
How old do you have to be to play from the tee?
Many golf clubs today still apply an age rule for the use of the forward tees, especially on competition days. 70 years of age was the benchmark for most. Some senior golf societies have an age entry level of 55 years and most members play from the forward tee box. Further reading – At What Age Do Golfers Play From The Senior Tee?
What is the appropriate tee for a 79 year old golfer?
· Bill Pockl, a 79-year old golfer from Wheeling, WV, who made the decision two years ago to move up to the gold tees. “The short answer, in my opinion, is the appropriate tee for any given individual has nothing to do with age, gender or even ‘ego.” It has to do with the playing ability of that individual.
How old should you be to play golf?
There's a reason golf courses evolved to have a certain mix of short/medium/long and harder/easier holes. The variety makes the game fun. Play a set of tees that lets you experience the full variety available from the course. Whether you are 30, 50 or 70 years old doesn't really predict that. More sharing options...
Do most golfers over 60 play from the senior Tees?
But most of the players over 60 cannot reach many of the par 4's in regulation. Some have played from the senior tees in their regular rounds, but most resist because they want to be better prepared for the tournaments.

Who should play from the gold tees?
According to the experts, only players who drive the ball on average 275 yards should play the championship tees at the Port or Starboard courses, which both measure around 6,700 yards. If you average 250 yards, move up one tee box at either course. Anything less and you should be at the gold markers.
What color tees do seniors play from?
The BasicsColorGenderTitleBlackMensChampionBlueLadiesMemberWhiteSeniorRedForwardFeb 25, 2022
What tees Should a 70 year old man play from?
The middle tees are for middle to high handicap men, low-handicap or long-hitting women, and low-handicap or long-hitting senior men. The forward tees are for middle or high handicap women and seniors, and beginners of all stripes.
At what age are you a senior golfer?
A senior golfer in the world of professional golf is any player over the age of fifty. Once players hit that fifty-year age mark, they are eligible to play golf on the Senior PGA Tour. Some players look at this as an advantage, and others dread the fact that they are now considered a senior.
What are gold tees in golf?
Gold tees can have two purposes. If placed near the tee they are meant for senior players. If a gold tee is the farthest tee then it is only used for championship play. Silver tees are for use by senior female players.
How do you know what golf tees to use?
A general rule of thumb to determine which tee box is right for you is if you hit your driver under 200 yards, play from the closest tee. If you hit from 200-225 the next farthest tee, and so on. When you are hitting 275+ accurately you should be playing the farthest tees back.
How far should a 80 year old man hit a golf ball?
As you get older, your swing speed normally decreases. That being said, there are still older golfers who have incredibly high swing speeds. If you're able to drive the ball somewhere close to 220 yards, you're pretty much average. I'd say anything lower than 210 yards and you're less than average.
When can you move to blue tees?
A good rule of thumb to use is if you cannot reach the green on a par three in one shot because of distance, it is a good sign that you should move up a tee. Also, the lower your handicap is, the further back you should be playing.
What do the colored tees mean in golf?
RED indicates the front tees... closest to the hole These are usually used by adult women and boys up to age 12 or so. WHITE are used by "us" ordinary male golfers. We hit our drives anywhere from 160 to 220 yards down the fairway. BLUE are the most difficult tees used in everyday play.
How do you become a pro golfer at 50?
Any man with enough game can try to earn a spot on the PGA Champions Tour (formerly the Senior Tour), which is open to golfers 50 years and older. Most of the spots go to PGA Tour players who have turned 50. But in November, there is a national qualifying tournament—“Q School”—for the upcoming year's tour.
What is the age of Tiger Woods?
46 years (December 30, 1975)Tiger Woods / Age
How long can a par 4 be?
Current Yardage Guidelines for Par RatingsMenWomenPar 3Up to 250 yardsUp to 210 yardsPar 4251 to 470 yards211 to 400 yardsPar 5471 to 690 yards401 to 575 yardsPar 6691 yards+576 yards+Nov 4, 2019
What is golf as you age?
Golf, as you age, is about enjoyment with your friends and we can still be competitive. Frustration has led to many golfers quitting to maybe go play bowls. Play from the markers where you can reach all the fairways off the tee. All par 3s must be in reach. All Par 4s must be in reach with your second shot.
Why are the tee markers renamed?
It has been suggested many times in years gone by that all the markers be renamed, to overcome the stigmatism of playing off any marker other than the club or championship one. (this is a male thing, by the way) Players should be able to reach the fairways from the tee markers, which can also speed up play.
What are the three sets of tees in golf?
In the old days of persimmon woods and balata balls, golf courses typically had three sets of tees: the blue tees for the good player, the white tees for the average player, and the red tees. Red tees-forward tees-senior tees- arrgh! for the ladies and senior player.
What is a senior tee?
Regardless of their color, “senior” tees have a very distinct connotation attached to them: They are to be played by people of a certain age who are so old they can’t hit it out of their own shadow. Or so goes one common stereotype.
What does it mean when a golfer says "red tee box"?
The “red tee box” has a fundamentally negative connotation to male golfers who, for years, have played white (or even blue) tees. Moving to the “red” tees admits to not being good enough, powerful enough, man enough (ladies- I’m not being a sexist, just a realist) to be able to play from the regular tees any longer.
How many yards does a female golfer hit from the red tees?
Therefore, these teams had a huge distance advantage with a college-caliber female hitting 230 or 240 yard drive s from the red tees, which equated to 280-290 yard drives in some cases for any of the men. Do any women have qualms about moving up to ...
Why do you play from the forward tees?
There is a critically important caveat to the above statement: Playing from the forward tees because one wants to is one thing; playing from the forward tees because one has to is altogether different.
What are the different types of tees in golf?
Red Tees: Women’s tees, farthest forward with shortest distance to the hole, and least challenging. Gold Tees: Senior’s tees, not quite the shortest distance to the hole but second in line, meant to help the elderly who still play have a better chance at shooting their old hay day scores. White Tees: Men ’s tees, middle to high handicap, ...
What is a red tee?
Red Tees: Man or woman who is a high handicapper or new to the game… start here. Man or woman who doesn’t hit a long ball, play here. Juniors who seem to have golf skill and hungry to advance their game, play here.
What is the difference between blue and black tees?
Black Tees: Men’s touring professional level tee distance, furthest from the hole, and the most challenging option . Sometimes referred to as the “tips”.
Is each tee box color related to gender?
The sad truth is each tee box color has been associated to an age and/or gender when in fact with a little education, and ability to set your pre-conceived notions and egos aside, golfers could see the true beauty behind these options. Here’s what the majority think:
How old do you have to be to play forward tees?
Many golf clubs today still apply an age rule for the use of the forward tees, especially on competition days. 70 years of age was the benchmark for most. Some senior golf societies have an age entry level of 55 years and most members play from the forward tee box.
What is the new golf tee box system?
The new system allows the golfer to choose from which tee box he wishes to play, on any given day. This means the golfer has options, which is unlike before. On many coastal courses, the wind can play havoc with your score and your swing.
Why are the tee boxes renamed?
It has now become common practice for the tee boxes to be renamed, back, middle and front. The main purpose is to encourage golfers to move forward to the tee that matches their ability without any stigmatism. ( This is my version of the word ego .) This move will also speed up play. In any round of golf, the same rules apply to all golfers, ...
Can you play from the forward tee in coastal golf?
On many coastal courses, the wind can play havoc with your score and your swing. So the golfer can now choose to play from the forward tee, normally blue, when inclement weather is forecast. This simple decision can reduce the length of the course by as much as 600 meters.
Do golfers forget etiquette?
No golfer should ever forget the importance of etiquette on the course. Golf is a time-consuming game and unfortunately, the speed of play on the course, is the number one area of concern throughout the world. Always consider your fellow golfers behind you and try to keep up with the covey in front of you.
How many strokes does a player handicap on a white tee?
[color=#0000cd]players handicap by two or three strokes when playing against a player using the white tees, or increase the white tee players handicap by two or three strokes. The USGA slope ratings barely enter into the equation. So IMO, the 'Play It Forward' campaign is a lot of hooey. color]
Why do people resist playing from senior tees?
Some have played from the senior tees in their regular rounds, but most resist because they want to be better prepared for the tournaments. Besides higher scores this results in slower play for everyone as it just takes longer for them to play a round of golf, which is the reason for the Play It Forward campaign.
Is the USGA binding on senior players?
I wonder why the USGA doesn't at least make a recommendation of what age clubs should use for senior players. It wouldn't be binding for any, but would at least set forth a policy for clubs to consider for local tournaments.
Can you put a golf ball on the ground?
No, you can place your ball on the surface of the ground. The surface of the ground includes the turf, whether you might have raised it up by creating a little divot, or you may have placed a small pile of sand on the ground so you can tee your ball up.
Do all tees have to be created equal?
All tees are created equal, unless you believe the marketing spin that the manufacturers put on their product. This is because tees must not be designed to influence the movement of the ball or assist the player in making a stroke.
Can you tether a tee to an anchor?
You are permitted to tether your tee to an anchor (to reduce the chance of losing your tee) but the tees and anchor are not permitted to be used to assist the player in making a stroke, such as indicating the line of play.
DennisMiller
I guess gold tees forward of the so called member's white tees are a recent thing for players in my age group... (70 yrs old)
chilepepper
I play tees based on total yardages not color. GHIN takes care of the rest
Vinsk
Colors are inconsistent across the country. My course goes from longest to shortest:
dennyjones
Most of the course around me are only Blue/White/Red. If a course has senior tees, it's usually an after thought and close to the distance from the red tees.
DennisMiller
After reading this and other threads I am going to play the gold for the first time on Tuesday.
CharlieB
I heard someone say that you should play the tees that you have a chance to hit GIR from. I play the gold tees, but I still cannot get there. I only hit my driver 160-170 yards. I play my driver, 4W, 3-4-5HB and a wedge close to the green.
DennisMiller
I heard someone say that you should play the tees that you have a chance to hit GIR from.

The Senior Foursome
Nomenclature
The Senior Tees
- Regardless of their color, “senior” tees have a very distinct connotation attached to them: They are to be played by people of a certain age who are so old they can’t hit it out of their own shadow. Or so goes one common stereotype. One of the fundamental questions that SYA wanted to explore was, what, exactly, isthat age? At what point should a golfer consider moving to the senior tees? …
The Experts
- I decided to turn to some experts. I consulted the following: ·Ken Green, 5-time PGA Tour winner and member of the 1989 Ryder Cup Team; ·Two separate PGA Teaching Professional and Golf Course Managers who remain nameless only because politics in the city result in their shying away from being quoted- however, their knowledge remains valuable; ·Rear Admiral Michael Bro…
Making The Decision
- Del Ratcliffe:
“The short answer, in my opinion, is the appropriate tee for any given individual has nothing to do with age, gender or even ‘ego.” It has to do with the playing ability of that individual. It is evident that people enjoy the game more if they are presented a challenge that is appropriate to their ski… - Ken Green:
“Golfers make the move up way too late, in my opinion. The male ego gets in the way. I don’t play the tips anymore, and sometimes I even go to the whites depending on the length of the course.” [NOTE: Ken’s lower right leg was amputated after a horrible accident in which his RV blew a tire …
The Color Conundrum
- Most of us remember the “Tee It Forward” initiative launched by the PGA and USGA. The initiative came from Barney Adams of Adams Golf fame, and is based on the fact that pros hit the ball about 1000 yards longer over 18 holes than most of the rest of us. Simple math shows that if the pros are playing a 7200 yard course, we should play at 6200, or even less if we hit it less far. Yo…
What If You’Re Female?
- Another critical factor that is too easily overlooked is the female golfer, especially the senior female golfer. Is it automatic that women should play from the red tees? Ladies, do you just go to the red tees by default? Do you play from the tees that make sense distance-wise, or from the red set that are traditionally for your use? Playing from the set that makes sense distance-wise cuts …
Recommendations
- If there was a common thread to the comments, it was have fun. Without exception, every person I spoke with said the decision on which set of tees to play from should have nothing to do with age. The two criteria that were mentioned repeatedly were: a) Play from the set that allows you to hit your approach shot into the green with an iron; and b) Play from the set where it is the most fun. …