Choosing the right tee box often feels like a bigger decision than it should, but it has a massive impact on your score and how much fun you have. You’re not alone if you’ve stood on a tee sheet trying to figure out if you should play the whites, blues, or some other color with your friends. This article will give you simple, practical methods to choose the right yardage for your game, helping you play smarter, hit better shots, and enjoy your rounds more.
Let's get the most uncomfortable part out of the way first: ego. The number one reason golfers play from tees that are too long is because they feel like they should. They see the "Championship" or "Tips" box and think that's where the "real" golfers play. Or, they're playing with friends and don't want to be the one to suggest moving up to a shorter set of tees.
I want you to reframe this thinking entirely. Playing from the correct tees isn't "giving up" or admitting you're not a good player. It's the opposite. It’s a strategic decision that smart golfers make to give themselves the best chance to score well and hit the kinds of shots the course architect intended. Think about it: when Tour pros play their home courses for fun, they almost never play from the back tees. They move up so they can hit different clubs, work the ball, and have a good time.
The goal of a round of golf is to have fun. For most of us, fun means hitting solid shots, having birdie putts, and writing down more pars than "others." Playing from a yardage that's too long leads to just the opposite: pulling headcovers off fairway woods for your second shots into par 4s, having no chance to reach par 5s a respectable distance, and playing defense all day. Make a pact with yourself to leave your ego in the car and choose your tees based on your actual game, not the game you wish you had.
If you're looking for a straightforward way to get a solid starting point, look no further than your 5-iron. It's a fantastic indicator of your overall ball-striking ability and power. This method has been recommended by coaches for years for one simple reason: it works.
The formula is stunningly simple. Take the distance you comfortably and consistently carry your 5-iron and multiply it by 36. The result is your ideal total course yardage.
Imagine you hit your 5-iron 160 yards.
160 (5-iron distance) x 36 = 5,760 yards
When you look at the scorecard, you should find the set of tees closest to 5,760 yards. If there's a tee at 5,600 and another at 5,900, you could choose either, or pick the shorter one if you want to be a bit more aggressive that day.
Here’s another example for a shorter hitter:
Maybe your consistent 5-iron is 140 yards.
140 (5-iron distance) x 36 = 5,040 yards
You'd look for the tee box that plays right around 5,000 yards. This is often the forward or senior tee, and playing from there will give you a much better experience than trying to tackle a 6,000-yard course.
Another excellent way to choose your tees, and one that might be even easier for many golfers, is to use your average driver distance as the benchmark. The PGA of America championed this through their "Tee It Forward" initiative, and it’s a brilliant system for matching ability to course length.
Unlike an iron shot, be sure to use your total driver distance here (carry + roll), since tee shots are all about getting into a good position for your next shot. Again, brutal honesty is your best friend. Don't use your personal best drive, use the number you hit consistently.
Find your average driving distance in the list below to find your recommended course yardage.
Choose the method that feels easiest for you. Whether you trust your 5-iron or your driver more, both will point you in the right direction. The goal is to set yourself up for success before you even hit a single shot.
Playing the right yardage isn't just about making the course shorter, it's about hitting the right types of clubs. When a golf course architect designs a hole, they have specific strategy in mind. A dogleg-right par 4 might be designed for a driver to a specific landing area, followed by a mid-iron approach that has to carry a bunker.
If you play from a tee box that's too far back for your game, that whole strategy is ruined. Your drive doesn't reach the landing area, so now you're left with a hybrid or a fairway wood for your second shot. The chances of pulling that off successfully - hitting it high enough, landing it softly enough, and with enough accuracy to avoid the bunker - are extremely low for most amateurs.
By moving up a set of tees, you change the entire equation. Suddenly, your good drive does reach that landing area. Now, you’re hitting a 7-iron or 8-iron into the green. That's a club you're comfortable with. You can swing with confidence, control your distance, and have a genuine chance at hitting the green in regulation. This is what leads to more pars, more birdie putts, and a much lower score.
A good rule of thumb: If you are consistently hitting clubs longer than a 6 or 7-iron into par 4s, you are likely playing from tees that are too long for you.
While the distance formulas give you a fantastic baseline, golf isn't played in a vacuum. Other factors on any given day should influence your decision to maybe move up or even back a set of tees.
Choosing the correct set of tees is one of the easiest and most effective ways to make golf more fun and shoot lower scores. By using a simple guideline like your driver distance or 5-iron yardage, you can match your game to the course and set yourself up for success before you even hit your first drive.
While these methods provide a fantastic starting point for the entire course, we know that great course management happens hole by hole. That's why we built Caddie AI. Our app lets you take this to the next level by getting a smart, simple strategy for any hole from any tee box. You can ask what the real trouble is, where the best place to miss is, or what club you should hit - all so you can step up to every shot with clarity and confidence.
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