In 2011, The Landings Club embarked on the new national Tee
It Forward movement supported by the USGA and PGA of America. The premise behind the new movement is that
most golfers are playing from yardages that are too long and that many think
it’s an acceptable part of the golf culture/tradition to continue playing
distances that are too long. While some
may see it as a sign of weakness or a break in tradition to move forward, it
actually allows golfers to have permission to reach a par 3 in 1 shot, a par 4
in 2 shots and a Par 5 in 3 shots. It’s more enticing to attracting new golfers
into the game at any age, and our game needs new golfers!
Even Jack Nicklaus has noted that golf needs
to become more creative in attracting and retaining golfers (see article link
below). I recall hearing Judy Rankin’s response to a
question “What happens if I can’t hit a Par 4 in 2, what do I do about my
distance?” to which she responded, “Move up.”
If a PGA Tour professional played the same clubs into the greens that
most amateur golfers are playing, the course would need to play over 8,000
yards long. Most Tour professionals hit
short irons to long irons/hybrids to greens in regulation, and all amateurs
should have that same opportunity. It’s
a fun GAME!
Some golfers are hesitant to Tee It Forward if others in
their group are not. If a man and woman
play together one afternoon, where would each tee off? The woman would most likely play from the
Forward Tee (or Medals) and the man from the Medals, Clubs or Tournament tees… different tees. The same can be done within a same gender
group. The USGA has a system that allows
golfers to adjust handicaps for golfers playing from different sets of
tees. And I encourage golfers to see
teeing grounds as starting places for all genders… ‘Ladies Tee’ are a thing of
the past with Tee It Forward. A teenage
boy or senior male golfer might play from the Forward Tee because it suits the
length of his game. A female golfer may
play from the Medal or Club Tees for the same reason. Teeing Grounds do not know if a man or woman
is teeing off, only the people in the group do.
It’s OK to play the tees that suit your distance!
A few comments from our Landings Club members who are Teeing
It Forward:
“The whole tee it forward thing is interesting. I still play the Medal tees but if you look at
how far I hit a drive, I should play the forward tees. I think if one drives the ball less than 170
yards, one should be playing the forward tees. The first hole at the Deer Creek
Medal tee is 336 yards. If a drive is
170, a golfer is then hitting a 3 wood on the second shot and unlikely to hit
it 166 to the green. For those who aren’t playing the proper teeing length,
perhaps an answer to help golfers Tee It Forward is simply to move the Medal
tees forward right behind the forward tees!”
“I scheduled my
Saturday golf group on the Skidaway tees at our designated course, Oakridge. I
have players in this group from a single digit to a 24 handicap. I
adjusted the handicaps for those tees. My group was a bit skeptical
at first, but they were willing to indulge me in this experiment. As I
entered the clubhouse after completing the round, I was met by grins and smiles
that reached from ear to ear. All thoroughly enjoyed the day's play
enormously. Among the comments from the ladies were such words as,
"I shot an 80!" And that was from a 20+ player. Other
high handicappers shot very low scores as well. I managed an eagle on one
hole and my playing partner aced a par 3. The chatter at the tables was
evidence of a super day of golf and a wonderfully enjoyable round. What
an uplifting experience; we proved that we can still play golf without a mighty
struggle and have the enjoyment that this game can provide. We shall
certainly play these tees again.”
In addition to the
enjoyment of the game, Teeing It Forward also helps golfers with responsible
pace of play. Playing from tee markers
that are too long can greatly increase the round time. Check with a Landings Club Golf Professional
and have your driver speed/carry distance measured to see which teeing ground
would be best for you based on these recommendations from the industry:
Swing Speed (mph) /
Driver Carry no roll / Recommended Yardages
55 / 115 /
3,000-3,300
65 / 140 /
4,000-4,200
75 / 165 /
4,400-5,000
85 / 190 / 5,600-5,800
95 / 215 /
6,100-6,300
105 / 240 /
6,600-6,800
One
game I’ve heard members playing is that based on their group’s ability, if a
golfer scores a bogey (or double bogey), the golfer moves forward a tee. If the same happens, the golfer moves forward
another tee. Some men have ended up on
the Skidaway Tees and have enjoyed the game.
One a par (or bogey) is made, the golfer can move back. This is
obviously a non-postable score but a great way to test one’s creativity and
think outside the box. I look forward
to your thoughts and seeing more golfers reaching greens in regulation and not
feeling rushed with pace of play.
