards, I'm having more fun with the 6103 white tees.

 

[McLovin]

That chart ^^^^for me is right on the money, I hit about 200-220 and usually try to play around 5700 to 6100, (6100 being pretty long for me)to have a great time. Problem is when I go to any events or tournaments I'm forced to play further back because of my age and I play like crap.

yeah, that chart was pretty spot on for me as well. average 240-250 these days, and i'm very comfortable in 6,200-6,400 yards. anything less and driver stays in the bag for most of the day, anything more and there's a big premium on long, straight driving that can lead to a lot of frustration.

 

[blugold]

I'm not going to quote the post, because I'm lazy.

One other very manly quality is humility.

 

[BIGBALL]

Since getting back into this sport up until very recently I have been a consistant short hitter off the tee. 170-200yds. I joined a league this year and see that everyone hits from the White's (6511yds) but we only have a few guys who can consistantly hit out to 250yds or better. Most everyone is playing longball on the second shot trying to hit the green. On the season 5 pars is the most pars in one week by one player (one of the very long hitters) and 2 birdies by one player in a week is the most (not the same week though). Our par 3's are 145, 170, 177, 200 at the marked distances but often the tee is back and the flag is back and we have a closest to the pin and most weeks very few even get on the greens in one.

For reference Gold tee is 5889 yds that you have to be 65 or older to play for league and Red Tee's are 5120yds.

I have played the Reds a couple times on my own and found it an absolute joy because my drive put me close enough to hit short iron/wedges and be on in regulation. My first time I shot 91 and that was with 7 three putts. (yes 7) . I was having a blast just getting to the green in regulation and didn't pay much attention to putting when I got there.

This is a quote I saw in another thread "Red tees? Really? Who was that who said to a guy who wanted to hit from the red tees - "Fine, you can hit from the red tees, as long as you'll wear a skirt."

When I mention that for next year at the very least that we should shorten up the par 3's and hit from the Reds to make the game more enjoyable for all I get scoffed at by the long hitters.

Please post your thoughts and any ideas.

I have even thought about starting a "Red Tee" league but doubt it would go over just because of the "Those are womens tees" montra.

Krispy

Wow - 6511 off the whites is way too long imo! Most of the whites I play are between 6000 - 6250. To me, any time there are more than 2 par 4's over 400 yards, ( I would stay under 400 personally ) that is getting too long from the whites. Would those guys compromise and play from the golds? Play the tees that work best for you man.

 

[JRod]

I have about 1,000 questions/comments i could make about this, but I'll start with the following:

- You hit it 270 on a good day. Do you think someone who hits the ball 200 yards on a good day should play from the same tee boxes?
- If yes, why do you get the unfair advantage?
- Do you think someone is forced to hit driver - 3 wood - wedge on a par 4 is challenging themselves or not playing from the right set of tees?
- I hit the ball about 265-270 carry on average. Am I cheating myself by playing tees less than 6,500?

This attitude of a baseline for all is downright ridiculous. Course tee boxes are not built for prestige, they are built to accommodate every golfer. That's why we are seeing so many courses adapt a combination or "member" tee box that groups numerous tees to make it fair for a majority of the membership.

Don't look down on someone for wanting that same 9 iron into the green that you have. Praise them for ignoring the BS comments about wearing a skirt and teeing it forward to the appropriate box. Allow them to enjoy the same experience that you do without believing you reserve an advantage for being notably above average in driver length (allegedly).

Tee it Forward, and don't be a jerk when others want to do the same.

]

I'm confused here.

Are you saying someone who hits the ball further should be penalized in a tournament for being able to hit the ball far? Everyone should be able to hit a 9 iron in to the green?

If that's the case maybe golf courses should just become par three courses. Maybe I skimmed like a champion but I don't follow your logic here.

In casual rounds I'm all for playing whatever tees you want but it seems silly to me to make tournament lengths ridiculously short .

Kinda takes an important element out of the game. Maybe it's because this is the strongest part of my game but I just don't understand this logic at all.

It would be like making someone who is great with the putter putt left handed so it's fair to me? I suck at putting so we need to level the field.

Like I said maybe I'm missing something here.


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[BIGBALL]

I think you should be allowed to play what ever tees you want. Based on what you have written, you enjoyed the game more and scored relativity well. If we got rid of the idea of the red tees being for woman, it would never be an issue.

Freddie - do you agree with me that 6,511yards is extremely long from the white tees? ( I don't think I have ever played from white tees within a 100 yards of that total.)

 

[blugold]

I'm confused here.

Are you saying someone who hits the ball further should be penalized in a tournament for being able to hit the ball far? Everyone should be able to hit a 9 iron in to the green?

If that's the case maybe golf courses should just become par three courses. Maybe I skimmed like a champion but I don't follow your logic here.

In casual rounds I'm all for playing whatever tees you want but it seems silly to me to make tournament lengths ridiculously short .

Kinda takes an important element out of the game. Maybe it's because this is the strongest part of my game but I just don't understand this logic at all.

It would be like making someone who is great with the putter putt left handed so it's fair to me? I suck at putting so we need to level the field.

Like I said maybe I'm missing something here.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I can't speak for Dan, but I think that competitive rounds are different, but also cannot overly favor the long. In a tournament, if you, Jrod, played on a course that had mostly Par 4s in the 370-420 range, you wouldn't have THAT much of an advantage. But if everybody else had to play 420-470 par 4s, you make be the only person able to play that course and be competitive.

At the same time, trying to prove how manly you are by playing a course that is too long in a leisurely round, thusly making the game harder than it has to be, is really stupid. It's frustrating and takes the leisure out of the game.

 

[krispyk]

We have three sets of tee's at my club, white(5900y), blue(6200), yellow(5377). The white and blue are the mens and the yellow are the womens, but the blues are only used on club days which is every sat or if there is a competition on. I enjoy playing on both tee's but at my club i would say 70% of the members are 50+ in age, so i have suggested that they change the name of the ladies tee's and just class them as the forward tee's and do the rating for men.
I thought the older guys that only hit it 100-150m with driver would enjoy it more if they were able to move up and possibly score better, but i sort of got the "haha thats a stupid idea". I thought it is happening around the world and not a dumb idea, but clearly the rest of our club/committee didnt.

I think a lot of people are stuck in the old days of how courses were set up, things are changing and clubs need to as well. Anyway you play what ever tee's you are comfortable with.

The answer for me is simple. I have about 5 friends that I play money games with. When we get together we always play from the white tees. So therefore I play from the white tees all the time so I will be used to those yardages. My average drive is only 220 and playing from the reds would make the game much eaiser, but I don't for the reason above.

Plus I was always told that the front tee box (red) was for women, the second (silver or gold) for seniors, the middle (white) for average golfers, the (blue) for single digit or better handicappers, and the tips (black) for Scratch golfers and Tournaments.

This is just what I was always told and I go by it.

Here is a great example why the labels of women's , senior's, etc, does not work. At my coarse Reds are 5120, Golds are 5889, Whites are 6511, and Blues are 6717 yds. My coarse "Seniors" are teeing off just as far as lopsta's "men's" white and my whites (that we play for league) are longer than his longest tees by 300yds!

 

[Canadan]

I'm confused here.

Are you saying someone who hits the ball further should be penalized in a tournament for being able to hit the ball far? Everyone should be able to hit a 9 iron in to the green?

If that's the case maybe golf courses should just become par three courses. Maybe I skimmed like a champion but I don't follow your logic here.

In casual rounds I'm all for playing whatever tees you want but it seems silly to me to make tournament lengths ridiculously short .

Kinda takes an important element out of the game. Maybe it's because this is the strongest part of my game but I just don't understand this logic at all.

It would be like making someone who is great with the putter putt left handed so it's fair to me? I suck at putting so we need to level the field.

Like I said maybe I'm missing something here.

I didn't say anything about tournaments, however if they are handicapped, golfers should enjoy playing the distance they built their handicap on.

My comments were related to playing the tees that best suit the individual.

 

[krispyk]

I have about 1,000 questions/comments i could make about this, but I'll start with the following:

- You hit it 270 on a good day. Do you think someone who hits the ball 200 yards on a good day should play from the same tee boxes?
- If yes, why do you get the unfair advantage?
- Do you think someone is forced to hit driver - 3 wood - wedge on a par 4 is challenging themselves or not playing from the right set of tees?
- I hit the ball about 265-270 carry on average. Am I cheating myself by playing tees less than 6,500?

This attitude of a baseline for all is downright ridiculous. Course tee boxes are not built for prestige, they are built to accommodate every golfer. That's why we are seeing so many courses adapt a combination or "member" tee box that groups numerous tees to make it fair for a majority of the membership.

Don't look down on someone for wanting that same 9 iron into the green that you have. Praise them for ignoring the BS comments about wearing a skirt and teeing it forward to the appropriate box. Allow them to enjoy the same experience that you do without believing you reserve an advantage for being notably above average in driver length (allegedly).

Tee it Forward, and don't be a jerk when others want to do the same.

I am printing this to present to the league. Doubt even hard facts will make anything change but at least I'm trying.

 

[JRod]

I didn't say anything about tournaments, however if they are handicapped, golfers should enjoy playing the distance they built their handicap on.

My comments were related to playing the tees that best suit the individual.

Ok then I completely agree.






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[krispyk]

I can't speak for Dan, but I think that competitive rounds are different, but also cannot overly favor the long. In a tournament, if you, Jrod, played on a course that had mostly Par 4s in the 370-420 range, you wouldn't have THAT much of an advantage. But if everybody else had to play 420-470 par 4s, you make be the only person able to play that course and be competitive.

At the same time, trying to prove how manly you are by playing a course that is too long in a leisurely round, thusly making the game harder than it has to be, is really stupid. It's frustrating and takes the leisure out of the game.

Krispy

Wow - 6511 off the whites is way too long imo! Most of the whites I play are between 6000 - 6250. To me, any time there are more than 2 par 4's over 400 yards, ( I would stay under 400 personally ) that is getting too long from the whites. Would those guys compromise and play from the golds? Play the tees that work best for you man.

Yes Big it IS way too long and that is what I am trying to get through to the league.

I'm confused here.

Are you saying someone who hits the ball further should be penalized in a tournament for being able to hit the ball far? Everyone should be able to hit a 9 iron in to the green?

If that's the case maybe golf courses should just become par three courses. Maybe I skimmed like a champion but I don't follow your logic here.

In casual rounds I'm all for playing whatever tees you want but it seems silly to me to make tournament lengths ridiculously short .

Kinda takes an important element out of the game. Maybe it's because this is the strongest part of my game but I just don't understand this logic at all.

It would be like making someone who is great with the putter putt left handed so it's fair to me? I suck at putting so we need to level the field.

Like I said maybe I'm missing something here.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Here's the thing. I'm not saying take the long hitters advantage away. I'm saying make it short enough that I Can reach it in regulation.

 

[CBaker]

I have about 1,000 questions/comments i could make about this, but I'll start with the following:

- You hit it 270 on a good day. Do you think someone who hits the ball 200 yards on a good day should play from the same tee boxes?
- If yes, why do you get the unfair advantage?
- Do you think someone is forced to hit driver - 3 wood - wedge on a par 4 is challenging themselves or not playing from the right set of tees?
- I hit the ball about 265-270 carry on average. Am I cheating myself by playing tees less than 6,500?

This attitude of a baseline for all is downright ridiculous. Course tee boxes are not built for prestige, they are built to accommodate every golfer. That's why we are seeing so many courses adapt a combination or "member" tee box that groups numerous tees to make it fair for a majority of the membership.

Don't look down on someone for wanting that same 9 iron into the green that you have. Praise them for ignoring the BS comments about wearing a skirt and teeing it forward to the appropriate box. Allow them to enjoy the same experience that you do without believing you reserve an advantage for being notably above average in driver length (allegedly).

Tee it Forward, and don't be a jerk when others want to do the same.

I like this chart. I typically carry my drives around 250-270 depending how I'm hitting that day and I enjoy a mix of levels 3 and 4 of about 6,500-6,800. Anything around 7k starts to feel too long for me depending on how they are stretching for those yards.

 

[krispyk]

play the game to enjoy it! I know I am over matched on a 7000 yard plus course, why should a player start out by knowing he will struggle to play a game he loves?

play where you are comfortable!

I will be 55 next month and tell six4three5 all the time I will start using the "senior tees" when I turn 55......lol

I've seen you play Mike. You're not allow to move up without tying one hand behind your back. :act-up: