which tee box to play from?? Decisions, decisions .... in the essence of slow play

[golfinnut]

With a plethora number of golf courses being built these days and the number of sets of tees that they put on the course ... I ask this question .... what tees do you play from and why? And are these "standard" rules for the color of tees really THE standard or rule of thumb?

1. RED - women
2. GOLD - seniors
3. WHITE - men regular
4. BLUE/BLACK - men back (tips)

Do you run into groups that just HAVE to play from the back tees just because .... when in reality their game should be more suited from the RED? Why do they feel entitled to play from wherever they want just because they paid their greens fee?? ("Hell I wanna see ALL of the course!") And he will too! I hope you brought a lot of balls.

Wouldn't you rather play from the set of tees that best suits YOUR game and allows you to get the most enjoyment out of it?? If you are playing a 450 yard par 4 and you hit your driver and 3 wood and still don't get near the green, then I think it would be best to rethink what tees you are playing from. If from the tips, there are a lot of forced carries that don't allow you to just "dribble" it off the tee box, and you can't hit it past the Ladies Tee ... then rethink it.

My suggestion in the essence of slow play:

You should have to "pass" a test in a simulator or the first tee to help decide what set of tees best suits your game. If you can't hit the ball over 200-220 yards at the bare minimum with your driver, then you have no business playing from the tips!
Don't be shy ... just because their are RED tees, they are not necessarily just for women. In fact, my 9 year old daughter plays from there along side my father.

I can see if you are playing somewhere like a TPC or Augusta and want to play from where the Pros play .... but when you are out on a muni ... think again.

Time yourself ..... go out and play your favorite course one day from the tips, then from the whites another ... see how long it takes you & what your score is for both days. I can pretty much guarantee you that playing from the shorter set of tees you played faster and had a better score.

NOT A SERMON .... JUST A THOUGHT :act-up:

 

[Hawk]

I know we hear about this all the time on the internet, but I'm not sure I've ever seen it actually happen in person. The guys that played the back tees at my old club were all long ballers.

 

[Oregon Jack]

we play white's for team, but i like to play blue's when my game is fairly decent just because i like to challenge myself, and i'm long enough that it shouldn't be much of a problem for me.

 

[blugold]

I play from whichever one I want.

My home course doesn't label them so people feel more comfortable playing up

 

[mikedean441]

I know we hear about this all the time on the internet, but I'm not sure I've ever seen it actually happen in person. The guys that played the back tees at my old club were all long ballers.

Ive only seen it at a club once or twice

Much more frequently on the weekends at public courses when everyone is suddenly a 300 yard driver of the golf ball

 

[Smallville]

I know we hear about this all the time on the internet, but I'm not sure I've ever seen it actually happen in person. The guys that played the back tees at my old club were all long ballers.

Seriously? I wish that were the case where I have played. We forever see people playing the wrong tee. And we are a short course even from the tips!


To the OP, though, the correct names of the tees are:


1. RED - forward tees
2. GOLD - forward tips (I call them this because this is where my wife plays from at our course!)
3. WHITE - regular tees
4. BLUE/BLACK - tips

 

[deuce]

Yeah, putting everyone in a simulator before they play their round will definitely speed up play.

 

[PentaKev]

With a plethora number of golf courses being built these days and the number of sets of tees that they put on the course ... I ask this question .... what tees do you play from and why? And are these "standard" rules for the color of tees really THE standard or rule of thumb?

1. RED - women
2. GOLD - seniors
3. WHITE - men regular
4. BLUE/BLACK - men back (tips)

Do you run into groups that just HAVE to play from the back tees just because .... when in reality their game should be more suited from the RED? Why do they feel entitled to play from wherever they want just because they paid their greens fee?? ("Hell I wanna see ALL of the course!") And he will too! I hope you brought a lot of balls.

Wouldn't you rather play from the set of tees that best suits YOUR game and allows you to get the most enjoyment out of it?? If you are playing a 450 yard par 4 and you hit your driver and 3 wood and still don't get near the green, then I think it would be best to rethink what tees you are playing from. If from the tips, there are a lot of forced carries that don't allow you to just "dribble" it off the tee box, and you can't hit it past the Ladies Tee ... then rethink it.

My suggestion in the essence of slow play:

You should have to "pass" a test in a simulator or the first tee to help decide what set of tees best suits your game. If you can't hit the ball over 200-220 yards at the bare minimum with your driver, then you have no business playing from the tips!
Don't be shy ... just because their are RED tees, they are not necessarily just for women. In fact, my 9 year old daughter plays from there along side my father.

I can see if you are playing somewhere like a TPC or Augusta and want to play from where the Pros play .... but when you are out on a muni ... think again.

Time yourself ..... go out and play your favorite course one day from the tips, then from the whites another ... see how long it takes you & what your score is for both days. I can pretty much guarantee you that playing from the shorter set of tees you played faster and had a better score.

NOT A SERMON .... JUST A THOUGHT :act-up:

Ordinarily I would agree, but there is a course in Florida (Gator Lakes at Hurlburt Field) where I actually play better from the back tees rather than the whites, but this is due to the fact that a lot of the holes have doglegs that I drive through from the whites, whereas from the blues I am in the right position. Maybe I should have been hitting a hybrid or 4-wood or something off the tee, but that would have entailed too much strategery!

Been to a couple of other courses over the years where there were lots of bunkers off the tee that were drivable from the whites, but not the blues, so scores might actually be better there, too. Also, the farther back you play, the higher the slope and course rating, so a higher score might actually help your handicap go down, provided it's not too much higher...

 

[Mark_UK]

which tee box to play from?? Decisions, decisions .... in the essence of slo...

which tee box to play from?? Decisions, decisions .... in the essence of slo...

I like to play from the tips, but I play often with my father in law who's philosophy is he'll take every yard he can get, so I often end up playing from the whites.
As sensible as the op sounds, I can't see any guy playing from the ladies tee's :lol:

 

[ChristopherKee]

1. RED - women
2. GOLD - seniors
3. WHITE - men regular
4. BLUE/BLACK - men back (tips)

Here.. I fixed the tee boxes for you in two different ways.

1. RED - Shoots > 100
2. Gold - Shoots 90 - 100
3. White - Shoots 80 - 90
4. Blue/Black - Shoots < 80

or

1. RED - Drives < 200
2. Gold - Drives 200 - 220
3. White - Drives 220 - 250
4. Blue/Black - Drives > 250

 

[Texasbrons]

I play whites. That's where I need to be personally. I'll look at the course yardage on occasion to see if that needs to change if I'm playing a course that I've never played, but 98% you'll find me at the whites. I won't worry about who has honors. If you want to play from the blues or blacks, that's fine. I'll wait for you to hit, then we'll pull up to the whites and I'll hit. You can enjoy your game, and I'll enjoy mine and we can both still see all of the course and have a fine day together. I've posted it before, but I'll repeat it here. My oldest son plays on the school golf team and they play from the blues so he and one of my friends always play from the blues. He's long enough and a single digit player that it's where he belongs anyway. Then my other friend and I are at the whites, then my youngest who is just starting will tee off from the reds. We keep up with the pace of play and everyone has a good time. Ego Schmego.

 

[golfinnut]

Here.. I fixed the tee boxes for you in two different ways.

1. RED - Shoots > 100
2. Gold - Shoots 90 - 100
3. White - Shoots 80 - 90
4. Blue/Black - Shoots < 80

or

1. RED - Drives < 200
2. Gold - Drives 200 - 220
3. White - Drives 220 - 250
4. Blue/Black - Drives > 250

PERFECT!! That's why I asked for suggestions!

 

[Evok]

I've seen this more times than I can remember. I think part of it is ego but sometimes I notice its simply that some people think they have to play from a certain tee. Now most of us are thinking cmon now, how can you not know but seriously ive overheard weekend warriors saying “no no you've gotta come back here, that's for seniors or women". Most of the courses around me are labled like stated above red = ladies, gold = senior, white = average men and then blue / black for more advanced. I usually play white or blue but occasionally will move up to gold and have an absolute blast. I think its a good way to build my confidence back up when im struggling. I do really think people need to be realistic and play to their ability. Nothing like Jo Bomber (in his head) playing from the tips and slicing the ball 60 yards right every time lol

 

[Golf Ghost]

1. RED - women
2. GOLD - seniors
3. WHITE - men regular
4. BLUE/BLACK - men back (tips)

Nothing against the OP here because I know a lot of people refer to them this way, but I hate seeing this.

Tees should never, ever be labeled based on demographic.

 

[golfinnut]

Yeah, putting everyone in a simulator before they play their round will definitely speed up play.

Always a smart ass in every group! :bicker:

 

[Evok]

Nothing against the OP here because I know a lot of people refer to them this way, but I hate seeing this.

Tees should never, ever be labeled based on demographic.

I agree completely but in his defense, there's courses around me that label them this way.

 

[yoopergolfer]

On my home course the league plays the blues, which sit at 6850 yards, so I have gotten very much used to playing longer. The tips play at 7200, so I mix and match from both the tips and the blues.

I don't mind playing any tees though. Sometimes we will play the golds when we are with the old guys and no one else is around, I like that too. But hitting driver then a sand wedge can get a little boring.

 

[Golf Ghost]

I agree completely but in his defense, there's courses around me that label them this way.

No need to defend him, as said, it was nothing against him. It was against the label that is still used by a wide percentage of the golfing world.

 

[jhstew1]

On the topic of Tee boxes, I will be on the range warming up & i will notice other people warming up & I am constantly amazed at the guys who go to the Back tee's to tee off, i have to assume they using the theory that "I paid "X" amount to play so I am going to see the whole course" & all i can think of is you will def see the entire course & shoot 100

 

[golfinnut]

On the topic of Tee boxes, I will be on the range warming up & i will notice other people warming up & I am constantly amazed at the guys who go to the Back tee's to tee off, i have to assume they using the theory that "I paid "X" amount to play so I am going to see the whole course" & all i can think of is you will def see the entire course & shoot 100

that's the exact point I am trying to make .... play to your ability and put your ego aside .... for ALL our sakes!

 

[Golds]

I see people teeing up from the blues a lot and really shouldn't. I play White's during league play and depending on the course I will play either white or blue. Courses around Rochester are starting to use random colors instead of the traditional blue, white, and red. One course in particular (a hard course) has the blue as the "champion tees" and the white as the "blue" and two other tee colors of different distances. Because the traditional colors are so engrained in people and their pride gets in their way, they end up playing the blue tees which are RIDICULOUSLY long and end up playing a horrible and long round. The course ranger told us that the blue are for 5 and under handicaps but because people see blue, they won't listen and play them anyways.

 

[Evok]

No need to defend him, as said, it was nothing against him. It was against the label that is still used by a wide percentage of the golfing world.

No doubt haha I know what you mean.

 

[yoopergolfer]

Nothing against the OP here because I know a lot of people refer to them this way, but I hate seeing this.

Tees should never, ever be labeled based on demographic.

You see courses label them the same way the OP did. And to be frank, if you're with an average joe golfer and you say "forward tips" they would have no idea what you are talking about.

 

[Joshsmit56001]

I say play what you are comfortable with. Golf is supposed to be a game of fun. Playing from the tips might not be fun if you only drive the ball 190. I have played from the tips before and I was comfortable with it. I have also played from the womens tees and got laughed at for it. I said I don't care! It is amazing how much the course changes when you play from different tee boxes. I suggest everyone try playing from the red tees sometime, it was one of the most fun rounds I have ever had.

 

[Golf Ghost]

You see courses label them the same way the OP did. And to be frank, if you're with an average joe golfer and you say "forward tips" they would have no idea what you are talking about.

What's wrong with just labelling them with a colour and a yardage?