DGS49
Diamond Member
I am a reasonably-fit 67-year-old man, and have been golfing since I was about 50. A recent deterioration in my driving distance leaves me with a typical driving distance of about 200 yards, and an occasional 215 drive - I know not why.
So I, like many, many other "Boomers" am, in golfing jargon, "between tees." I hit too long for the forward tees but not really long enough for the longer par 4's from the "Men's" (usually white) tees. Specifically, when encountering a 400-yard par 4, I cannot reach the green in two strokes, and my only hope of a par is a one-putt green.
Golf is supposed to be fun, right? And none of us are professionals, right? So what's the fun of playing a hole where there is only a minimal chance of getting a par, even if you hit all good shots?
My proposal is this: for people like me, when we encounter...
We move to the forward tees. In deference to the mass culture, I refer to this as the "Thee Fitty" rule.
This is a general rule, and there could be exceptions. For example, on "water holes," where the tee shot is hit over a pond or a small lake, the forward tees are usually situated so that the water is taken out of play, by putting the tee either in front of the water or off to the side. On such holes, hitting over the water is part of the legitimate challenge of the hole, and the golfer - even under Thee Fitty - should play from behind the water.
Obviously, this is a casual rule, to be used only among friends. It would really screw up an accurate calculation of handicap, and an assessment of slope rating, and all that. But I think it would be a good addition for groups that often play together, small informal leagues, and especially golf outings, where a lot of non-regular golfers come out for a day of "fun."
The Thee Fitty rule should make it possible for pre-Senior golfers to have fun, by making it realistically possible to get a par on basically every hole.
I have spoken.
So I, like many, many other "Boomers" am, in golfing jargon, "between tees." I hit too long for the forward tees but not really long enough for the longer par 4's from the "Men's" (usually white) tees. Specifically, when encountering a 400-yard par 4, I cannot reach the green in two strokes, and my only hope of a par is a one-putt green.
Golf is supposed to be fun, right? And none of us are professionals, right? So what's the fun of playing a hole where there is only a minimal chance of getting a par, even if you hit all good shots?
My proposal is this: for people like me, when we encounter...
- A par three of over 200 yards, or
- A par 4 of over 350 yards, or
- A par 5 of over 500 yards,
We move to the forward tees. In deference to the mass culture, I refer to this as the "Thee Fitty" rule.
This is a general rule, and there could be exceptions. For example, on "water holes," where the tee shot is hit over a pond or a small lake, the forward tees are usually situated so that the water is taken out of play, by putting the tee either in front of the water or off to the side. On such holes, hitting over the water is part of the legitimate challenge of the hole, and the golfer - even under Thee Fitty - should play from behind the water.
Obviously, this is a casual rule, to be used only among friends. It would really screw up an accurate calculation of handicap, and an assessment of slope rating, and all that. But I think it would be a good addition for groups that often play together, small informal leagues, and especially golf outings, where a lot of non-regular golfers come out for a day of "fun."
The Thee Fitty rule should make it possible for pre-Senior golfers to have fun, by making it realistically possible to get a par on basically every hole.
I have spoken.