Which tee box to use

[huttonline]

A newbie to the game about to start his first proper season. Am at the stage of driving range and lessons but need to take the plunge and tackle a full course.

When I do hit the 18 holer, would you recommend teeing off blue, white or yellow? The course adjusts par for the different tee boxes. (view scorecard here)

Am still on half swings but want to get the 28 handicap as soon as possible.

Any advice would be really appreciated! Thanks.

Simon

 

[Timh27]

I would go for the shortest on your first round.

First rounds are difficult enough without making it any harder on yourself and as you start to improve then just move back.

 

[drawboy]

You need to be off the yellows for practice games until you have your handicap and can play comps off the whites.

 

[huttonline]

Thanks for the tips guys
The link in the post was duff, the scorecard should be available here: http://www.oxford-golf.co.uk/courses/18-hole-scorecard/

Cheers

 

[Ethan]

That is a reasonable length off the yellows, so use those. Some clubs (like mine) allow you to use any tee you want (apart from comps where the tee is determined for you), so it can be fun to mix it around a bit. Personally, I never play off the yellows any more because I want to play the same holes as in comps.

 

[Owen_Thomas_14]

I personally would start with the big boys tees so you know what you need to do in competitions. You can always work your way up the tees though what ever floats your boat really

 

[RGDave]

A newbie to the game about to start his first proper season. Am at the stage of driving range and lessons but need to take the plunge and tackle a full course.

Any advice would be really appreciated! Thanks.

Simon

My advice might be just to tackle a few 9 hole rounds to get started.
Discounting that, I expect you'll probably have no option but to play from the tees of the day, which will almost certainly be yellows.
I ask to play off white now and again, sometimes courses say OK, sometimes (more often) not. It usually depends how you phrase the question (and if they believe you when you say you and your opponent are playing a serious game).

 

[HomerJSimpson]

We can use either the yellows or the whites. I think in all the time I've been a member on the new course I've probably only played off the yellows maybe 10-15 times. I prefer to play the course off the full length. However as a newbie it might be less soul destroying to go off the yellows and get a feel for each hole and where the trouble is. As your swing progresses and you become a more accomplished golfer get off the whites, get your handicap sorted and get playing regular comps.

 

[Sneds]

My very first 18 holes I played off the reds...I think I thought they were for juniors

 

[Imurg]

We used to have a midweek fun knockabout in the summer - 9 holes, different format each week.
Once we played the course from the Red Tees - Boy what a difference that made! Some really low scores that night....

 

[Smiffy]

As a newbie it might be less soul destroying to go off the yellows and get a feel for each hole and where the trouble is. As your swing progresses and you become a more accomplished golfer get off the whites, get your handicap sorted and get playing regular comps.

I concur.
The game is hard enough as it is, why make it harder on yourself in the early days?
Get out off the yellows for a few rounds at least, keep a track of your scores, and once you start knocking it round half decently set yourself a goal to beat your score off the whites.

 

[bernix]

It will be hard enough from the yellows so go for them.

At my club we have the choice between white and yellow and I usually play off yellow. At competitions the participants are divided into 3 or 4 groups according to handicap. Only group A plays off the white tees. Depending on who is participating group A ends somewhere between 11 and 16. Of course this is not true for club championships which are always played off white (and black for the ladies).

 

[huttonline]

It will be hard enough from the yellows so go for them.

Sounds like reasonable advice to me. That is the shortest length tee box out of the three options, so on the assumption that the club will let me use them, I'll be doing so!

Cheers guys, appreciate your comments.

 

[Canfordhacker]

I'd stick with yellows till you are comfortable. You'll soon enough get the
hunger for the whites.

We have the choice at our place and always go for the whites. Interested
to see someone else has played the reds - I was thinking of suggesting
this to my group as a challenge one weekend, to see what difference it made. 1100 yards - embarrassing if you can't improve on your handicap!