I’m A Man And I Enjoy Playing Off The Forward Tees. Here’s Why I’d Recommend It…

There. I’ve said it. Judge me if you like, but I really think that if more male golfers left their egos in the car park and played off the red tees, everyone would have a lot more fun. As for the pace of play, I’m pretty certain a lot of clubs would notice an improvement.

The problem is, there’s still a stigma around playing off the “ladies tees”, certainly amongst golfers of a certain age group. Somehow the idea of playing a shorter course, one designed for the shorter-hitting lady golfers, doesn’t sit well with some.

As my colleague Katie Dawkins wrote about recently, casual sexism is rife in golf, so it's hardly a surprise that some men would dismiss the idea of playing off the reds. However, it's interesting to hear how more male golfers have started to play off forward tees at clubs where gender neutral tees (out with the red, in with orange, purple, green, gold, etc) have been introduced.

Personally, I really enjoy playing off the red tees, or whatever color the most forward tees are. To start with, a shorter course is generally easier to put together a good score on. The handicap system takes this into account and you’ll receive fewer shots the further forward you play, but sometimes bringing down the overall difficulty level can do wonders for your game.

In the winter months, when there’s often a lot of course maintenance work going on, the reds might be your only option. It’s my favorite time of the year to play. The rough is down, too, and for just two or three months of the year, I feel like I might, just might, shoot something in the 70s (these rounds are still very rare).

Playing a shorter course doesn’t mean your game isn’t tested. Being able to hit an iron off the tee on some holes can do wonders for the confidence (the big stick often needs a long rest), as can finding a few greens in regulation. However, I can’t remember ever enjoying a course less because it played closer to 6,000 yards than 7,000, or wishing it had played a bit harder.

One of the best things about playing off the reds, though, other than the course generally being a little less demanding off the tee, is that it gives you an opportunity to experience all the different design subtleties and characteristics. It’s something I particularly enjoyed when playing in a Cross Country tournament recently over a composite course.

Thankfully, I play with a lot of like-minded golfers. Often, there’s not even a discussion over what tees to play off - someone has already teed off from the reds. And it’s not just because it’s winter and everyone is keen to get back into the clubhouse for a hot drink. Most people I play with just want to have fun, and there’s not much of that to be had playing off the very back tees.

“Is it allowed/acceptable for men to play off the front/red tees?” one new golfer asked recently in the Golf Monthly forum. “Tees aren’t gender specific,” came one reply from a male golfer. “Golf is about having fun - play whatever tees facilitate that.” I couldn’t agree more.

The other reason why I’ll continue to champion playing off the red (forward) tees is because it can help speed up play. For those golf clubs who have a problem with slow play/five-hour rounds, it can surely only help to insist on golfers playing off a set of tees that suits their handicap. No one wants to get stuck behind a group of high handicappers playing off the very back tees - something that can sap the fun out of a round very quickly.

As much as I enjoy a round off the reds, this is not to say I don’t relish the opportunity to go off the tips. If my long game is in good shape (a rarity), there’s no greater challenge than playing a course off the back tees. It’s a nice feeling to have those few extra shots, too, even if it does soon become clear why that is.

I guess the point is that a lot of golfers should be more open to playing off the forward tees, whatever color they happen to be. If you choose to do so, it really doesn’t make you any less of a man. In fact, it will make you a happier golfer. Trust me.