Why gender-free tees are the answer to club golf's problems

While handicaps are designed to even out abilities, because of the idiosyncrasies of the system this does not truly achieve the objective. For example, accurately relating the difficulty of each hole.

Accepting that the handicap system relates to skill, this can be split into two categories:

Skill relating to distance
Skill relating to accuracy/short game /putting

Based on this the following argument can be developed:

Player A

Serious competitive golfer
12-handicap player
Able to reach greens in regulation (par 3 in 1, par 4 in 2, par 5 in 3)
Therefore shots received relate to “skill” not distance

Player B

Social player
25-handicap player
Needs possibly 15 shots in a round to reach the greens
Therefore 10 shots awarded for “skill”

This suggests that Player B needs to be more skilful than Player A, who probably plays more often and with more dedication. To offset this, higher handicap players – the Player Bs of this world – may get more satisfaction and speed-up play by playing shorter courses being able to reach the greens more easily.

It is suggested that the following rule of thumb methods can be used to judge the length of course suited to the player’s ability: Play a course length which allows one to reach the greens in regulation; or take the distance one can hit a 5-iron and multiply this by 36 to get the optimum distance to suit one’s game.

The PGA of America and the USGA recommend taking the true driving distance as a guide using this table, which measures a player’s average driving distance vs. course length:

175 yards – 4,400-4,600 yards
200 yards – 5,200-5,400 yards
225 yards – 5,800-6,000 yards
250 yards – 6,200-6,400 yards
275 yards – 6,700-6900 yards
300 yards – 7,150-7400 yards

The main concern is that this would need a change of habits which is always difficult and will be impossible for some to accept.

The male ego will obviously be one of the stumbling blocks in trying to achieve the change of attitude required and it will take time to fully consider if the change is of advantage and acceptable to the club.

So where do we go from here?

Gender-free tees are now being used in an ever-increasing number of golf clubs.

One of the first clubs to adopt the gender-free tee system, Sheringham Golf Club in Norfolk, has three sets of coloured tees – blue, yellow and white – which are all rated for both men and ladies. Trentham Golf Club in Staffordshire has also followed the trend by adopting a similar system.

All clubs to have made these changes have found it to be a great success.

The preferred system is probably to move away from a three tee system to a three course system. Instead of using colour coding alone, names could be given to each course. For example:

Championship Course (white tees)
Prestige Course (yellow tees)
Gold Course (red tees)

All course lengths would be measured and defined and each would have a separate card – simplifying current composite cards. Handicaps would be rated relative to each course with men and ladies playing from any tee.

From a social golf aspect this must offer a more acceptable situation, particularly for mixed games, and help when families wish to play together. It will also help to keep ageing golfers interested and more competitive for longer.

From a club competition standpoint there should be no reason why a competition cannot specify the course to be used for the occasion. This could give more encouragement for higher handicap golfers to participate in competitions by offering a challenge more within their reach.

Above all, these suggestions are designed to help speed-up play and give greater enjoyment by catering for all abilities and ages.

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Peter Race, 80, was born in Yorkshire but has resided in Leicestershire for more than 40 years, where he is a former captain and president of Forest Hill.