Championship Friendly Tees
 

My cousin, who is a beginner golfer, is visiting next month. We have golfed executives before, but she wants to try a championship. I'll have her hit from the friendly Tees

Any suggestions on what courses where it might be easier from the friendly Tees? I don't want her to get too frustrated..

Don't take this as gospel truth, but Bonifay, Destin to Fort Walton would have minimal water and pretty wide open. Mallory, Virginia to Amelia might be reasonable as well. But keep in mind, if she is not ready, you're just setting her up for "frustration", not to mention those behind you.

You nailed it, probably the two easiest 18 hole combinations. My wife likes to play the friendly T’s as well, it allows her to reach the greens in regulation and keeps the pace of play moving at a good clip.

Agree. Sometimes it is a good idea to keep moving is to have play like a scramble, if she is having a hard time.

If she cannot reach the green in par, please have her pick up and put the ball on the green. Championship golfers are not as understanding as Executive with beginners. Keep pace.

Wife plays the friendly tees, was a competitive player for years but time takes its toll, and we find most put the player well beyond any trouble. When it doesn’t, she will drop by my tee shot. She plays as fast if not faster than I. Friendly tees will allow a newer player to expand their game and use a broader selection of clubs.

Any of the championship course other than Tierra del Sol will work. The Villages championship courses are designed to be quite easy for average golfers. On the closer tees, water generally doesn't come into play. Bunkers are off to the sides on most greens, and the rough is always cut down so folks can roll the ball to the green.

Tierra del Sol is the only tight course where you can't hit your drive offline and expect to have a 2nd shot.

The friendly tees on all the other courses will work well for your friend.

Personally I would not bring her to the regulation golf courses till she has at least gotten proficient enough to play well on the execs. The experience for her would be a lesson in frustration. The only thing she gains by playing a regulation golf course is the chance to spend hours and hours hitting shots she may be unequipped to hit.

The execs aren't easier because they are shorter due to being mostly par threes. The aren't any easier than regulation courses if you can't get the ball in the air and have some idea how far each club hits the ball. The execs are easier because it takes less time to complete the nine holes. If she wants to play regulation courses for the time spent then book two exec nines with a meal in between.

Even though there are some that think regulation players are a bit stuffy it's because there are many who play them that think "mulligan" is a golf term and use it most any time they hit a bad tee shot on the execs. Now apply that same mentality to regulation courses and you get to watch some folks who should be on execs due to it being widely accepted as a normal way to play. On regulation course if you fall to far behind the group in front of you(or not on time)you can and will be expected to pick up your ball(the whole group)and perhaps even skip a hole or two.

Lastly teach her etiquette...how to put sand in every divot she takes...how to properly rake a bunker and place the rake in the bunker properly...to not stand behind someone hitting, walking in their putting line, to keep still and quiet while anyone in the group is hitting, fixing a pitch mark properly. All these things and more are supposed to be do's and don'ts on a regulation course. It's not anything like an exec course and it NOT considered to be rude to expect better behavior on the regulation courses. Good luck

Championship courses
 

Having lived on a couple of championship courses and watched so called “good golfers” hitting off their “ego tees” and having to hit a three wood or five wood toward the green on par fours I can’t say much about a beginning golfer or 80 age plus golfers hitting from the friendly tees. Just advise them to pick up the ball after hitting three shots to the par four and put it on the green. If you want to speed up the game all players should do that after four shots unless they are keeping a handicap score. They could improve the friendly tee boxes a bit IMHO and any beginner golfer should take good golf school and get at least three lessons before playing any golf. Fore

very good advice

speed
 

Make sure you are golfing as fast as the group ahead

Frustration will come with all if you don't keep pace. The Villages are very strict on time. I suggest to go toward the end of the 2nd wave with less people playing due to heat. Orange Blossom which is a straight 18 is tha least crowded. Go out around 1 and you should be good. Remember every shot is a nice shot. Good luck

Hmmmm. Not sure everyone would agree with that:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

You might try baseline in Ocala. 18 holes short and one of the most beautiful course around

How about those following your group ? Beginners should NOT try a championship course until skills improve period !