Just Not Good Enough

Craig Mac said:

So what is the problem then? I just reread this thread and thought I was answering accordingly. I didn't see the question posed as playing the wrong tees holding up play, more of an ego based question:confused2:

Click to expand...

My question was a bit of both. It does hold up play at times and guys seem to get frustrated when they are let's say overly challenged playing the tips. So my question was why play them if you can't handle them and by that I don't mean they challenge you - I mean they overwhelm you.

Craig Mac said:

So what is the problem then? I just reread this thread and thought I was answering accordingly. I didn't see the question posed as playing the wrong tees holding up play, more of an ego based question:confused2:

Click to expand...

Example: Hubby is a very high handicapper, and ought to be playing from the red tees. When it's just the two of us, he will--"to keep me company." Even then, his pace of play isn't great.

Put him with guys, and he has to play from the whites. At least he doesn't insist on the blues. That many more drives in the right-hand trees, and you could fall asleep waiting for his second shot.

So ego translates into pace of play.

My wife can probably tee off from the next set of tees back but until she gets more time in, the rest of her game is not yet good enough to play from there. She has just completed her first full year of play and my guess is that by the end of next year she'll be teeing off where I do most of the time (which won't be way back there!). She'll also most likely be beating me from time to time by then. She has tied my score once so far this year.

Diane said:

My question was a bit of both. It does hold up play at times and guys seem to get frustrated when they are let's say overly challenged playing the tips. So my question was why play them if you can't handle them and by that I don't mean they challenge you - I mean they overwhelm you.

Click to expand...

Well call it ego if you want but the tips don't overwhelm me personally. I may not score as well as I would from the "middle" tees though. With many of my playing partners, yes it does overwhelm them, but they all want to play the course as short as possible anyways....

Claire it sounds like your hubby just plays slow no matter what tee he is playing from.

I think a big part is a lot of people just aren't ready to play when it is their turn. A few weeks ago we played with two "hacks", when it was their turn to play they were never ready. They sat there and watched others hit and never pulled clubs or looked at their lies, never knew their distances until their turn to hit. Didn't read putts until they were up. Had no idea when it was their turn to hit. And so on, ect....

Slow play is A LOT more than just one's ability....

I think you are right, some people are overwhelmed by the distance some of those tee boxes add to the round. I am not sure why they don't realize that and play from a tee box that provides at least a little bit of a challenge not a set the provides too much frustration. It isn't good for their game.

Diane said:

I know we've talked about this, but I still don't get it. Why is it that all the men in a foursome feel compelled to play from the same tees. If one or more guys are playing from the tips - they all have to and in most cases shouldn't be. I've heard some of you say it's easier if you all play the same tees. Nonsense - I play with men and I always play the forward tees - it doesn't take more time - probably because I'm prepared to tee off as soon as they finish. I can't imagine it's ego because the guys who aren't as good look like fools playing from the tips. It slows play for everyone else and it's painful to watch.

Click to expand...

I don't see this at all. I won't say that I've never done it, but only when the further tees are still within my playing range. I have no problem with playing the white tees if my companions are playing farther back and I'm not comfortable with the length or the layout from there. I'll stay in my comfort zone, and especially when playing an unfamiliar course, I'll be extra conservative. I want to have fun, not torture myself.

A couple of years ago when I played a few rounds in Florida, I was the one playing the farther back tees (not the tips - there were 4 tees)), but the guys I got hooked up with (seniors older than I was) still played from one set forward, where they were most comfortable. Last week I played with a senior (80 years old) who played from the forward tees while the rest of us played the middle tees.

I don't see much of this at all either. Everyone I play with tends to hit from wherever they're most comfortable from