Men playing from the Red Tee's

[Paulienash]

Is it allowed/acceptable for men to play off the front/Red tee's?

Planning on playing some courses in Spain that are a lot longer than my usual, lots of 400yd+ par 4s, 200yd+ par 3s. I don't hit it very far (carry 200yds off the tee, 175yds fairway, on a very good day). If I hit a good drive I'd like to be able to at least have a chance of getting on the dance floor.

Thanks

 

[2blue]

Is it allowed/acceptable for men to play off the front/Red tee's?

Planning on playing some courses in Spain that are a lot longer than my usual, lots of 400yd+ par 4s, 200yd+ par 3s. I don't hit it very far (carry 200yds off the tee, 175yds fairway, on a very good day). If I hit a good drive I'd like to be able to at least have a chance of getting on the dance floor.

Thanks

From what I understand they are usually very happy for you to play from the most appropriate tee. All will be rated for men & women.

 

[DeanoMK]

Absolutely. Tees aren't gender specific - golf is about having fun - play whatever tees facilitate that

 

[Mel Smooth]

We had a little society rule when I was in Spain, blokes could move up to the red tees and drop a few shots off their handicap (could have been 4 or 5) one of the women that played with us was off 5 back here - 2 in the society - hit it way further than some of the doddery old geezers in the society - she played off the red tees. None of the men ever took the option to move up.

But to the OP, play off whichever tees you feel comfortable off. There's bound to be some holes where there's water to carry, and you at least want to give yourself a fighting chance.

 

[KenL]

200 yard carry is nothing to be worried about.
Enjoy your golf.

 

[Paulienash]

We had a little society rule when I was in Spain, blokes could move up to the red tees and drop a few shots off their handicap (could have been 4 or 5) one of the women that played with us was off 5 back here - 2 in the society - hit it way further than some of the doddery old geezers in the society - she played off the red tees. None of the men ever took the option to move up.

But to the OP, play off whichever tees you feel comfortable off. There's bound to be some holes where there's water to carry, and you at least want to give yourself a fighting chance.

Thanks, yea as long as I get a fighting chance I'm happy.

Out of interest what sort of distances are the higher handicap society members hitting it?

Thanks,

 

[Mel Smooth]

Thanks, yea as long as I get a fighting chance I'm happy.

Out of interest what sort of distances are the higher handicap society members hitting it?

Thanks,

Some of them would be hitting driver on 150 yard par 3’s mate. You’ll have nothing to worry about with the distances you’ve quoted.

I took the camera along and filmed a Texas Scramble we had a few years back.
The youth would have only been age 11 here and he was comfortable off the yellows then.

 

[Tashyboy]

I actually mentioned this last week to a PP that we should have a round off the reds. Why? They have a honours board and a guy at our place has shot the lowest round off the reds.It stands at 83. The womens is 69.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

My group played our pre Christmas game off the reds for a change. Made for a very different game, and was most enjoyable for a change.

 

[Billysboots]

Our swindle very often plays a format involving alternate tees - white, yellow, red - it’s great fun. Absolutely no reason you can’t play off a tee which is most appropriate for your game.

 

[oleinone]

Is it allowed/acceptable for men to play off the front/Red tee's?

Planning on playing some courses in Spain that are a lot longer than my usual, lots of 400yd+ par 4s, 200yd+ par 3s. I don't hit it very far (carry 200yds off the tee, 175yds fairway, on a very good day). If I hit a good drive I'd like to be able to at least have a chance of getting on the dance floor.

Thanks

Yes!

 

[Backsticks]

Depends on the ladies tee area. We stopped allowing men play from the ladies tees. They only have one teeing ground, unlike 3 for the men, and that tee area would only be a 5th or 6th the area of the total mens tees on any given hole. Which is in proportion to the men:ladies playing in our club. And both teeing areas would have been of the same standard.
When men from the reds started, and it wasnt that too many did really, it was quickly realised the tees didnt have the area to handle the traffic, especially the par 3s where men seemed to do more damage than ladies.
So it is no longer allowed. And quite rightly.

 

[Slab]

None of the local courses have gender or age groups noted on the scorecards to denote that a tee colour = M/F etc

Lots of players do still associate particular tees to particular groups & many mixed comps/opens reinforce this but with 5 sets of tees all being rated for men and women at home club its entirely up to the player what tee they choose for GP/social rounds (& WHS makes the CH so easy to see)

Maybe one day we’ll have tees that are just set by Handicap &/or ability or overall course length, to make sure players enjoy the course and improve pace but we’re probably a generation away from that happening which is a shame
i.e the red ‘ladies’ tees are roughly 5,850yards and if that’s what length you’re used to playing off at your home club yellows (even whites) then at most you could try one tee back but should forget going back any further than that unless you know you have the ability to do it.
Forget about the ego nonsense of choosing the tips to ‘play the course as it was designed’ Play the course length that matches your ability. The course has been (or should be) designed to be played from all tees

 

[PJ87]

None of the local courses have gender or age groups noted on the scorecards to denote that a tee colour = M/F etc

Lots of players do still associate particular tees to particular groups & many mixed comps/opens reinforce this but with 5 sets of tees all being rated for men and women at home club its entirely up to the player what tee they choose for GP/social rounds (& WHS makes the CH so easy to see)

Maybe one day we’ll have tees that are just set by Handicap &/or ability or overall course length, to make sure players enjoy the course and improve pace but we’re probably a generation away from that happening which is a shame
i.e the red ‘ladies’ tees are roughly 5,850yards and if that’s what length you’re used to playing off at your home club yellows (even whites) then at most you could try one tee back but should forget going back any further than that unless you know you have the ability to do it.
Forget about the ego nonsense of choosing the tips to ‘play the course as it was designed’ Play the course length that matches your ability. The course has been (or should be) designed to be played from all tees

We changed our reds to yellows to avoid the macho rubbish

Yellow tee of day
White members
Black championship

Lots of guests and visitors play yellows now.

The scorecard has two yellow boxes to tick for handicap as they are rated for men and women's .. only backwards think is the white and blacks not rated for women

 

[rulefan]

Depends on the ladies tee area. We stopped allowing men play from the ladies tees. They only have one teeing ground, unlike 3 for the men, and that tee area would only be a 5th or 6th the area of the total mens tees on any given hole. Which is in proportion to the men:ladies playing in our club. And both teeing areas would have been of the same standard.
When men from the reds started, and it wasnt that too many did really, it was quickly realised the tees didnt have the area to handle the traffic, especially the par 3s where men seemed to do more damage than ladies.
So it is no longer allowed. And quite rightly.

We didn't have our red tees rated for men for just that reason.

 

[Backache]

All our tees are rated for both sexes and we no longer operate a red yellow white colour system.

However from observation a large majority of men play off the back two tees and women of the front ones.
I would have a concern that if more men played forward tres like at Backsticks club there would be greater damage as the forward tees are smaller and can probably handle less destructive traffic.

I remember a couple of winters ago when there were instructions if using an iron of the tees when they were grass you must use a mat. This appeared to be widely ignored on one of the par 3's and it was like a ploughed field.

 

[Slab]

We didn't have our red tees rated for men for just that reason.

All our tees are rated for both sexes and we no longer operate a red yellow white colour system.

However from observation a large majority of men play off the back two tees and women of the front ones.
I would have a concern that if more men played forward tres like at Backsticks club there would be greater damage as the forward tees are smaller and can probably handle less destructive traffic.

I remember a couple of winters ago when there were instructions if using an iron of the tees when they were grass you must use a mat. This appeared to be widely ignored on one of the par 3's and it was like a ploughed field.

A bit of a tangent (& not meant as a criticism to any club) but isn't it an oversight of the owners or members not to recognize that by improving the teeing areas they and players get the various advantages it offers?

 

[patricks148]

we had all our tee's (except the very back blacks) rated for men and women after the course changes 4 years ago. the seniors moved to the Greens tees (the old red) for its comps and its helped some of the older guys still stay competitive.

 

[D-S]

My Club is in the process of reconfiguring the course to give a variety of options for players.
We are aiming for tee sets at 5400yards, 5700, 6000, 6300 and 6500. The first 3 rated for Women all par 73 and all 5 sets rated for Men all par 70. The shortest course will have, on quite a few holes, distinctly different angles onto fairways and greens. Very small tee platforms will be extended and a few new ones will be built.
We hope by doing this that we can cater for all abilities and spread wear.

 

[Backache]

A bit of a tangent (& not meant as a criticism to any club) but isn't it an oversight of the owners or members not to recognize that by improving the teeing areas they and players get the various advantages it offers?

I think this point is reasonable but tees cost time and money to construct and with the current relatively low useage they get are not a priority. We are in a phased program of having dedicated winter tees for both sexes so we can have a measured winter course and this is taking a couple of years.