The view always seems better from the back tees, doesn’t it? I’ve played at some fantastic locations over the years and it never fails – the scenery just seems to “pop” more from back there.
I’ve photographed most of the courses I’ve played. I’m not much of a photographer, but I’ve taken a few winners in my day and I’m usually standing on the back tees when all my best photos are captured. I’ll even try and snap a few shots from the middle tees, but I always end up walking back for a better view.
The fact is, when you stand at the tips of a course, you’re seeing what the course architect intended you to see – how the hole is “really” supposed to look. Leave that championship tee box and the view, the hole…the entire feeling just loses something.
And what of the challenge? A golfing buddy once told me: “You have to play from the tips because if you don’t, you’re not really playing the golf course.” Is this true? It sounds reasonable – I don’t think many architects design a course from the greens back. Typically, they design it from the tips forward – positioning the middle and forward tees somewhat after the fact.
This all seems logical to me. Screw it! I’m playing the back tees from now on! I’ll take-in all the best views and test my metal on the true course layout! Boy, this is gonna be great! That is, of course, until I realize none of my tee shots are finding the fairway because; A) they’re either not long enough to make it over the caliche from back there or; B) I couldn’t successfully play a fade or draw around a corner to get it to the fairway.
You see, the reality is I have no business playing from back there, and neither do many of you. Yet I see it all too often. A couple of clowns who barely know how to hold a club are teeing it up from the tips. The result? A long afternoon on the course. Look, unless you know the course well, most average hacks should be teeing-off from the middle tees. For one, you won’t get frustrated because you shot 10 strokes over your average. Second, you won’t be holding up everyone on the course because of your struggles.
Heck, the USGA even came up with a rating system to help you decide which tee box you should play from. It’s called the Slope Rating. Want to learn more? Read my post from last year called “What the Crap is a Slope Rating?” This is something our pal Tom over at the golfnoise blog should have done before he and his buddies let the way they were dressed get in the way of which tee-box they played from.
So, should average golfers never get to experience the course the way it was intended to be experienced? Not necessarily. Last week I wrote about the joys of playing golf when very few people were out on the course. I mentioned that if no one is behind you, it’s OK to slow down and take in more of the scenery.
Next time there’s plenty of room between you the group behind you, this is a perfect time to try playing from the tips. If one group starts to catch up, let them play through. The less stress you put on yourself, the better you’ll play. Of course, don’t say I didn’t warn you when you shoot 10 strokes over your average from back there.
I always have this argument with my golf buddies. We sometimes play at Crandon Golf Course in Key Biscayne, FL. When you walk up to the pro shop there is a sign that says “this course is the 3rd hardest municiple course in the United States.” Only Torrey Pines and Bethpage Black are harder, and they play U.S. Open Tournaments there.
The tips play to 7354 yards and have a slope of 151. We don’t even go there, because like you said, none of us would reach the fairway. They still insist on playing from the blues which measures 6865 and has a slope of 148.
None of them can break 115 on a “normal” course but they are still stuck on playing from the blues. They say they need the challenge. Challenge…please! An ego thing I think or maybe they just like self torture.
I’m currently shooting in the mid to high 80’s and I have never broken 90 on this course playing from the blues. As a matter of fact I think my best is a 93.
I feel we should be playing from the whites which still presents a challenge being 6425 yards long and a slope of 138. Still very difficult for the average player, but they will never change. I don’t know. I guess I’ll have to suck it up and just enjoy the scenery.
You know, I think you make a good point Dexter. I think it is a macho thing to an extent. That testosterone kicks in and convinces you to “man-up” and play from the tips. But the problem with golf is, there’s such a vast difference between pro tour players and the average hack, we don’t realize how out of our league the back tees really are.