I love this idea! I think it would be really smart for the majority of golf clubs to make an extra tee box that will allow people who are just starting out or older who don't hit the ball as far as most people, to have a fun time playing and instead of making say a 6 on a par 4 even though you have hit 6 great shots because the holes to long, you could now make 4. This would hopefully bring more golfers to the game! I agree with Robert 100%. Great idea!

I would be hard may be to classify too many type of people, but there is already tables with average hitting distance for men and women. If we go with the middle collum for men white (230 y drive) and right collum for men blue (260 y drive) the clubs could have the RED/WHITE for women (175 y drive) and a second RED/BLUE for better women who hit longer (200 y drive)

Than calculate each hole to have same approach club for women RED/WHITE & women RED/BLUE. Simple search on internet gave me that chart.

 Golf clubs could even write the distance of drives on tee box markers.

Tee box have to take into account each shots to the green. Par 3 only 1 shot, par 4 calculate the second shot and par 5 calculate the 3 shots to get the last shot with same club (average). Even if my wife drive is 160 y instead of 175 y, I am sure she would appreciate using 3 or 5 woods less often to go to the greens.

Golf Club Distance ChartThe yardages listed in the chart below show a range for average amateurs, both male and female. As you'll see, the ranges are quite large, and represent short hitters, mid hitters and long hitters. (There are, of course, people who hit it longer, just as there are people who hit it shorter.)

Hi Robert,

I agree.  Tee boxes should not be based on sex or age, but rather average drive distance.  The "man" who has a 200y drive should be playing the same tee box as the "woman" who hits a 200y drive, because chances are they hit more or less the same distance down through the bag.

One argument I heard for playing it forward is you probably should not be moving back a set of tee markers until you regularly shoot under par from the most forward tee box.  Maybe a bit extreme, but it does make you think.  My belief is that during the round, you should have an aproach to a green with every club in your bag.  If you're always going in with a wood, then you're playing the wrong tee boxes.  Likewise, if you're always playing driver / wedge, then you should be moving back.

Regards,

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Kevin

Sounds like many of us are thinking similarly...

When I get together with my regular foursome, I play from our #4 tees, and the other three play from the #3 tees. The net result is that we often end up in a similar position after our tee shots. I also find that even on the par threes, when I am hitting a seven from 15 to 20 yards back of them, they are also hitting a seven which evens up the contest as we are playing similar clubs.

The only part that is upsetting to some of them is that when they make a birdie, I still get the honours given that I am hitting from further back and they need to stand clear to avoid being hit by an errant shot :)

Darius

Hi Robert,

I, too, play with my wife quite often, and have noticed the same pattern you are describing.  In fact, just yestarday I was 130y out to an uphill pin.  I had pulled a gap wedge, and realized it was more of a pitching wedge for me.  Since my wife was standing beside the cart, I asked if she could pull the PW for me as I walked back to the cart to get it.

Her reaciton was "you hit PW from 130y"???  By contrast she would have hit 6 iron.  Most of the time, her 2nd shot on a par 4 is a lay up, or if she can reach the green, she's going in with a wood.

I agree with your premise of statement, although I think it applies for anyone who is a short hitter (seniors, juniors,...).  Tee boxes should be placed such that the average drive leaves all players with the same approach club.  In my opinion, the "Play it Forward" movement will only succeed if there is more thought given to how the forward tees are placed.  To often, the forward tees are only 5 yards closer than the white tees... what's the point in that?

Regards,

--
Kevin

Hey Wendy...  Hope things are going well for you and your husband :)

I am throwing this out as a thought (for what it's worth).

I got hooked up with a father/daughter one time this winter while in Myrtle Beach. The young lady was only 10 so had limited ability to hit the ball a long way, but had an amazing short game and could putt quite well. Kids putt without fear of missing and I think that is why she made a lot of putts.

In order to keep the game fun for her, and keep the speed of play at a good level, the father would tee her up at different yardages on the fairways for the par fours and the par fives. If I remember she played most of the par fours from about 200 yards, and the par fives from around 250 yds.

She had a great time and truly enjoyed herself once she got past the fact she was playing with a stranger and not just with her dad.

Basically the father said that he figures out how far she can hit off the tee and with a mid iron, then selects the distance so that if she hits the ball well she can get on or around the green in regulation. (Which is what we all want isn't it?) He told me that as she got older and her game improved he would move her back 30 or 50 yards at a time until she can play from the various tee blocks.

It is a thought for those that want to enjoy the round, but the course is not set up for their ability to reach greens in regulation.

The whole idea for those of us who pay rather than get paid to golf is to have fun and a bit of a challenge along the way. It is conquering the challenge every now and again that builds the excitement.

Darius