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Opening Drive
Finding the Teeing Ground Sweet Spot
I USED TO BE THAT GUY , THE ONE WHO PLAYED GOLF WITH HIS FRIENDS FROM THE BACK TEES BECAUSE , HEY , EVERYONE ELSE WAS DOING IT . One problem — said friends had a little bit more skill and length off the tee than I did , making each round a miserable slog .
I ’ m not sure when things changed for me . It was probably about the time I started to work for the VSGA and finally got a Handicap Index ®, giving me a pretty clear view of just where my game stood . So , I swallowed my pride and moved up a box or two , not caring if friends silently judged me .
Suddenly , golf was fun again . Instead of hitting 3-wood from a long way out on nearly every par 4 or 5 , I had an iron in my hand and a reasonable chance at hitting a green in regulation , a big deal for a high handicapper trying to eke out an existence playing bogey golf .
A report published by the USGA Green Section in 2022 concluded that , “ using a variety of systems to evaluate golfer tee selection , there is a strong indication that most golfers play a course that is too long for them — either by choice , or because there isn ’ t a tee available that matches their hitting distance ability .”
Sounds like me to a tee — and I ’ m betting I ’ m not the only one who fits the description .
How do you figure out the right distance from which to play ? Look , I ’ m not getting any younger , nor am I adding more flexibility or distance . I ’ ve found that courses with combination tees that allow me to play from anywhere to 5,800-6,000 yards has been the sweet spot . Thankfully , more and more courses are recognizing the value of being able to mix and match tees , and combo tees are becoming increasingly common on scorecards .
In late 2023 , the USGA introduced the “ 7-Iron Solution ,” which is as simple as it sounds . How far do you consistently hit your 7-iron ? Say you only hit it 125 yards . The USGA suggests your best course length will be between 5,400-5,600 yards . If you hit your 7-iron 140 yards , the suggested best course length is between 5,900-6,100 yards . Elite golfers who can hit their 7-iron 170 yards or more should play from 6,700 yards and up .
It ’ s a handy guide to maximizing your enjoyment on the golf course , not to mention helping to alleviate pace-of-play issues that arise when a golfer is in clearly over his or her head when playing from a back tee .
“ I think you ’ ve got about a 90 % likelihood of the golfer walking off the golf course saying that was a better day because of the tees you chose and the pace of play ,” USGA Executive Director Mike Whan noted in the 7-iron study . That ’ s a sentiment I can get behind . As always , my inbox is open for story ideas . Thanks for reading !
Chris Lang , Editor clang @ vsga . org by CHRIS LANG
More and more courses are recognizing the value of being able to mix and match tees , and combo tees are becoming increasingly common on scorecards .
State Open of Virginia Cont ’ d ...
Jake Albert ABOVE :
Brandon Berry
win and status on the Korn Ferry Tour . Burgess may not be back to defend his title — the KFT has an event that week in Missouri , and he ’ ll certainly be there if he ’ s eligible to compete . But expect plenty of strong players — professional and amateur — to convene at Independence July 19-21 for the 2024 State Open .
PLAYERS TO WATCH :
• Grayson Wood ( a ) – The 2023 VSGA Amateur Champion completed a stellar freshman season at VCU in which he became the first player to earn Atlantic 10 Rookie and Player of the Year honors in the same year . Wood ’ s time in Richmond was short , though , as he transferred to the University of Georgia in May .
• Larkin Gross and Josh Speight ( p ) – Gross and Speight qualified for the PGA Championship in May , with Gross making his second appearance in the event and Speight his third . Gross works as an
CHRIS LANG ( 2 )
6 V IRGINIA G OLFER | J u ly / A u g u s t 2024 vsga . org