Comments on: Competing From Different Sets of Tees

By: Jim Cowan

Jim Cowan — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 18:23:55 +0000

Kathi, thank you for your comment. TPP can accommodate some golfers in one flight playing a different set of tees than the others (under the Course header, there is a function called Assign Tees). Call our office if you need assistance activating this feature. Whether you should do this is up to you. Personally I am all in favor of golfers choosing to play from the set of tees that they will enjoy the course from the most . . . and the Handicap System has the flexibility to handle this. The question is, does your club want this? Will it increase participation? Does it create too much a burden on those running the tournament? You will have to weigh the pros and cons of such a decision. Thanks again and good luck! Jim Cowan

By: Kathi Fox

Kathi Fox — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 07:27:55 +0000

We are in charge of a golf group with about 115 women playing each week. Handicaps range from 6 to 40. We have divided the flights (about 5-6 flights) and assigned red tees and silver tees (shortest set) according to handicaps with silver tees for handicaps 30 and above. One or two women with 30+ handicaps would like to play the red tees and a couple of the women who are under 30 handicap would like to play the silver tees. I understand the differences and how to apply the handicaps but our computer system (TPP) doesn’t seem to be able to single out individual cases and should we even think about trying to accommodate a couple of women who want to play different tees in the same flight. This is causing us a lot of grief!

By: Jim Cowan

Jim Cowan — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:24:21 +0000

Pat, thank you for your comment. I am not aware of a specific year when the term “Forward Tees” was first uttered, but it is certainly a by-product of the age of political correctness (and I still don’t think that this term has reached the masses). I would suspect that the USGA in the late 80′s or early 90′s started recommending its use to get away from the stigma of the term “Ladies” tees. Obviously there has never been anything preventing a woman playing from the White or Blue tees. And there shouldn’t have been anything preventing a man playing from the front, but as long as they were referred to as “Ladies” tees, this wasn’t going to happen. “Red” has inherited some of the negative connotations of “Ladies,” but not nearly to the same extent. “Forward,” being non-gender specific, was considered the best alternative. And ever so slowly, more men are playing the shorter tees. Thanks again – Jim Cowan.

By: Pat Lyle

Pat Lyle — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:27:23 +0000

Hi Jim,
I’m writing an article for the Meadow Club Vista. Can you tell me when “forward” tees came to be and any other information you might have on red tees?
Thank you,
Pat Lyle

By: Jim Cowan

Jim Cowan — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 21:37:17 +0000

Jeff, the designation has been changed. Thanks – Jim Cowan

By: Jeff Johnson

Jeff Johnson — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 22:11:07 +0000

I am provided with a designation for woman’s 18 holes when I post – I am a new member. I recently played from the Blue tees and could not post according to that handicap / slope index. Can you help me out and change my designation in the system to a man, so that I can start posting from the back tees when played.

My ghin # 8665899

Thanks for your help…I look forward to posting the score which was a good one on a tough course.

Regards,

Jeff Johnson

By: Jim Cowan

Jim Cowan — Wed, 20 May 2009 03:40:07 +0000

Ken, thank you for your comment. The man would adjust his Handicap Index to the Course Handicap Table (Slope Table) for the tees he is playing. The woman would adjust her Handicap Index to the Course Handicap Table for the tees she is playing. Once we have these Course Handicaps in hand, we examine the difference in Course Ratings between the two tees. The golfer playing from the tees with the higher Course Rating receive additional strokes equal to the difference in the Course Ratings (.5 rounds up). If, after all this, the woman is four strokes lower than the man, she plays as a scratch and the man receives one stroke on the #1, 2, 3 and 4th handicapped hole for men. The person receiving strokes always receives them according to the ranking of the holes for their gender. Thanks again – Jim Cowan

By: Ken

Ken — Tue, 19 May 2009 21:30:42 +0000

What about match play? If a woman play against a man in match play and they play from different tee, how are stroke holes assigned?

let’s say the lady has to give 4 strokes to the male player, in which 4 holes will stroke be given, the tee from which the male player is playing from, or from the tee the lady is playing from?

By: Jim Cowan

Jim Cowan — Sat, 02 May 2009 18:31:46 +0000

Donald, thank you for your comment. You apply your Handicap Index to the Men’s Course Handicap Table (Slope Table) for the Red tees. Once you have this number in hand, you deduct three strokes since the Course Rating of your tees is 2.8 strokes lower than White. Thanks again – Jim Cowan.

By: Donald R. Shrank

Donald R. Shrank — Sat, 02 May 2009 18:14:17 +0000

I am now over 80 years and have just started to play the “Forward” Red/Ladies tees as I no longer have the length to play the whites. I
compete with others in my senior’s club. Most players play the White tees. The ratings at Shoreline are: white 69.3 & red 66.5 or 2.8 harder from the white. If I follow your comments I figure I should
DEDUCT 3 strokes from the red handicap chart for my index? Some say I
should deduct 3 stokes from the white chart for my index and some say
I should just use my red handicap for my index. Who’s right?