Each golf course has several tee sets. Many of them start with 3 sets of tees, which include forward, middle and back tees. There are others that have 5,6 and even 7 tee sets and you have to know the ones you need to use. The difference is based on the yardages. The tees you have up front tend to be shorter while those at the back are the longest. As you continue to play, you will learn which tee sets to use. Here is a quick guideline for beginners:
Use Easier Tees – Begin where you are comfortable and many times that is with forward tees. If you go straight to the back tees, you will end up hitting weak slices. Start where your game is at and then work your way up.
Choosing your tees when you have 3 sets of tees – There are guidelines that make this an easy decision. Low handicap men should go for back tees. Middle – high handicap men, long-hitting and low-handicap senior men, as well as long hitting or low-handicap women, should choose middle tees. Finally, high handicap seniors and women, as well as all beginners should choose forward tees.
Consider yardages – When you have a wide variety of tee boxes, you will need to consider the course yardage. As a beginner, you should use tees that copy the pro tours yardages and this is usually the back tees if you are a man. These range from 6,100 to 7,200 yards. Low handicap seniors and women should consider tees with a yardage of 250 – 500 less than what is considered average for pro-tours. Mid handicappers should consider yardage that is 500 to 1000 yards less than what the pro tours offer. High handicappers should look at the yardage that is less than the average pro tour yardage by 1,000 – 1,500 yards.
As a beginner, you should always start with the forward tees unless you are sure that you can hit the ball with accuracy and consistency, a good distance. The 1st rule of thumb is that if you cannot reach, in distance, the par three holes in a single shot, or if you can’t reach the par four holes in 2 shots, then you need to consider going for shorter tees.
One of the best ways to figure out the tees to use is to take the average distance you achieve with your 5-iron golf club, multiply that figure by 36 and then based on the yardage you get, select tees that closely match it. Join us, as we begin our tour of Handara Resort & Golf Bali’s fantastic mountain course from the perspective of a bogey golfer.
