Length of Golf Courses

Previously I discussed the benefits of constructing 12-hole golf courses.  Here is another suggestion to improve the sport:

Increase distance between tee boxes

Distance is an integral part of golf and an important measure of skill.  That being said, numerous golfers lack the strength and flexibility to effectively play many courses.  With a change in thinking from golf course designers and players, literally millions of people would enjoy the game more.

Each course currently has about four tee boxes on average.  Here is the standard tee arrangement at many venues:

Championship – black/blue

Amateur – white

Senior – gold

Ladies – red

Source:  http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/f7/db/e8/picturesque-6th-tee-box.jpg

The way many courses are designed, I contend that a significant percentage of golfers playing the white tees should in fact be playing not even the gold tees, but the red ones.

Here is a simple test – if a golfer can hit his/her best drive and best second shot and still not reach a par 4 green in two shots (regulation), they are playing from an inappropriate tee box.  If this occurs more than once or twice a round, they are not playing the course as it was meant to be played.

For a case study, think of a 400 yard hole with a hazard (bunker or water) in front of the green.  For a highly skilled player, the hole could be played with a driver – 9 iron or driver – wedge.  Having a short club for the 2^nd shot makes the hazard far easier to negotiate than would be the case with a longer club.  The hazard poses a challenge for the skilled player, but it is reasonable given the shorter length of the hole.

Now suppose that a golfer hits solid shots but lacks the strength to drive it past 200 yards.  That golfer should have a similar opportunity to hit driver – 9 iron, since the hole was designed that way.  An appropriate yardage for the hole would be about 300 yards, assuming a 200 yard drive and 100 yard 9-iron shot.

Keep in mind this represents a 100-yard difference to appropriately accommodate the two players.  Currently, many courses have tees that would only differ by about 40 yards for these two players.  If the hole is 400 yards from the Championship tee and 360 yards from the Senior tee, a player driving it 200 yards would face a daunting 160 yard 2^nd shot over a hazard.  The shot would need to be played with a fairway wood, an extremely tall order given the hazard guarding the front of the green.  Despite this golfer’s ability to hit quality shots, an inappropriate tee box dooms the player’s chances before beginning the hole.

In summary, tee boxes should be designed so that different players hitting good shots can hit similar clubs into the green.  The game would be so much more fun for folks who could have many birdie opportunities instead of perpetually struggling to reach greens in regulation.

This table illustrates what appropriate yardages would be for three golfers who typically drive the ball 270, 225, and 180 yards:

Tee Box	Driver – Wedge	Driver – 7 iron	Driver – 4 iron
Championship	380 yards	435 yards	470 yards
Amateur	325 yards	370 yards	395 yards
Senior	270 yards	305 yards	320 yards

Most courses have tees that are far closer together, making the sport excessively difficult and frustrating for so many.

In order for people to embrace my concept, folks would need to set their egos aside to play from the proper tee.  It would help psychologically to use different colors than what is currently standard, to remove any stigmas.  Most courses would benefit from adding a new forward tee box ahead of the current red tees, and then have a scorecard that recommends the appropriate tees for people to play based on a combination of average driving distance and overall skill as measured by handicap.

The golf industry is struggling right now, and with the massive Baby Boomer population entering retirement, it is critical that the game remains fun for them despite losing distance.  Changing people’s mindsets about what tees they should play from, which is a psychological exercise but one that courses need to accommodate as well, would make the game less difficult – resulting in better scores, faster pace of play, and more enjoyable rounds.  If this gets accomplished, people will not only experience courses as they were designed, but they will play more often and help sustain this great game.