Former technical director of the USGA, Frank Thomas, told me several years ago the average golfer is deluding himself about how far he hits his tee shots. When asked, most will answer a typical blast travels in the 225-yard (or better!) range.
Thomas however had done a study which showed the average was under 200-yards so, aside from the potential ego inflation benefits from not being truthful with himself or his fellow linksters, our average weekend warrior sets himself up for several hours of frustration, interminable playing times and possible financial loss. This is presumably why a club professional of my acquaintance says many of his lessons are not so much in swing mechanics but anger management.
A few months ago another solon of the game, Barney Adams, suggested one of the ways to attack the no-growth problem golf faces was to make the game more fun. No, not with bikinied caddy girls or windmills on par-3s, but by shortening the time spent and letting the average hacker do his hacking thing but still have a good time.
Among Adams suggestions was to have everyone play a shorter course or if you normally play from 7000-yards, move up to say 6700. Adams assumed the average drive was between 205- and 230-yards (different than the Thomas study but the principle is the same) and therefore some 70-yards shorter than elite players such as those on the PGA Tour. This means with 14 non-par-3 holes in a round the average players is giving up at least 70 times 14 or roughly 1000-yards not counting the distance advantage pros have with their iron play.
Put another way it’s like the pros attempting to play an 8000-yard course each week. Ridiculous you say? But, that what recreational players are doing almost every round.
Now in what may be a minor miracle golf’s two premier organizations, the USGA and the PGA of America (who don’t see eye to eye very often), are cooperating in a program named Tee it Forward and pushing for all golfers to try a shorter set of tees based on the distance they drive the ball. The request is only for a limited time, July 5 through July 17, and is meant to serve as an experiment for golfers to use tees more suited for their game and ability.
As the press release put it, “With TEE IT FORWARD, golfers can potentially speed up play and have more fun by utilizing tees that provide the greatest playability and enjoyment.”
There’s even a chart showing guidelines for 18-hole yardage:
Driver Distance Recommended 18 Hole Yardages
PGA Tour Pro……7,600 – 7,900
300………………..7,150 – 7,400
275………………..6,700 – 6,900
250………………..6,200 – 6,400
225………………..5,800 – 6,000
200………………..5,200 – 5,400
175………………..4,400 – 4,600
150………………..3,500 – 3,700
125………………..2,800 – 3,000
100………………..2,100 – 2,300
This seems like a neat idea and definitely worth a try. Who knows it night catch on because its makes golf faster and more fun.
About Ed Travis
Related posts:
