Would you want your tee box allocated based on driving distance?

[Slab]

Was reading a piece by Barney Adams (yeah the same Adams) from about 4 years ago which prompted the Tee it Forward initiative

Although I’d obviously heard about the TIF initiative I didn’t realise he’d actually put some distances around just how far forward to tee it

He based an ideal course length on the driving distance a player averaged (not Sunday best)

i.e an average driving distance of 230 yards means a maximum course length of 6,200 would be ideal while a 200yard driver should play the course at a total length of 6000yrd or shorter & 250 yrd hitters at around 6,500 course length

Of course the argument for doing it means big gains in playability (i.e driver & mid iron on average par 4) increased enjoyment and reduced pace, which all seems pretty positive but how would it work in practice?

I know in the US even non comp rounds can contribute towards h/cap so a few guys can go out on a measured course and tee forward knowing it still counts against their h/cap but is there scope in UK comp rules to have mixed men’s tee’s (maybe if winners were all divisional I guess)

Could you imagine your comps and in particular the roll-ups for that matter using different tee boxes through the field (non comp golf being frequently cited on here for examples of slow play) So that players get more out of the game and pace is improved?


Maybe a big issue is that so many players have no clue how far they average with a driver (or they do and won't admit it)

 

[ScienceBoy]

Yup!

I am in full support of clubs offering tees to suit driving distance.

There should at least be one tee set which removed carries from the tee over heavy rough, water, gorse etc.

Tees should not really be gender specific, everyone should be free to choose the tee to suit their perceived ability.

 

[Backache]

My home course is not long at a shade under 6000 yds which suits me as a short hitter. I can't help wondering if this would not actually slow up procedings as a lot of players would choose the back tees as a macho thing.
The only course I have played with this system is Chart Hills in Kent which was pretty slow.

 

[Stuey01]

Problem is how do golfers then compete with each other. Out on your own for a round I get it, but how would a comp work?
Hitting it longer is an advantage, is it fair to take that away? I know guys who hit it 50 yards shorter than me off the tee but are in the fairway more and are better putters than I am and are off the same handicap. If they get to tee it forward, do I get to kick a few of their drives into the rough, or maybe play goalkeeper on a few of their putts?

 

[Deleted member 1147]

How do you decide on your average driving distance?
A mode (normal decent strike), or the mean average over the course of a season (including the bad ones) or the median (the one in the middle of all those hit in a season). All three will end up with very different distances.

As an experiment I have measured all of my good drives this summer, on my Garmin. This has given me an average of 295 yds. however, if I was to include all the snap hooks, trees hit etc it would be significantly shorter than that.

So which tee should I use?

 

[Slab]

Problem is how do golfers then compete with each other. Out on your own for a round I get it, but how would a comp work?
Hitting it longer is an advantage, is it fair to take that away? I know guys who hit it 50 yards shorter than me off the tee but are in the fairway more and are better putters than I am and are off the same handicap. If they get to tee it forward, do I get to kick a few of their drives into the rough, or maybe play goalkeeper on a few of their putts?

Yeah comps would require a good deal of thought. Maybe winners by tee divisions rather than handicap i.e Back tee's winner, yellow tee winner etc or maybe if comp is off back tee's then anyone off the yellows must play off 3/4 to enter the comp

Not an unfathomable problem though so I'm sure with some thought it could work

 

[Slab]

How do you decide on your average driving distance?
A mode (normal decent strike), or the mean average over the course of a season (including the bad ones) or the median (the one in the middle of all those hit in a season). All three will end up with very different distances.

As an experiment I have measured all of my good drives this summer, on my Garmin. This has given me an average of 295 yds. however, if I was to include all the snap hooks, trees hit etc it would be significantly shorter than that.

So which tee should I use?

295! then the red ones obviously

Seriously though, would it matter as long as the same format was used through the membership (I'm not suggesting it would be a doddle to set up but that's not a good reason not to consider it)

 

[ScienceBoy]

Yeah comps would require a good deal of thought.

In reality I hope not. A competition should take place from a single set of tees bar the current way men and women play in the same competition.

Competition round make up a small number of rounds at a course annually so really they should be left as they are (but more played off shorter tees?).

The real focus should be on societies, visitors and the normal non-competition rounds. Roll ups and other informal competitions come under here.

 

[Slab]

In reality I hope not. A competition should take place from a single set of tees bar the current way men and women play in the same competition.

Competition round make up a small number of rounds at a course annually so really they should be left as they are (but more played off shorter tees?).

The real focus should be on societies, visitors and the normal non-competition rounds. Roll ups and other informal competitions come under here.

I think you're right but I wouldn't dismiss divisions from diff tees for the clubs that might need it. Easy to set up & administer and wouldn't devalue the win anymore than divisions based on handicap

 

[Deleted member 1147]

There would be a hell of a lot of prizes to award at the end of the event, with each player lucky to get £2 vouchers for the proshop!

"... and the winner of the red tee, men, division 1, gross prize Joe Bloggs, runner up red tee, men, division 1 ..."

repeat for each division, net/gross and red, yellow, green, white, blue & black tees.

 

[el marko]

I don't agree with this average drive distance x28 will give your your course yardage. 250 yard drives = 7000 yards.

There are plenty of long courses with lower than 6000 yard total. Purely because there are lots of par 3s and at max 1 par 5. The par 4s could still be all over 400 yards...

 

[Slab]

I don't agree with this average drive distance x28 will give your your course yardage. 250 yard drives = 7000 yards.

There are plenty of long courses with lower than 6000 yard total. Purely because there are lots of par 3s and at max 1 par 5. The par 4s could still be all over 400 yards...

I don't think it was supposed to cure all evils and fix every golf club, more that it should help many courses to improve the experience and pace for players

The more unusual course designs may have to see what elements/components would work for them

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Why do we need different tee boxes for different driving distances ?

 

[Slab]

Why do we need different tee boxes for different driving distances ?

Think it was skimmed over in post one

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Think it was skimmed over in post one

Still don't see a valid reason ?

There is something called a HC system in place that tries to have a level playing field - and you suggest allowing people to drive of tees closer to the hole as well ? Does that mean their HC should reduce to level it back up again ?

The best thing about golf is everyone regardless of ability plays the same golf course - the same tees , the same distance and then the HC will level up the nett scores.

All play of the same tee - simple as that.

 

[Alex1975]

If you did this then handicaps would have to be changed as your giving shorter players and advantage over the current system. As such your getting x amount of shots and x amount less distance.

Also lets say there is a check done and you have to hit 10 drives on a launch monitor.... whos to say "Mr Long" is not going to hit some smooth ones to make his distance shorter.

 

[Slab]

Still don't see a valid reason ?

There is something called a HC system in place that tries to have a level playing field - and you suggest allowing people to drive of tees closer to the hole as well ? Does that mean their HC should reduce to level it back up again ?

The best thing about golf is everyone regardless of ability plays the same golf course - the same tees , the same distance and then the HC will level up the nett scores.

All play of the same tee - simple as that.

Wouldn't worry about it Phil, I doubt the initiative was aimed at superior golfers

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Wouldn't worry about it Phil, I doubt the initiative was aimed at superior golfers

What's that supposed to mean and how is it relevant to what I posted ?

If you allow people to shorten each hole then their HC must be changed to reflect they are allowed to play the hole shorter than others ?

 

[brendy]

Still don't see a valid reason ?

There is something called a HC system in place that tries to have a level playing field - and you suggest allowing people to drive of tees closer to the hole as well ? Does that mean their HC should reduce to level it back up again ?

The best thing about golf is everyone regardless of ability plays the same golf course - the same tees , the same distance and then the HC will level up the nett scores.

All play of the same tee - simple as that.

Exactly this, you have a handicap for a reason.

 

[Slab]

What's that supposed to mean and how is it relevant to what I posted ?

If you allow people to shorten each hole then their HC must be changed to reflect they are allowed to play the hole shorter than others ?

What do you mean whats it supposed to mean

It means what it says, I seriously doubt the initiative was aimed at golfers of a higher ability, cat 1's, scratch, plus handicappers etc etc (which I thought included you)

It is not about handicaps (although they may become a consideration depending on how the initiative is employed at a course)

The theory is that it allows people to play off a forward tee (which is still a measured course) and increases the playability of the course, the enjoyment for the player and improves the general pace of play. Might be a great initiative used in general play/societies, roll-ups etc to improve things for the field but its use in comps may be limited or not required

The guy who thought it up believes there's a correlation between driving distance and course length where the areas such as playability, enjoyment & pace become negatives