Move It Forward

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By Carl T

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  • 12 Replies
  1. Carl T

    Carl T
    Little Rock, AR

    I have played golf for over 30 years and as Dirty Harry said, "A man has to know his limitations." I play with a large group of guys who play from the white (Men's) Tees that play around 6500 yards. I am a teenage handicapper (low teens) that cannot reach three or four par four holes in regulation except once in a blue moon. When I do I am using driver, 3 wood. I am not the only one that is in this boat. I would say at least a third of our group are like me. I moved up to the Senior tees that play 6000 yards and it was like the clock was turned back 20 years. On the long par 4's where I usually hit driver 3 wood I am hitting driver, 6 or 5 iron. On the par 3's where I was hitting 2 - 4 hybrids I am hitting 5 - 7 irons. Some of the tee boxes where the men's and senior tees are only about 10 yards difference play a lot difference. What I mean is that a 10 yard difference lets your drive get the ball over the crest of a hill where you get the downslope roll of 20 to 30 yards that gives your drive maybe 50 more yards than a ball that hits the upslope and has very little roll. My scores now are in the high 70's to mid 80's where before I was averaging scores in the high 80's. I do not expect that my handicap will be in the teens much longer and I suggest that other golfers that want to score lower and have more fun move up. How many of team Titleist have moved up ?

  2. Bomber3

    Bomber3
    Lake St Louis, MO

    Military
    We play golf for enjoyment, so play the tees that allow you to have fun on the course. I play in a men's league now with a mix of young guys and older guys like myself. You realize when you're playing with 30 year olds and you're teeing off with driver and they're hitting it by you with hybrids that father time is catching up with you. as the commercial says...Play it Forward!
  3. Tom B

    Tom B
    Northborough, MA

    I agree. We needed some senior and higher handicap players to move up but pride seemed to get in the way. We changed from blue tees white red añd green to black blue white and red and tons moved up and changed or never really changed their color.
  4. Sirhc

    Sirhc
    Sacramento, CA

    Agreed. My half-baked idea is a combination of the old Three Tour Challenge and, Play it Forward. Seniors and women should hit similar approach clubs to what younger men and low-handicap golfers use.
    My thought is there should be 25 yards difference per tee box for each additional stroke to par. For example, a 175-yard par 3 from the whites would be 150 yards from the yellow tees and 125 yards from the reds. A 400-yard par 4 (whites) would be 350 (yellow) and 300 (reds). A 500-yard par 5 (whites) is 425 (yellow) and 350 (red).
    My home course plays 6300 yards from the whites. 25 yards difference per tee box for each additional stroke to par would mean seniors play a 5500-yard course instead of 5870. Women would then play a 4700-yard course instead of 5251. Too short? One always has the option to move back a set of tees.
    For me, 25 yards is 2+ clubs (PW instead of 8- or 7-iron). For shorter hitters, 25 yards is likely three or more clubs. With which club can you more easily hit a green: a full wedge or a 7-iron?! And to the OP's point, which is more fun: driver/8-iron to a par 4 or driver/FW metal/wedge?
    Yes, my idea has physical site limitations on older courses (as well as mental and emotional ones). And, someone would have to re-rate existing courses. I still argue on the side of more fun. Just my $0.02.
  5. DV

    DV

    Hey Carl,

    I like your Eastwood reference. I also love Clint's classic line:

    “I know what you’re thinking. ‘Did he hit six shots or only five?’ Well to tell you the truth in all this excitement I kinda lost track myself. But being this is a Titleist driver, the most powerful golf club in the world and would blow past your tee ball clear off, you’ve gotta ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do ya, hack?”

    I am 64 and I was thinking about acting my age this year and finally make my way to the senior tees this year but then I purchased a new set of AP1s. With my new set of clubs I can now put off playing forward at least for a few more years. My AP1s and my 913 D2 driver still let me play 400 yard par 4s and 180+ yard par 3s. As long as Titleist keeps making improvements with their clubs and golf balls, I am still able to play golf with the young bucks...at least for now they have made my day!

    Best Wishes,

    DV
  6. Carl T

    Carl T
    Little Rock, AR

    The USGA already has a guideline when players play in a match from different tee boxes. Say you are a 15 from the White tees and you are playing an opponent that is the same handicap as you. You decide to move up to the Black Tees where your handicap is calculated as a 14, and your opponent plays from the whites. Only a one stroke difference but the difference is really two different courses as I mentioned in my opening discussion. The USGA says you have to take in consideration the difference in slope from the two different tee boxes which equals one stroke for the difference in slope number. Thus if the slope from the white tees were 136 and the black tees were 131 the difference is 5 strokes. USGA say you can either increase the players handicap by 5 strokes playing from the white or subtract 5 strokes from the player playing from the blacks. In this case I would play as a 9 handicap against my opponent who would remain a 15. Would it be worth it to move up ? You would have to decide that for your self. For me it is a no brainer. It is a lot more fun playing a par 4 where you hit driver and a 6 or 7 iron than a driver, 3 wood.
  7. Carl T

    Carl T
    Little Rock, AR

    Carl T said:

    The USGA already has a guideline when players play in a match from different tee boxes. Say you are a 15 from the White tees and you are playing an opponent that is the same handicap as you. You decide to move up to the Black Tees where your handicap is calculated as a 14, and your opponent plays from the whites. Only a one stroke difference but the difference is really two different courses as I mentioned in my opening discussion. The USGA says you have to take in consideration the difference in slope from the two different tee boxes which equals one stroke for the difference in slope number. Thus if the slope from the white tees were 136 and the black tees were 131 the difference is 5 strokes. USGA say you can either increase the players handicap by 5 strokes playing from the white or subtract 5 strokes from the player playing from the blacks. In this case I would play as a 9 handicap against my opponent who would remain a 15. Would it be worth it to move up ? You would have to decide that for your self. For me it is a no brainer. It is a lot more fun playing a par 4 where you hit driver and a 6 or 7 iron than a driver, 3 wood.

    My bad. It is the Course Rating not the slope that determines the handicap when players play from different tee boxes. Example two players have a handicap of 14 but player A moves up to another set of tees that has a course rating of 2 less than where player B plays from. Player A handicap is now a 12 or he can play at a 14 but player B than will play as a 16. For me it well worth playing two strokes less because it is much easier to reach greens in regulation with a 6 iron than a fairway wood on the longer par 4's.
  8. Chuck Z

    Chuck Z
    Mt Pleasant, SC

    Military
    Knocking on that magic number, 70 and carrying a 12 handicap. I play in a senior men's league and we play from the senior and super senior tees. May only use my Driver four or five times in a round. Normally hit my hybrids and still on hit nine or wedge to the green. Playing high 70's to mid 80's. Took up this crazy game in late 1984. Still can play some white tee because of my length. Those Titleist Drivers and 15* fairways are awesome when set up with the right shafts, but I love to play position golf when playing tournaments. So are the new 716 AP1s, as they make life easier. Golf should be about having fun as we get older and maybe winning a skin every now and then. Cheers, Chuck
  9. MMazza

    MMazza
    Lexington, SC

    I hit from the red tees...my boyfriend jokes with me that he'll move up to the red when I'm beating his scores (which won't be long). Of course that's just a joke. We won't be playing together until we're both hitting from the white tees. :)
  10. Bob T

    Bob T
    East Otis, MA

    I have been hitting from the back tees and still scoring good but in the last few weeks have moved up to the next tee and it makes the game even more fun to play. Some of the longer holes are now more easily reachable in two than before where I'd have to hit two perfect longer shots and might take three shots to get there!! So nothing wrong with moving up and enjoying the game more.
  11. Dave N

    Dave N
    Dade City, FL

    Bob T +1 on that.
  12. CHanna

    CHanna

    The USGA published a chart, I think as part of the play it forward program, that suggested the tee position based on your driver distance. I thought it was brilliant. It doesn't matter how old you are or your gender, if you punch it 220 you play this tee not that one.
  13. DV

    DV

    The general rule of thumb I heard long time ago to decide what tees to play from are look at the longest par 4 on the scorecard from the various tees. If you can reach it with a driver and a 6 iron or shorter club, you are playing the correct set of tees. However, if you are playing the same hole with a driver then PW, you should probably back up one set of tees. Hope this helps.

    DV

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