Opinion & Analysis
Forget pace of play: “Tee it Forward” for fun
It seems that courses are continuing to get longer, handicaps have not gone down and still many players have ignored the “Tee it Forward” program espoused by the USGA and PGA of America. Sadly, the disregard for moving up tee boxes leaves average golfers in a quandary, as they just don’t hit the ball far enough to enjoy most courses. So we as teachers are left to try and increase golfers’ club head speed through methods such as fitness, club fitting, lessons, etc.
In some cases teachers can help golfers hit the ball much farther, but for the majority of weekend golfers teachers simply cannot help them produce enough distance to make a real difference in their games. This can be due to poor flexibility, mechanical issues, the wrong driver, or just a lack of time to practice — whatever the reason, it can be INSTANTLY cured by teeing it forward.
I cannot say enough good things about the idea of moving up one set of tees (or even two) for all levels of golfers. I know it hurts some players’ ego, but really, it’s not that big of a deal. Why would golfers force themselves to play longer courses relative to their ability level than the professionals play? This means that Tour players are hitting shorter clubs into all the holes on average than average golfers are hitting. Does that make any sense at all? Do golfers enjoy aggravating themselves?
Sadly, we are all guilty of letting our ego determine where we play — myself included — but I want you to take this simple test for me. The next time you play, step up one set of tees for the first round, and then step up two sets of tees for your second round. Keep your stats on driving accuracy, greens hit and clubs used and see how you do.
I bet you hit more greens, had closer approach shots and maybe even reached a par five in two for the first time in ages! Your scores also might have even been lower, which is a nice problem to have. Did you have more fun? Did you want to play an emergency nine? If so, you have found the tees for you!
The last time I checked golf IS recreation and IS something that you should enjoy — if not, you better find another hobby. One that you can enjoy.
Opinion & Analysis
Brandel Chamblee PGA Championship Q&A: Rose’s huge McLaren risk, distracted LIV pros and why Aronimink suits the bombers
PGA Championship week is here, and Brandel Chamblee did not hold back in our latest discussion ahead of the season’s second major.
In our 2026 PGA Championship Q&A, golf’s leading analyst made the case that PIF pulling LIV’s funding has left its players competing in a state of confusion, called Justin Rose’s mid-season equipment switch a huge risk at 45, and explained why Aronimink will be a bombers’ delight this week.
Check out the full Q&A below.
Gianni: With the PIF confirming that they’re pulling funding from LIV at the end of the season, what impact do you expect that to have on the LIV players competing at the PGA Championship?
Brandel: I would imagine that they have all been thrown into a state of confusion, and will be distracted, not knowing where they are going to play next year and not knowing exactly their road back to either the DP World Tour or the PGA Tour. Or in Rahm’s case, being tied to a sinking ship for the next few years, likely playing for pennies on the dollar in events that no one cares about or watches.
I doubt this would put him in the best frame of mind to compete at his highest level. Keeping in mind, however, that majors are the only time that LIV disciples get to play in events that matter, so never disregard the motivation they have to prove to the world they are still relevant.
Gianni: Justin Rose switched to McLaren Golf equipment mid-season while playing some of the best golf of his career. What do you make of the change?
Brandel: I don’t really know what to make of Rose switching equipment. It seems a huge risk on his part, even though it is likely, in my opinion, that the clubs he’s playing are similar, if not the exact grinds, to what he was playing previously, with a McLaren stamp on them.
Having said that, at best, it is a distraction when he seemed to be as dialed in with his game as any 45-year-old could be and trending in the majors to perhaps do something that would definitely put him in the Hall of Fame. At worst, given the possibility that these clubs aren’t just duplicates of his old set stamped with McLaren on them, he’s made an equipment change that would take time, and 45-year-old athletes don’t have the time to do such things.
Gianni: Aronimink has only hosted a handful of professional events since it hosted the 1962 PGA Championship. What kind of test does it present, and does a course with less recent major championship history tend to level the playing field?
Brandel: Even though Aronimink has only hosted a handful of meaningful professional events, it has been fairly discerning in who can win there. When Keegan Bradley won the BMW Championship on the Donald Ross masterpiece in 2018, he was the 2nd best iron player on tour coming into that week. When Nick Watney won the AT&T at Aronimink in 2011, he was 2nd in strokes gained total coming into the week.
In 2020, Aronimink hosted the KPMG Championship, and Sei Young Kim won. On the LPGA that year, she was first in greens in regulation, putts per green in regulation, and scoring average on the way to being the LPGA player of the year. And then there is the 1962 PGA Championship won by Gary Player, who eventually became just one of a few players to win the career grand slam on the way to winning 9 majors. It is a formidable test, and if it’s not softened by rain, it will bring out the best in the upper echelons of the game.
Gianni: Is there a specific hole at Aronimink that you think will do the most to decide the winner?
Brandel: The hardest hole at Aronimink in each of the three tour events that have been played there since 2010 has been the long par-3 8th hole, with the par-4 10th being the second hardest, so most of the carnage will happen around the turn, but with the par-5 16th offering opportunities for bold plays and the tough closing holes at 17 and 18, the finish is likely to be frenetic.
Gianni: The PGA Championship has always sat in the shadow of the other majors. What does the ideal PGA Championship look like in your eyes, and what would it take for it to carve out its own identity?
Brandel: The PGA Championship, to whatever degree it suffers from the comparison to the other three majors, is still counted just as much when adding them up at the end of one’s career. Almost 1/3 of Nicklaus’ major wins were the five PGA Championships he won. Walter Hagen won 11 majors, five of which were PGA Championships.
Tiger Woods twice in his career won back-to-back PGA Championships, and those four majors count just as much as the other 11 he won. The PGA may not have the prestige of the other three, but it carries the same weight. Having said that, I preferred the identity that it had as the last major of the year.
Gianni: You nailed your Masters picks. Rory won, Scottie finished solo second, and Morikawa surged to a tie for seventh. Who are your top 3 picks for the PGA Championship and why?
Brandel: I am not a huge fan of majors played on golf courses that have been shorn of most of the trees, although I understand some of the agronomic reasons for doing so and of course the ease with which it allows members to play after errant drives. However, at the highest level, it all but eliminates any strategy off the tee and turns professional golf into an even bigger slugfest. That means that it will likely be a bomber’s delight this week, but fortunately, Scottie Scheffler is long enough to play that game and straight enough to play it better than anyone else.
The major championships give us very few surprises anymore, going back to the beginning of 2012, so the last 57 majors played, the average world rank of the winners has been better than 15th in the world. So look at the highest ranked and longest drivers who are on form coming into the PGA Championship who also have great short games as the surrounds at Aronimink are very challenging. That’s Scottie Scheffler by a mile and then McIlroy and Cameron Young with a far bigger nod towards DeChambeau than I gave him at the Masters.
In this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, we dive into one of the most interesting flatstick releases of the year with a full review of the new TaylorMade SYSTM 2 putters. After spending time on the greens, I break down what makes this design stand out, where it performs, and why it has me completely torn between loving it and fighting it. If you are into feel, alignment, and consistency, this is one you will want to hear about.
We also take a look at some of the putters in play on the PGA Tour last week. From familiar favorites to a few surprising setups, there is always something to learn from what the best players in the world are rolling with under pressure.
To wrap things up, I walk through the process of building a set of JP Golf Prime irons paired with Baddazz Gold Series shafts. From component selection to performance goals, this is a deep dive into what goes into creating a unique custom set and why this combo has been so intriguing.
This year my 50th birthday. Gosh, where has the time gone?
As a teenager in rural Missouri, some of my junior high and high school years felt interminable. Graduation seemed light years away. But the older I get, the faster life seems to fly by.
I’m also increasingly aware of my mortality. My dad died recently. Earlier this year, a friend and fellow PGA of America professional and I were texting about our next catch-up. The next message I received was news of his unexpected passing at 48. Shortly after, a woman I dated in college succumbed to cancer at 51.
Certainly, one can share perspective at any age. Seniors help freshmen, veterans guide rookies. But reaching this milestone feels like as good a time as any to do one of those “what would I tell my younger self?” articles.
I’ve had a uniquely varied career in golf. I started as a 27-year-old, average-length-hitting, 14-handicap computer engineer and somehow managed to turn pro before running out of money, constantly bootstrapping my way forward. I’ve won qualifiers and set venue records in the World Long Drive Championships, finished fifth at the Speedgolf World Championships, coached all skill levels as a PGA of America professional, built industry-leading swing speed training programs for Swing Man Golf, helped advance the single-length iron market with Sterling Irons®, caddied on the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions, and played about 300 courses across 32 countries.
It’s been a ride, and I’ve gone both deep and wide.
So while I can consult and advise from a lot of angles, let me keep it to a few things I’d tell the average golfer who wants to improve.
1. Think About What You Want
Everyone has their own reason for picking up a golf club.
Oddly, as a professional athlete, I’m not internally driven by competition. That can be challenging, as the industry currently prioritizes and incentivizes competition over the love of the game.
For me, I love walking and being outdoors. Nature helps balance my energy. I prefer courses that are integrated into the natural beauty of their surroundings. I’m comfortable practicing alone. I’m a deep thinker, and I genuinely enjoy investigating the game, using data and intuition to unearth unique, often innovative insights. I’m fortunate to be strong and athletic, so I appreciate the chance to engage with my abilities. Traveling feels adventurous. I could go on.
You don’t have to overthink it like I do. For you, it might be as simple as hitting balls to escape work, hanging out with friends, and playing loosely with the rules and the score.
The point is to give yourself permission to play for your own reasons, and let that be enough.
But if improvement is your goal, thinking about your destination—and when you want to get there—is important, because it dictates the steps you need to take. When I set out to go from a 14-handicap to the PGA TOUR as quickly as possible, the steps I needed were very different from those of a working golfer trying to break 90 in six months. That’s also different from someone who just wants a few peaceful hours outside each week, away from work or family.
None of these goals are better than the others, but each requires a different plan that you can work backward from.
2. There Are Lots of Things That Can Work
One of the challenges of golf is that, although there are rules for playing, there aren’t clear, industry-wide standards for how to best play the game. There’s a lot of gray area.
You might hear a top coach or trainer insist that a certain move is the best way to swing or train. Then you dig a bit deeper and, much to your confusion and frustration, another respected coach or trainer says something completely different. I don’t think anyone is trying to confuse you—at least I hope not. It’s just where the industry is right now.
You have to be careful with advice from tournament pros, too. They might be great at scoring, but they’re also human and sometimes just as susceptible as amateurs to believing things that don’t really move the needle. Tour players might describe what they feel, but that’s not always what they’re actually doing when assessed with technology.
I recently ran a test on my YouTube channel (which connects to my GolfWRX article “How to use your hands in the golf swing for power and accuracy”), and, interestingly, two of the most commonly taught hand actions produced the worst results in the test.
Coaches can certainly help. If you find someone you connect with to help navigate, that’s great. But there are many ways to get the ball in the hole. In the current landscape, you may need to seek multiple opinions, think critically, and use your own intuition to discern what seems true and whose advice resonates with you.
I’d recommend seeking someone who is open-minded and always learning, because things constantly change. Absolutes like “correct” or “proper” should raise a red flag. AI can be useful, but it tends to confidently repeat popular advice, so proceed with caution.
3. Get Custom Fit
If you’re serious about becoming a better player, getting custom fit is hugely important. There’s no sense fighting your equipment if you don’t have to. Most better players get fit these days and, if they don’t, they’re usually skilled enough to work around clubs that aren’t ideal.
If you plan to play for a long time, it’s worth spending a little more upfront to get something that truly fits you and your game, rather than continually buying and discarding equipment.
Equipment rules haven’t really changed significantly since the early 2000s. To stay in business, manufacturers keep pushing those limits. If you pull a bunch of clubs and balls off the rack and test them, you’ll find differences. I’ve tested two new drivers and seen a 30-yard total distance gap. Usually, the issue isn’t bad equipment; it’s that the combination of components simply isn’t the best fit.
It’s like wearing a new pair of floppy clown shoes. Sure, they’re shoes—but you won’t sprint your best in them compared to track shoes that fit perfectly.
Be wary of what’s called custom fitting, too. Sometimes the term is used as a marketing strategy rather than an actual fitting. In some retail settings, fitters may be incentivized to steer you toward higher-priced components. That doesn’t automatically mean it’s not the best fit, but you should be aware of potential biases.
I learned a version of this lesson outside of golf. Years ago, I bought a tennis racquet at a big box store from a seemingly knowledgeable employee who thought it would suit me best. The racquet gave me tennis elbow, and I spent months recovering with rest and acupuncture. The next season, I invested more time and money to find what actually fit me, and I walked away with something amazing that I still play with years later.
So if you’re going to get fit, be smart about it.
Find someone you believe has deep knowledge—possibly with certifications, but not necessarily. Make sure there’s a wide inventory across many brands. Check recent reviews for the individual fitter if possible. Make sure you trust that the fitter has your best interests at heart. If they’re wearing a hat or shirt with a specific brand’s logo, proceed with caution. Unless you specifically want a certain brand or look, be wary of upsells, especially if two options perform nearly the same.
Also, while golf is called a sport of integrity, there’s a thread of manipulation in the industry. I once drafted an equipment article for an industry magazine, structured just like one of their previous popular stories, with matching word count and great photos. The assistant editor loved it; it was useful to readers and required little work on his part. But the editor-in-chief nixed the story. When I asked why, I was told it was because I wasn’t an advertiser. It turned out the article I’d modeled mine after was a paid ad cleverly disguised as editorial content.
I really dislike games, clickbait, and fear-based manipulation. I hope this changes, but golfers deserve to know it exists.
4. Distance and Strategy Matter
There’s a real relationship between how far you hit the ball and your scoring average, even at the PGA TOUR level.
I experienced this early in my pro career. I started as a power hitter, swinging in the high 120s and breaking 200 mph ball speed with a stock driver.
Back then, some instructors advised swinging at 80%, so I tried slowing down for more accuracy. That worked fine on shorter, tighter courses. But on longer setups, I was coming into greens with too much club, and par 5s stopped being
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bert
Sep 6, 2015 at 9:52 am
I have played it forward from the golds ahead of the reds have had a 79-84-37 for 9 holes shot par first 8 holes bogy#9 scrambled 12 putts THAT WAS FUN
Played blended tees to my liking shot 86 played from senior tees shot 81 but also much higher you name it i am a 19 hcp come to realize i cann’t reach some of the par 4s in two.Just this week i set up my own blended tees 5520 so that i can reach the greens as the long hitters do getting some flack but having fun and my hcp should go down.
Charlie
Jan 15, 2014 at 10:59 am
I am glad to see that the title says forget pace of play. My course thinks that because the tee boxes have been moved forward the pace will quicken. NOT!
I am a high handicapper but play at a reasonable pace and whether I play the blue or white tees I finish in the same amount of time. Playing from the reads is just another round in itself and I find fun as course management really comes into play.
LiveWire
Jan 12, 2014 at 1:31 am
A color coded score card that fits in your pocket should be given to you when you pay green fee’s. That way there is no confusion. Let the course dictate your tee box. It would serve them in the time management department as well.
LiveWire
Jan 12, 2014 at 12:20 am
I would love to play it forward.I am typically 25 yards or my past my friends, I ask a lot if they would like to play it forward at the beginning of each round. They say no, and continue to post 90+ on the card. Is there anyway to make the courses move the tees forward and take the decision off the ego minded amateur? I guess I could always be pompous and play it forward right in front of them till they agree. Or a simple poster with the color tee matching your handicap at the first tee box would be cool.
markb
Jan 10, 2014 at 5:38 pm
There is another very good reason why we should all play the forward tees — DOING SO WILL USUALLY PAD YOUR HANDICAP!
Here’s my math and rationale. My par 71 course’s black tees are 6406 yards, rated at 70.1, and slope of 131. Our whites are 5820 with a rating of 67.1 and a slope of only 124. As you can probably tell by the difference between the two slopes, our course is a bit more difficult than an average 113 course from white and a bit more still from the blacks. Yet it’s rated THREE shots easier from whites compared to blacks. The consensus among the locals is that the difference between blacks to whites is only maybe a stroke. No holes change their par for men moving from white to black.
So a sandbagger should want to play FORWARD at my course! If he’s a 9 hcp and plays from the black and shoots an 80, his differential will be((80-70.1)x113)/131 = only 8.54. But if he shoots a 79 from white, his differential is ((79-67.1)x113)/124 = 10.85. More than two strokes.
It’s no surprise that playing it forward is exactly what all our sandbaggers do. You’ll never catch them at the tips. They’d play from the ladies’ tees if we had a red rating for men!
Mizzy
Jan 15, 2014 at 11:09 am
This thought relies heavily on the assumption that the black tees are only 1 shot easier despite the course rating mathematically quantifying the differential as 3. From my experience usually when the course says the black tees are 3 strokes harder it is generally conservative the other way, where they would actually be 3-5 strokes harder, rather than 1-3 strokes harder.
Mizzy
Jan 15, 2014 at 11:21 am
Meaning that if you play the Black tees and shoot a 80 you would shoot a 75 to 78 on the white tees
Sean
Jan 9, 2014 at 6:08 pm
I could give you a couple of great examples of the efficacy of teeing it forward, but there isn’t enough space. On another note, Sam Snead once said that every golfer should play the forward tees until they shoot par or better.
Rod
Jan 22, 2014 at 12:02 am
While I agree playing shorter tees could help some people having trouble reaching greens in regulation because of distance. I can tell you more people I see hitting from shorter tees with their drivers still can’t hit the greens with their second shots. Other than par 5’s these guys can’t control their second shots, or for that matter their putts. So Sam Snead would probably tell these guys to take up Bridge, since no matter if they moved up 50 yards in front of the lady’s tee’s they will never, never break par!
John
Jan 9, 2014 at 5:44 pm
Maybe to force the issue they should do like they do at St. Andrew’s and only put out one set of tee markers for the day – wouldn’t that be interesting.
TJ Jackson
Jan 9, 2014 at 12:18 pm
Years ago I always played the blue tees. One day I played with a group that played from the white tees. They were the same age as me, and similar skill. I asked one why they played the ‘short’ tees. His answer made a lot of sense. “Why play from a longer tee if you can’t break 80?” The thinking was, you should play from tees that give you a mid-iron shot into a par-4, not hitting 3 woods on the majority of them. I moved up & played better golf, and plus I enjoyed my round more than from the longer tees.
The point is this, unless you are shooting in 70’s consistently, why play longer tees? I have more enjoyment from having a few birdies during my round that a bunch of doubles. Sure, it isn’t as long as the pros, but let’s face facts, we play for fun, not for a living. The slope equates our skill even from shorter tees!
2-cents
Eagle003
Mar 30, 2014 at 3:09 am
I couldn’t agree with you more. I’ve come of the opinion that most golfers feel they have something to prove rather than playing for enjoyment of the game. After all it still is a game….I hope.
So much emphasis has been placed on raw power in recent years that all too many golfers have fallen into the “testosterone trap”. As a senior golfer I find much more enjoyment in the finesse aspects of the game. I experience far more enjoyment by hitting a crisp short or mid iron into the green as opposed to trying to roll a three wood on even though, I’d like to add, I can still hit it out there with a lot of the younger bucks.
I, too, have often suggested playing it forward and surprisingly found golfers of far less competency than I cringing at the idea. Oh well…try as hard as we may….doubt it will ever change.
rocketshankz
Jan 8, 2014 at 11:55 pm
Our college coach would make us play 9 holes from the ladies tees once a week. For every stroke we were away from -5, we had to run a mile after practice. Every stroke better than -5 he’d run 1/2 mile. Nothing like leaving the ego at the door and remembering to make golf fun.
Hunterdog
Jan 7, 2014 at 10:52 pm
Absolutely! Play shorter courses! Many areas have fine “executive courses” that are shorter and far less expensive and the average golfer can save some further cash by not needing to purchase the new hot driver or, msybe, any driver!
yo!
Jan 7, 2014 at 3:51 pm
Best article from Tom thus far which I fear will fall on deaf ears.
tom stickney
Jan 7, 2014 at 3:52 pm
Thank you
JJ
Jan 22, 2014 at 6:20 pm
yep. You couldnt have said it better Tom (unless maybe you were a bit tougher on the egomaniacs that insist on playing tees they dont belong at)
markb
Jan 7, 2014 at 3:18 pm
“Tee it forward” is nice, but we’re ignoring the simplest solution of all, one that pros, greenskeepers, and marshals can put in place WITHOUT the cooperation of the paying public.
We call it “kick it forward” at my course. On slow non-tournament days, or in front of clogs caused by duffers, drunken revellers, and over-serious mini-matches, we simply move the tee boxes forward ourselves. Black is moved to blue, blue is moved to white, and white is squeezed into red.
It doesn’t help with “you’re away” crowd, the 6-practice-swings-per-shot duffers or the plumb-bob-everything putters, but it is the sneaky equivalent of tee it forward.
Double Mocha Man
Jan 7, 2014 at 4:21 pm
Mark… that is too funny. Sheesh, if I did that on my course the Greens Superintendent would come out and give me a noogie or ban me from the course for a week. I’ve seen the reverse where several lighthearted groups are playing one behind the other and the front group will, after hitting, move the tee blocks backwards to an impossible length.
markb
Jan 10, 2014 at 4:32 pm
By “we”, I mean it’s generally the marshals, pros, and greenskeepers who do it, not the paying public.
What happens is a clog will occur, generally caused by one of three offenders: 1) a cluster of rank duffers who take 6 shots apiece thru every green, or 2) drunken party boys who don’t care while they whoop it up, or 3) the serious mini-matchers (often the men’s league) who are too cool for school.
A marshal can chastize type 1, but types 2 & 3 often won’t listen. So they just sneak ahead in the gaps created in front of the clog and kick the tees forward to cut down a little bit on the time the cloggers will waste through the green. Really effective on tough 3’s over water and other holes where clogs frequently happen. No one knows the difference. Actually legal. After all, how many times have you started a hole only to see the GK set a new pin while you’re approaching?
For TJ: Even on courses with semi-fixed blue, white and red spots, there’s no rule that says they have to stay there. You can still bump the non-fixed markers as far up as they’ll go. Plus Temp tees happen all the time. You are right about the unpredictability of the hacks, but most times the guys who play from their own preferred spots (like a group of buddies at my course who call themselves “The Tips”) are not the causes of the clogs.
Kick it Forward is just one trick we use and it doesn’t eliminate all slow play. A bigger offender than backward tee box starting positions is a FAILURE TO PLAY READY GOLF instead of honors. IMO, EVERYONE SHOULD PLAY READY GOLF ALL THE TIME EXCEPT IN TOURNEYS!
Another huge offender is what I call WAGON TRAIN GOLF — guys in 2 or more electric golf carts who swirl back and forth horizontally across the fairways in little clusters from one ball to the next. Like they need to circle all their wagons before any one person can hit a single shot. God forbid that they park a cart halfway between two balls, get out, each hit when ready and then jump back in and go to the green! That’s too efficient.
TJ Jackson
Jan 9, 2014 at 12:23 pm
Great suggestion!!
Only drawback is our club has cement markers on boxes, so some hacks would play from those regardless of where the ‘box’ was.
Philip
Jan 7, 2014 at 12:32 pm
Courses need to help out this effort too. For example, this morning I looked at the scorecard for a course I was thinking about playing on a trip later this month. Par 71, tee boxes of 5900, 6500, and 6800 yards. Quite frankly, 6500 for Par 71 is long for me as I think it is for most golfers, but 5900 is a little short. At times I’ve made up my own mix and match of holes to get to the ideal 6200-6300 yards for a par 72, but then I don’t have a slope and course rating. I’ve seen some courses provide mix and match of tees that are rated, but more need to do so.
Double Mocha Man
Jan 7, 2014 at 11:40 am
When I played at Pebble Beach there was a sign on the first tee that the starter strictly enforced. If your handicap was 13+ you needed to drive from the white tees. 6 – 12 you were hitting from the gold tees. And if you could prove a 0 – 5 handicap you got to smack it from the blues.
JJ
Jan 22, 2014 at 6:06 pm
This is precisely how to fix this problem. My local courses have wisened up and done this as well. Most egomaniacs playing from the blues do not have a handicap to justify it and have no business being there, and this system exploits them.
Ronald Montesano
Jan 7, 2014 at 10:58 am
Stick,
My first thought when I saw the title for this article was, won’t playing up a deck or two invariably lead to quicker rounds? Less ground to cover, less hazards to find and delay play, more greens hit in regulation.
You have great feedback from your readers, which is a reflection on the quality of your writing and (I would guess) your teaching.
I may be confused, but I suspect that I can submit a handicap score from red, white, blue or black. Course and slope ratings will be adjusted, so your three to five strokes-lower score will not result in a fraudulent handicap.
tom stickney
Jan 7, 2014 at 3:53 pm
Thank you sir, you are correct your handicap will be adjusted per the tees you play.
J C
Jan 7, 2014 at 8:30 am
Last year my gf decided to start golfing so wed have more to do together. I’m a decent golfer, high 70s low 80s, I have her pick up if we get slow and the group behind gets too close, she’s ok with that. She’s drives about 150 I drive about 280, the problem arose where the group in front of us would clear enough for her to hit but id have to wait until they’d hit at least their second shots usually to tee off. After about 12 holes I started teeing off from the forward tees, previously known as ladies tees, and just hitting hybrids and such down the center, 3 hybrid 220ish. My goal was to put the ball at my pw distance every time, 115yds. Needless to say I played the last 6 in 1 over. I was really happy with the way I was playing and had fun with it instead of sitting at the tee box waiting all day long to just bomb it out there. Now I understand that I hit the ball too far for the tee boxes I was playing and would not consider counting it toward a legitimate handicap but if just playing for fun, that’s what it was. I’m sure people that don’t hit the ball as far or as straight as I do could benefit, score and psychologically from moving up a tee box.
tallPK
Jan 7, 2014 at 6:36 am
Check the ego at the door, play it forward. You still have to hit all of the shots and get the ball in the hole. You’re going to enjoy it more hitting short irons into the green rather than hybrids or woods.
christian
Jan 7, 2014 at 4:35 am
I have tried several times to play from the back tees on some pretty long courses, and the difference in the time it takes me to finish the round is more or less nothing. Sure, I hit it pretty far, probably around 270-280 with the driver, almost all carry. But I’m no low hcp, around 12 at the moment. I actually find that the hole “opens up” more from the back, letting me rip driver to a larger landing area, and the angles are often (surprisingly) more forgiving from the back. That is, the back tees are usually not straight behind the forward tees, at least that’s what i have noticed on the courses I play. I actually often feel need to be cute and delicate from the whites, where I usually play with my buddies. Also, I have noticed my scores are the same regardless of which tees I use. Weird, I guess.
naflack
Jan 7, 2014 at 3:15 pm
For the most part that has been my experience as well.
Hauss
Jan 7, 2014 at 2:43 am
Some of the most fun I’ve had on the course is playing the last 9 before dark off the shortest tees with my guys. That huge par 5 is now driver, 8 iron. Play it fast and play it fun. You’ll talk about that 9 more than the first 18 for sure.
TJ Jackson
Jan 9, 2014 at 12:31 pm
One drawback on short par-5’s is some hack always wants to wait for the green to open up so they can hit their 2nd shot (even knowing they seldom can carry 200 yards no matter what club is used). That really slows down the pace. I always tell my buds if they insist to wait to play their 2nd on a par-5, that they owe me $5 if they miss or come up short. This usually stops that practice. Case in point, Zach Johnson won last week in Hawaii, hardly ever going for a par-5 in 2 (or driving a short par-4). He played to his strength.
Golfers need to know their limits, and just because they ‘once’ hit a 7-iron 200 yards in their younger days, doesn’t mean they can still hit it when they’re older or less skilled.
naflack
Jan 7, 2014 at 2:39 am
you are not locked in to playing the same set of tees either.
i usually play the back tees but if its a 600 yard par 5 i go up to the whites, if its a 220 yard par 3 i go up to the whites, if its a 460 yard par 4 i go up to the whites.
have fun with it, customize the tees to fit your game. the site i use to keep my index allows me to enter customized course info…i just do the necessary math. watch the pros, they dont always play the tips, the tee box they use often gets changes due to weather or what have you.
Sam
Jan 6, 2014 at 6:20 pm
Genius idea! At my club in New Zealand (mirimar links) we have blue white and yellow for ladies.. Love the whites means I can hit 3 wood instead of driver on several holes to avoid the millions of fairway bunkers.. I’ve been told also mirimar is the windiest course in the world an tee off 18 dead into the wind off the blues is almost impossible to hit the green in 2 and it’s a par 4!!! Move them foward I say!!!
John
Jan 6, 2014 at 8:50 pm
I had the pleasure of playing Mirimar several years ago. The wind was howling and I used a three wood from the white tees on most holes. Being a links course with a 40 knot mostly cross wind required much imagination but it was a great experience. And, the course is conveniently located right next to the airport.
Jive
Jan 6, 2014 at 4:51 pm
I have always felt that the flags on the driving range should show you what tees to play. If you need to hit drives 100 yards to play the red tees at the course, make the 100 yard flag red, then you must consistently drive past the red flag to play the red tees. Put the white flag at the appropriate distance, eg 175 yards, if you can consistently drive past the white flag then you play the white tees, do the same with blue, black, yellow, etc. With grass practice tees if they are deep you can move the target flags, but +-10 yards isn’t going to make much of a difference. Second rule of thumb I tell my friends. If there are 12 par 4s and you need to hit driver off every tee box then you are playing too far back.
Tom Stickney
Jan 7, 2014 at 12:48 am
That’s a great idea!!
GJR
Jan 6, 2014 at 2:30 pm
Courses could really help this by encouraging players at the time of check in to play it forward. They could also have it on each of the tee boxes. Additionally, some courses have 4 or 5 tee boxes. You only need 3.
1.) Red = Women, Seniors, and say, golfers that shoot around 100. In other words, 99% of golfers on your local muni.
2.) White/Blue = Golfers that can consistently break 90.
3.) Black = Reserved for long and accurate players that can break 80.
Would this require people to check an ego? Yup. Would it be hard to enforce? Yup. Can it be accomplished? Yup.
I realize that courses need to make money. Especially with volume declining every year (at least here in Minnesota) but this is what is best for the game.
Lastly, we need to see better course management from the course and rangers. If the first tee time doesn’t get off on time and everyone else gets pushed back, move the up a hole. Slow players? Move them up a hole. Tee it forward can probably help at least half the problem of slow play, if not 2/3 of the problem. But courses can do a better job as well of keeping everyone on track.
JD
Jan 7, 2014 at 10:34 am
To be heonest the enforcement part you referenced “moving someone up” isn’t enforcable with the competition in pricing and the number of courses around you will dwindle your customer base. Public courses can not enforce that. High-End courses do bump tee-times that are late. Due to policy and procedure. Tee-ing it forward has been tried a number of times at my course and seldom do people follow it. It is an ego thing, absolutely. The problem isn’t rangers or course protocol, it’s the golfers ultimately taking too long and playing shots they absolutely shouldn’t. How many times have you seen guys waiting to hit into a par 5 green from the fairway and not even come relatively close to the green. One of the ideas we use to help pace of play is we went to 10 minute tee times, instead of 7-8-9… We also use our starter to suggest a tee. based on handicap. we have 4 boxes and single digit only from the tips…
GJR
Jan 7, 2014 at 4:26 pm
Hey JD.
Yeah, I certainly realize that it’s tough to enforce that when courses are concerned about turning away customers and losing profit. It’s too bad though because we should all be trying to grow the game the right way. That means telling people that they aren’t fit to play the tees they want and it’s holding everyone else up as a result. I wish more courses would take that stance.
TJ Jackson
Jan 9, 2014 at 12:44 pm
Greens keepers could also help speed up play. Why tuck a pin in an impossible spot on a weekend, when the majority of players would have problems scoring? I’ve even seen pins put right next to a drop off. Leave the hard pins to tournaments (Mondays were for pro pins) but match the placements to the majority of the players. Remember, 95% of the golfers can’t break 90 consistently (unless they pick up or not play ‘real golf’)
I like when the course has ‘pin settings’ shown (placement 1, 2, 3, 4), where all the players BEFORE they tee off.
Also, why doesn’t clubs have ‘short tee’ weekend, where everyone plays short tees (2 sets at most)? Then some would ‘discover’ that golf is really fun, not an ordeal or searching for balls.
8thehardway
Jan 6, 2014 at 1:41 pm
Ego infiltrates every part of golf but choosing tees is more of a peer pressure thing.
I play it forward during the winter. Two years ago a 75 y/o I’ve played with struggled from the regular tees but his foursome insisted on playing them. One day we went out as a twosome and I said I’d play the forward tees with him if he wanted to give them a try. He was hooked; eventually his swing improved and he started scoring in the low 80s instead of the 90s. Now he alternates tees depending of conditions, not what his group wants and he crunches his buddies from ‘their’ tees.
The forward tees get you used to success rather quickly, a valuable experience if/when you go back to your usual tees. It highlights your short game and lets you spend more time with your short irons.
It becomes a different course… par 3s are less comfortable and you’ll need new strategies on the other 14 holes to score well. You’ll enjoy the really hard holes when you can reach them in regulation with a 4 iron off the tee. Also, you’ll set new goals.
Don’t get me started on winter golf, which lengthens every hole by 20 yards and drives my buddies crazy. I know you’re supposed to suffer with golf, but ‘golf happy’ and enjoy the break… you deserve a treat after the way golf’s treated you.
Grn2T
May 30, 2014 at 7:06 pm
Well said 8thehardway.
I agree, it’s all ego. My brother and I have been playing from the white tee since we came back to the game 4 months ago. He’s an 11 and I’m an 8, I was a solid 4 handicapper before I stopped playing 10 years ago.
I just joined the private club and surprised to see that most members I played with outside the club before I joined play from the white tee at the club, heck most members play from the white. They are older Asian golfers who could break 90 nor put their drive pass 200 yards, yet insist on playing from the tip of the local resort course, almost 7000 yards narrow par 71 Zaharias course which include a 300yd par 3, it was the longest 5 hours I ever have to endure on the golf course. The 3 of them are main reason used golf balls are thriving. I played from the white and the course still kicked my ass I shot 84.
I don’t necessary agree that playing from white tee would make the course that much easier for longer than avg driver’s length(211yds) golfer white tee can be as challenging as the blue because your landing zone becomes narrower. I notice that this is the case for about half of the par 4s I played. Of course, the up side is the shorter approach shot and more margin of error with higher lofted clubs would yield more GIR, and lower your score.
Teeing from the tip is pretty much a backward thinking that noobs love to practice. It’s their right of passage, it only make sense as they are learning the game from tee to green not the other way around. The usual answer when I asked why play from the back tee is I want to see the course, or getting my money’s worth because it’s more challenging. What? why not kick your ball into the divot on every fairway hit to make it more challenging. Most time instead of being embarrass that better player plays from the forward tee and move up, they would ask me why I don’t play from the tip with them. When I ask why? well you know the answer.
Actually, I don’t really care what tee noobs play from as long as they keep up and move along. It takes 5-7 years to become a mature(thinking) golfer for most golfers they just have to pay their dues, I’m cool with that as long as they don’t keep me waiting 2-3 mins on every shots. Use all your “rights” to enjoy yourself on the course as you please, I’m happy for you don’t infringe upon me or risk being called out.
Tim
Jan 6, 2014 at 1:08 pm
We don’t have. Any program like tee it forward in the uk, probably because on average the courses are shorter. But at out course we have shorter tees of course many of the social competions are played off them, but you will almost never catch me or any other of the single figure golfers playing off them because the standard scratch goes down from 72 to 69. Meaning you need to shoot 3 shots under your handicap to maintain it a it’s current level. In some courses that might be easy, on a tree lined course wih a number of doglegs making the drives shorter doesn’t make it much easier for a good golfer. Drivng over or around the trees on many holes is too low a percentage play, so you can’t get much closer to the greens you just take the driver out of play. This doesn’t help much for most low handicap golfers as we all know it’s the short game that separates us. If a course is well designed with a proper level of risk and reward shortening or lengthening it should not be necessary. I think we are influenced by too many tour courses which place distaance over accurracy particularly of the tee. As tour players rarely loose a ball off the tee due to course marshalls, imagine if the consequences of some of there bad swings was playing 3 off the tee, you would see a lot more irons and 5 woods off the tee and therefore more mid iron approaches . This wouldn’t be as fun to watch of course so i don’t want this implemented just considered when you compare tour golfers with amateurs.
corey
Jan 6, 2014 at 12:48 pm
i agree with this article. my HS coach made us play from the tips and that was fine cuz it was competitive golf. but now i never play from the tips unless the whole group is. its more enjoyable to be hitting short irons into greens than trying to be accurate with mid to long irons for an entire round. also, if you cant shoot in the low 80s dont play from the back tees. no ones ego is hurt from playing the whites, your ego will be hurt if you play from the tips and duff it or hit big slices all day. then the people behind you will shake their heads and go “looks like its going to be a long day”
gary
Jan 6, 2014 at 12:32 pm
so from what i can understand from reading this article rather than trying to improve ones golf by spending time on the practice area you should just “cheat” by playing from forward tee boxes. what is next???? the handicap system and the golf course slope were put in place to ensure that all players of all ability could play the same course without one player having an unfair advantage.
this “instant gratification golf” is false you just think you have scored better. yes i understand that some players can not hit the ball as far as others but that is part of the game even on the tour they have long and short hitters and time and time again we see that it is the wedges and the putter that make the difference.
spend some time on the range and try to improve your own game you will enjoy golf a lot more in the long run.
i am not a scratch golfer nor do i play off the back tees but in my heart i know that if i did play off forward tees and was to post a better score that normal it would not be because i played better golf.
Sean
Jan 6, 2014 at 1:27 pm
This is an incredibly childish remark. It’s the same thing I say to my sister as a joke when she beats me playing off whites when I play off the blues.
As for the choice of practicing or playing a round. Not everyone has the time to do both so plenty of weekenders need to make the decision between going out and playing 18 and spending an hour smashing balls on the range, because lets face it, how many people practice effectively on the driving range? I spend hours on a range, because I enjoy tinkering, and working towards that 1 consistent swing. My sister hates the range, she rarely if ever goes, and she spends 30 minutes whacking balls at the fence, she’s also a 3 handicap.
And comparing long and short hitters on tour to the average joe? Casual players can play off whatever tee they feel like and they shouldn’t be called cheaters or scrutinized for that.
Gary
Jan 6, 2014 at 11:27 pm
Sean, I am not saying that they cant play off whatever tees they want that is up to each and every player however if you start playing of forward tees you change the course stroke rating a par 72 becomes a 70 for example.
This is not improving your overall game it is flattering your ego.
For example if you have trouble with long putts do you just say “I am no good at these shots” and move the ball closer to thr hole.
As for practice time. Golf is a game that takes a long time to play 4:30/5:00 hours are you really going to say that you cant get to the course a half hour earlier or go to the range for a half hour after the round.
tom stickney
Jan 6, 2014 at 1:58 pm
Gary–
Individuals can choose whatever makes them happy…if you desire to play all the way back then I’m game.
Gary
Jan 6, 2014 at 11:16 pm
I am not saying that they cant play for where ever they want. however if you play off the forward tees you change the course from a par 72 to a par 70 or lower it is normal that you will shoot lower scores.
As a teaching proffesional I would have thought you would have been for improving the playing standard rather then making the game easier.
Tom Stickney
Jan 7, 2014 at 12:50 am
The masses don’t take lessons…they need all the help they can get.
8thehardway
Jan 7, 2014 at 5:24 pm
Such a silly position must have been arrived at intuitively because your logic doesn’t hold: consider the paradox that since all tees are forward of the back tees, any reasons you can muster for playing less than maximum distance are available to golfers playing from shorter tees than you play.
Distance only differentiates skill levels, it does not legitimize gratification. There’s no minimum distance for enjoying a hole-in-one or a great round on a par-54 pitch & putt. If playing less-than-maximum yardage doesn’t lead to self-delusion, false gratification or lower standards for you, why should it affect (or infect) others?
In the end, your position is not unlike that of a friend who recently opined that any golfer hitting straight, 230-yard drives or less who isn’t playing the forward tees in winter is either crazy or ego driven.
Neither your position or his takes into account the personal nature of challenges and pleasure.
DC
Jul 22, 2014 at 3:30 pm
Umm, if you’re a 14 handicap and go from a par 72 to a par 70 on the same set of 18 holes, you now how have to shoot an 84 instead of 86 to shoot your handicap. So you’ve actually made it harder on yourself. You’ll have to break through your expectation of settling for 4 pars and 14 bogies. You’ll now have to squeeze two more pars or knock in some birdies.
Two strokes is a lot. That’s at least either 1 bad drive, or 2 missed greens, or 2 flubbed chips/putts. Each mistake you make is amplified.
How you deal with mistakes is a cornerstone to playing this game.
snowman
Jan 6, 2014 at 12:26 pm
I’m now 57. A couple of years back, I got involved with a group that plays from the “white” tees…. I’m a single digit handicap and always previously played the Blue tees, but for the sake of camaraderie, I go along and play the whites….. and guess what— I still enjoy the game! It aint no big deal. Yes, the game is a tad less demanding and my scores on average are a bit better; so what. I’m not a long hitter, but I still often play the Blues when I’m alone or with a different group, but I’ve learned it’s still satisfying to Break 80, even from the shorter tee box. Try it!
A. Flores
Jan 6, 2014 at 11:37 am
I completely agree. To the exception of one guy in my group, none of us shoots in the eighties. Yet, all of my friends refuse to play from the whites. I do. And I don’t care as long as my score improves. When my score improves, I have more fun making nice shots for frequently. It’s simple. I am not scratch. I do not play from the blues or blacks.
Lazza
Jan 6, 2014 at 12:38 pm
In South Africa the blues are the seniors, whites the club and yellow/black championship. I could play off the championship tees, but most of the courses that offer them are devilishly tough (Durban Country Club, Zimbali CC, etc), so you gain very little for the extra stroke in the course rating you get. You had better be hitting deadly accurate drivers/woods or resort to very, very long, long irons. Typically the senior tees are much lower in rating than the club (65 for par 71 Selborne GC vs. 69 for club and 70 for championship, etc), but that doesn’t make it much easier to score well, so the club tees suit me best.