TEE BOXES

Question
QUESTION: MY SONS AND I PLAY IN A TOURNAMENT 4 TIMES A YEAR AND HAVE BETWEEN 4 AND 12 GOLFERS PARTICIPATE. THE HANDICAPS RANGE FROM 9 TO 35. MY QUESTION IS DO WE ALL HAVE TO TEE OFF TOGETHER AT THE SAME TEE BOX TO BE FAIR? WE HAVE DONE THIS FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS BUT SOME OF OUR BUDDIES SIMPLY CAN NOT HIT THE BALL MORE THAN 200 TO 225 YARDS. IF WE DO PLAY FROM DIFFERENT TEE BOXES, WOULD WE NEED TO ADJUST OTHER HANDICAPS? IF SO HOW IS THIS DONE?

ANSWER: Kip,

I would like to know what type of format you playing before I can give you my suggestions, however I'll wing it anyway.

If you're playing an individual ball tournament then I would assign the tee boxes because of gender and age. Then you can use 90% of the handicaps and that handicap will be deducted from the gross score. This would be considered the net score. You can also have a gross division which is the actual score each golfer shoots.

If you're playing a Florida Scramble simply take 10 of the team's combined handicap and deduct this from the team's gross score. You can still use gender and age in determining the tee boxes that are played.

Hope this helps,

Michael Hoffman



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: MICHAEL,
IN RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION, WE PLAY AN INDIVIDUAL BALL TOURNAMENT. WE TAKE OUR GROSS SCORES AND DEDUCT OUR HANDICAPS TO GET OUR NET SCORE. WE PLAY FOUR ROUNDS AND END UP EITHER OVER OR UNDER PAR TO DECIDE THE WINNER. THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXAMPLE OF A COURSE WE WILL BE PLAYING NEXT WEEK. IF THE 9, 12, 14, & 16 HANDICAPS TEE OFF FROM THE BACK TEES 73.9 RATING, 138 SLOPE, 7010 YARDS, AND THE 19, 20, 21, & 22 HANDICAPS TEE OFF FROM MIDDLE TEES 71.6 RATING, 130 SLOPE, 6461 YARDS, AND THE 28, 31, 32, & 35 HANDICAPS TEE OFF FROM THE FRONT TEES 69.5 RATING, 126 SLOPE, 6029 YARDS, HOW WOULD THE HANDICAPS BE ADJUSTED OR TO BE FAIR SHOULD WE ALL PLAY FROM THE SAME TEES? IS THERE A FORMULA TO CALCULATE THIS? WHEN I PLAY WITH MY 3 SONS I WOULD LIKE TO PLAY DIFFERENT TEE BOXES. THEY CAN HIT 275+ AND I BARLEY MAKE IT 225. HOW WOULD I ADJUST HANDICAPS BASED ON THE SAME CONDITIONS AS ABOVE? IS THERE A STANDARD ON WHAT YARDAGE OR RATING OR TEE BOXES CERTAIN HANDICAPS SHOULD BE PLAYING? I HAVE HEARD THAT YOU SHOULD PLAY 36 TIMES THE YARDAGE YOU HIT A 5 IRON. EXAMPLE: YOU HIT A 5 IRON 170 YARDS YOU SHOULD PLAY 6120 YARDS, ANY THOUGHTS? FINALLY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
SINCERELY,
KIP SEYFFERTH

Answer
Kip,

I feel the only way you can have a fair tournament for all is to play the same tee box. The only exception to this would be for any Senior golfers (and females) in the group. Golfers 60 and over move up one tee box, for example. Decide to play the tee box that is fair to the majority. Remember if though it's a tournament, make sure it's still fun for everyone.

Have fun,

Michael Hoffman