I am sure this title has many of you scratching your head wondering what the heck this means and where this article is headed. I have written and commented many times about all golfers recognizing their strength, length and skill levels and playing the correct tees to get more enjoyment and satisfaction from their rounds. More enjoyment is better rather than basically bullying and beating themselves up, playing their course from a set of tees that is too long and too challenging for them.
A club professional I know once did a study about tee lengths and how his members played the course from their various tees. Most of the male members felt their tees were properly distanced and provided a fairly level playing field for players of all skills, genders and ages. But, as most club professionals can attest to, the ladies, as a whole at most to all clubs, have to hit way more club to most greens than the men have to. This fact does not need a congressional committee, USGA or National Golf Foundation investigation to verify this exists at most golf clubs.
The point of the study was based on evaluating the concept that if the tees were properly placed at the correct distance, every golfer should play the same course relatively the same way. That is, the men and women, if playing from the correct tees for their skill, strength, length, age and gender, to be playing the course somewhat the same way, should relatively be hitting the same club for their second shots on par fours, third on par fives and tee shots on par threes.
The pro, a quality player, put his team together. Group 1 was the pro and his male club champion playing the championship tees, and his ladies club champion playing the ladies tees. Group 2 was mid-age and mid-handicap men playing the members tees, and two mid-age and mid-handicap ladies plying the ladies tees. Group 3 was 2 high handicap, mid-age men playing the members tees, and 2 high handicap, mid-age ladies playing the ladies tees. Group 4 was 2 senior men playing the senior tees and 2 senior ladies playing the ladies tees.
Basically, as best I can remember their results, the pro and the club champion male hit just about the same club. The lady champion lagged behind needing a club or two more to reach the green. The mid-age and handicap men from the member's tees were hitting 1 to 2 clubs more than the pro and men's champion hit. This was the same for the ladies. The high handicap mid-age men and women showed an even greater loss of distance and thus needed more club to hit to the green than their lower handicap comparable age group.
The biggest difference, and consequently the biggest disadvantage for shorter hitting distance off the tee and thus longer distance left to the green, was experienced by the senior ladies and men. The senior ladies were at even a greater disadvantage than the senior men. And overall, the ladies in all age groups and handicap skill level were at a disadvantage in many cases reaching ridiculous proportions.
That is, the pro and male club champion, say on a short par 4, would hit driver and a sand wedge. The mid-handicap men were hitting 9 and 8 iron and even 7. The high handicap men were hitting 8 to 6 irons. In all instances the ladies playing the ladies tees, from the ladies club champion hitting 1 to 3 or more clubs on average to the higher handicap ladies, especially the seniors, were hitting fairway woods and many not even reached the green. On holes with water hazards, or ditches or front greenside bunkers, which most men could easily fly over and carry onto the green, many ladies were forced to lay up which created a situation where they were, in effect, playing a different hole.
The disparity in strength and length, even more than age and skill, are the defining differences between the men and women golfers. This is vividly seen on the PGA and LPGA Tours in looking at the distances the women drive versus the men and the length they hit their irons and all their clubs. The other defining statement is, just look at the PGA Tour playing many courses now not only over 7000 yards but now reaching 7500 yards and more, and the LPGA playing courses mostly in the 6000 to 6500 yard range.
The USGA, in the mid 1980s, helped all golfers when they designed the course slope rating system to help even up players, from one course to another, average out more. A higher slope rating for a course means that is a more difficult course and higher handicaps reflects that. Thus, when players from a higher rated course play a lower rated course, their handicap for that course is adjusted lower. Players from a lower rated course, playing a higher rated course get their handicap raised. This equalizing effect of the players to each other, by raising and lowering handicaps based on course ratings, makes tournaments and just friendly matches more equal and competitive.
What the slope system does not do is equalize the players to the course. That is, as the architect designed a hole to be played on average by all players, going back to the short par four mentioned above. If there were enough tees on all holes, most players could find a tee that, based on their strength, length, age, gender and skill level, they too should be able to play that same hole with a driver and wedge to short iron. That is why for the betterment and enjoyment of playing golf, most courses built in the past 10 to 20 years have way more tees per hole with some courses having on average as many as5 or more per hole. Many have the ladies tee on the greenside of long carry lakes and other hazards.
The American Society of Golf Course Architects advocates not designating any of the forward tees as ladies, seniors or junior tees. They are just tees. The point is, who cares who plays which tee? The point is, for every golfer of every age, skill level and gender to find the tee that offers you the ability for your skills, age and gender, to play the course in a reasonable manner close to the way the hole is designed to be played.
This concept of more tees, identified by different colored markers, but not with age or gender ID on the card, will get more golfers to find the tee that best allows them to play holes as most everyone plays them. I have seen a few times where a course mixes up some of the tee colors too and has that combo listed on the card and slope rated so players using that set of tees can still get a legit handicap. If your home course does not have this and it plays too difficult for most golfers, try getting the powers that be aware of this. See if they would entertain having your state golf association come in and help suggest new tee positions that would level the playing field. Golfers having more fun and enjoyment play more golf. It is good all around for owners and players.
The key is playing the tees that provide challenge yet do not beat you up so when you play well, you will shot a good score consistent with your skills and you can be proud of your score. And best of all, it will make you feel good and you can't wait to get back out and play again. The key is no matter length of the hole, to shoot well means you still had to hit good shots and sink putts to shoot a good score.
Playing golf for every golfer at all levels, especially those that play socially, should be about enjoyment and satisfaction of achievement and accomplishment, not punishment! WE need to identify distance from tee to green not my gender and age, but yardage. Find the tees that give you enjoyment as well as challenge and accomplishment when you play well. And then play those.
Note to Inner Circle Members: Be sure you check out my announcement about drivers when you log in. Check “golf equipment.” I think you're going to like it.
The Surge!