The PGA of America offers a number of guidelines to help golfers of all skill levels determine the best set of tees to to play.
Tee It Forward
For most golfers, the sport is largely recreational, and while we all want to challenge ourselves, it is also important to set yourself up for the most enjoyable round of golf possible.
One recent initiative, created by the PGA of America to address this and improve pace of play, is Tee It Forward.
“TEE IT FORWARD is not necessarily about creating a new set of tees — many facilities already have multiple tees in use every day. It is about changing the mindset of golfers in a positive way — encouraging people to consider setting aside playing from 6,500-6,700 yards and moving up to a length of 6,000-6,200 yards or moving from 6,000-6,200 yards to 5,700-5,800 yards.
The 6,700-yard course that many amateur golfers play today is proportionally equivalent to a PGA Tour player competing on a course measuring 8,100 yards — 700 yards or more longer than a typical PGA Tour layout.”
Source: PGA and USGA: Tee It Forward
By Driving Distance
| Average Drive | Recommended Tees |
| 300 yards | 7,150 – 7,400 yards |
| 275 yards | 6,700 – 6,900 yards |
| 250 yards | 6,200 – 6,400 yards |
| 225 yards | 5,800 – 6,000 yards |
| 200 yards | 5,200 – 5,400 yards |
| 175 yards | 4,400 – 4,600 yards |
| 150 yards | 3,500 – 3,700 yards |
| 125 yards | 2,800 – 3,000 yards |
| 100 yards | 2,100 – 2,300 yards |
Tee Boxes
Playing our course with four tee set options (Black/White/Blue/Gold) makes this decision much easier!
- Championship/ Back tees are for lower handicapped golfers.
- Member/ Middle tees (White/Blue) are for middle to higher handicapped male golfers, low-handicap or long hitting ladies, and low-handicap or long-hitting senior men.
- Forward tees are for middle or high handicap ladies and seniors, and beginner golfers of all types!
Driving Distance x 28
A great method, developed by Chris Mile at Miles of Golf, is to take your average Driver distance, multiplied by 28, to determine a potential tee-distance range that could work with your playing style. This method can get a little misleading, as driving distance does not necessarily equate to playing ability, but this may be something else for you to consider for your next round.
For example, your average drive is 250 yards.
250 yards x 28 = 7,000 yards potential tee playing range
5-Iron Distance
An interesting method of determining what set of tee’s you should play is by factoring the average distance you hit your 5-iron as a metric to gauge where you should play from.
Take your average 5-iron distance, multiply by 36, and choose the tees that most closely match that yardage. 18Birdies users can easily find their club distances by tracking shots during a round and the Golf Bag will calculate your average distance! Tap the button below to open your golf bag and get started!
