Blue tees-white tees
 

I play with a group of 14 for the past 8 years. When we first started we all played from the blue tees. When we first started our age group was from 55-65. With few exceptions the young guys were the better golfers. Within the last 6 months 9 of the guys who were always shooting in the 90's have switched to the white tees. I know there is no absolute rule on when to switch. I found one website that stated multiply your average drive by 28 and thats your yardage. My average is drive is 200 but that is inflated in the villages when the fairways are hard pan. Just trying to get any other ideas ion when to switch tee boxes.

Whenever the game becomes less enjoyable move on up to the next set of tees. It'll be more fun, you will score better and, barring slow people in front of you, play faster.

have fun, but if competing understand an important rule
 

I have seen people try to determine what tee you play by age, handicap, etc. IMO, The only answer here is that you should play from a tee box where you have fun. Hitting driver, fairway metal and wedge into every par 4 is likely not fun.

The one thing many do not know is when groups compete from different tees, you simply adjust for course rating. (see link below). This allow people to play where they like and compete fairly.

Even the folks that run men's day do not understand this. My friend plays from the whites when we are together and loves it. His handicap dropped below some line determined by the committee and they made him play the blues. He hates it. That committee like many others either does not know the rules, or do not wish to follow them. He should be allowed to still play the whites where he enjoys, but competitors playing the blues would get extra shots. I cannot explain it as well as snoopy, so read this...

USGA: Handicap Publications


It took me a long time to get my local club at home to finally do this for tournaments, but now they do...

AJ: You are exactly right on about this!! Most clubs don't want to take the time to do the math. USGA has a brochure regarding moving up to the tee box that fits your golf game and the Championship TV Courses give you a thumbnail sketch on the scorecard as to which tee box you should use. For some guys its all about foolish ego. :mademyday:

Greens in Regulation
 

It seems to me the goal is to be able to hit the greens in regulation, with a tee shot on par 3's, with your approach shot on par 4's and with your third shot on par 5's. So if you cannot reach the greens on those shots using irons you can control at the distance necessary move up to the tees which give you the opportunity to hit the greens in regulation. Then you feel like a golfer and will enjoy the game much more.

Wire or blue tees
 

Here is a good reference for tees. MISGA, the Maryland inter club senior golf association, is for golfers over 50. They runs many mixers and tournament through out the state. They set a yardage target for their events at 5900 yds which is closer to our whites. But if some players want a longer course they can play the blue tees and adjust their strokes or points using the slope rating for the course/tees. (HC Index times slope divided by 113 = handicap)

I found it interesting the way Stonecrest sets up their tees. They have green tees that are a mix of the blue and white tees. Works out well.

Front Nine Layout | Stonecrest Golf Club
Back Nine Layout | Stonecrest Golf Club

We palyed Ocala National yesterday and mixed in some whites with golds to get around 6,000 yards and that made it enjoyable for everyone.

http://www.ocalanational.com/uploads/score-card.pdf

BTW Ocala National is a great Rees Jones layout with beautiful oak lined fairways, elevations changes, and with no homes close to the course. Just the right amount of large trees were left to keep you honest and not try to cut the doglegs. Next time around I'll have a better idea on playing some holes.

Only faults were that some bunker sides were washed out due to the heavy downpours the night before. They were fixing them that same day. The greens were a little bumpy from the aeration that was probably done a week or two ago. Give it two weeks and it should be in perfect condition.

It was nice to hit off of lush fairways, and hit into soft greens. They even had rough that was an inch or two high. What a novel idea. $30 w/lunch.

Sounds like a good organization. My post is to just clear up one nit picky thing from your post in case folks wish to compete from different tees.

You calculate your handicap for a given tee box using the slope rating as you describe (HC Index times slope divided by 113 = handicap),

BUT and this is the part folks miss....

If you are competing from different tees or men are competing against women, you then ADJUST your handicap using the COURSE rating.

The person playing the tee with the higher course rating gets more strokes as described by these cartoon characters USGA: Snoopy playing from different tees

PS. looks like MISGA references that in their appendix http://www.misga.org/Tournaments/guidelines.pdf

I've sit on my lanai and watched group after group of guys tee off from either the blue or black tees and three out of four hit the ball 200 yards or less. Their second shot into the par four green is a three wood. Simply ugly. Its not about your tee ball, its all about your second ball. If you can't reach the green on a regular basis with a six iron or less, more up a set of tee boxes. This isn't rocket science.

A 3 wood is a fairway wood, what's wrong with using it that way?

I think the point is that if you're hitting a three wood for your second shot to a par four green after a decent drive, you are likely hitting from the wrong tees. Prior posts have suggested that golf is more enjoyable if played from the tees that allow a good chance to reach the green in regulation. But, hey, knock yourself out. Play from whatever tees you want.

On all of The Villages Championship Courses if you look at the score card it will suggest which tee to use based on your handicap. It says nothing about age.

Nothing wrong hitting a three wood as a second shot on a par five or after a really poor tee ball on a par four. However, if you are consistently hitting it into a par four, you are probably teeing up on the wrong tee box. Move forward is what the USGA is promoting for you to enjoy the game more. In addition, it will also speed up play. Slow play is the largest general complaint of golfers.

I see what you mean.