Okay, you’re finally ready to tee it up on a real course! You’ve got your (mostly) legal attire, your bag of (hopefully enough) balls, and you’re vaguely aware of the etiquette. But then you get to the first tee box, and BAM! There are multiple sets of tees – different colors, different distances. Suddenly, it feels like there’s another secret golf code to crack. Which ones do you even choose?!
Trust me, this was a moment of mild panic for me too. Do I go all the way back like the pros? (Spoiler alert: absolutely not, unless you enjoy hitting a 3-wood just to reach the fairway). Do I just pick the closest ones and feel like I’m not “really” playing the course? It can be confusing!
So, let me, your friendly neighborhood golf-still-figuring-it-out person, break down the mystery of the tees. It’s simpler than you think, and choosing the right set can make a HUGE difference in your enjoyment and your pace of play (which your playing partners will thank you for!).
The Rainbow of Possibilities: Understanding the Tee Markers
You’ll usually see tee boxes marked by different colored tees. While the specific colors can vary from course to course, there are some general guidelines:
- Black/Blue (Way Back There!): These are typically the longest tees, designed for low-handicap players and professionals with lots of power. As a beginner, steer clear. Like, seriously clear.
- White (The “Standard” for Many): Often considered the “men’s” tees or a good middle ground for more experienced amateur players. Still likely too long for most beginners.
- Gold/Red (Moving Closer!): These are usually the “senior” or “forward” tees and are significantly shorter than the white tees. This is often a great starting point for beginners.
- Red (Often the Ladies’ Tees): These are typically the shortest tees on the course, designed for shorter hitters and beginners of all genders.
The Golden Rule: Play the Tees That Match Your Distance (Not Your Ego!)
The most important thing to consider when choosing tees is how far you typically hit the ball. The goal is to be able to reach the green in a reasonable number of shots, allowing for some enjoyment and keeping the pace of play moving.
Think about your average drive: If you’re consistently hitting your driver less than, say, 200 yards (and let’s be honest, many beginners do!), playing from the back tees will likely result in a very long and frustrating day. You’ll be hitting long irons or hybrids just to reach the fairway, and those par-4s will feel like par-6s.
The “Total Yardage” Clue
Most scorecards will list the total yardage of the course from each set of tees. As a general guideline for beginners:
- If your average drive is under 150 yards: Look for courses playing around 4,500 – 5,200 yards total. This will likely be from the forward (red or gold) tees.
- If your average drive is between 150-200 yards: Aim for courses in the 5,200 – 5,800 yard range, likely from the gold or perhaps the very front of the white tees.
- If your average drive is starting to creep over 200 yards (nice!): You might consider the middle (white) tees on shorter courses, but still be mindful of the total yardage.
Why Playing the Right Tees Matters (It’s Not About Being “Less” of a Golfer!)
- More Enjoyment: You’ll have more opportunities to hit shorter approach shots into greens, leading to more chances for pars (or at least not double-digit scores on every hole!). This makes the game way more fun and less discouraging.
- Better Pace of Play: When you’re not constantly hitting long shots just to advance the ball, you’ll move around the course more efficiently, keeping up with the group in front of you and not holding up those behind. Everyone wins!
- Learning the Game Properly: Playing from shorter tees allows you to focus on your short game, your approach shots, and your putting – the areas where you’ll likely see the most improvement early on. You can always move back to longer tees as your game progresses.
- It’s What the Course Designers Intended!: The different sets of tees are there to make the course playable and enjoyable for golfers of all skill levels. Using the appropriate tees means you’re experiencing the course as it was meant to be played for your ability.
My Newbie Tee-Choosing Journey (and My Recommendation!)
In my early rounds, I often just defaulted to the white tees because that’s what I thought “real” golfers did. Big mistake! It led to a lot of frustration and long, tiring holes. Once a more experienced friend suggested I move up to the forward tees, my enjoyment of the game skyrocketed. Suddenly, those par-4s felt reachable, and I even managed a few (very lucky) pars!
My advice to you, fellow beginner? Swallow your pride (if you have any lingering “longer is better” thoughts) and start from the forward tees. Focus on hitting good shots, learning the course, and having fun. As your game improves and you start consistently hitting the ball further, you can gradually move back to the longer tees. There’s no rush!
The goal is to enjoy the journey, one (hopefully not too embarrassing) shot at a time. Now go out there and pick the tees that will give you the best chance of having a great day on the links!
