Categories
A senior golfers view

Is Choosing Which Tee-Box Colour To Use Really an Option

Image depicting tee box colours with the caption Choose Your Own Tee box Today

While playing the many Senior Opens this year I have always found it fascinating listening to the many different opinions and how we Seniors know best when it comes to organising an open tournament. One of the rules suggested by a playing partner was to choose which tee-box colour you can use for your round and I immediately thought whoa, have you lost whatever marbles were left in that ageing head of yours. However this got me thinking, is this such an outlandish suggestion after all?.

Is this choose your tee colour actually a workable solution to Seniors with limited mobility?, after all why walk 6500 yards from the back tees when you can walk 5500 yards from the front tees, lets see.

Pros:

  • Increased Accessibility: Allowing golfers to choose their tee boxes accommodates players of various skill levels, ensuring that golf remains an inclusive and accessible sport.
  • Enjoyment and Challenge: Players can select the tee box that best suits their skill level, making the game more enjoyable and challenging for them. This can lead to greater satisfaction and encourage continued participation in golf.
  • Faster Play: Players who choose tee boxes appropriate to their abilities are more likely to maintain a steady pace of play, reducing congestion on the course and helping tournaments run smoothly.
  • Customization: It allows golfers to tailor the game to their personal preferences, enhancing their overall experience. Some players may enjoy the challenge of longer distances, while others prefer a more relaxed round.
  • Inclusivity: It promotes inclusivity for golfers of all ages and physical conditions, allowing seniors, juniors, and those with physical limitations to enjoy the game without feeling excluded.
  • Personal Responsibility: Golfers take personal responsibility for their tee box selection, encouraging them to assess their abilities honestly and make appropriate choices.

Cons

  • Competitive Imbalance: Allowing golfers to choose tee boxes can create a competitive imbalance, as some players may intentionally select easier tees to gain an advantage over others.
  • Rule Uniformity: Golf is traditionally known for its strict adherence to standardized rules, and allowing tee box selection by individuals can be seen as deviating from this principle.
  • Potential for Misjudgment: Players may overestimate or underestimate their abilities, leading to frustration, slower play, and potential disputes on the course.
  • Record-Keeping Challenges: It can complicate record-keeping and statistics, as players may play from different tee boxes, making it difficult to compare scores accurately.
  • Longer Rounds: Inexperienced players opting for longer tees might slow down the pace of play and disrupt the flow of a tournament, leading to longer rounds.
  • Inconsistent Challenge: Selecting tee boxes based on personal preferences can lead to inconsistent challenges for players in the same tournament, potentially affecting the fairness of the competition.

In conclusion, allowing golfers to choose their tee boxes has its merits in terms of inclusivity and enjoyment, but it also presents challenges related to competitive fairness, rule uniformity, and pace of play. Decisions regarding tee box selection should carefully consider the goals of the event and the overall experience of the participants while maintaining the spirit of fair and consistent competition.

Whilst I do think this would be a non-starter the suggestion was brought about because a course I played at in Glasgow had the Senior Open off the back tees with a yardage over 6500 yards, this might be okay for the young guns hitting a golf ball 250-300 yards off the tee but is it absolutely necessary for this length of course for a Senior Open. I know the handicap allowance is supposed to be the great leveller but for a 75 year old walking that distance it is going to be a lot harder than for a 50 year old. So is the solution not to allow self determination but play off the shorter tees.

Is this a crackpot idea, let the world of golf know!.

PS; watch out for the next Seniors cunning plan to fix golf

Categories
The High Handicap Golfer

Are High Handicap Golfers Unfairly Treated at Club Competitions

Example of a golf scorecard with handicap slashed.

Unlucky Breaks in Golf: It’s Just Part of the Game

All golfers know this game is unfair but we understand bad bounces, plugged lies, divots, balls that seemingly vanish into thin air, we all experience those moments that leave us scratching our heads. Trees conspiring against your ball? Lost balls that shouldn’t be lost? It’s like a collection of unfairness that golfers affectionately refer to as “bad breaks.”

Navigating Golf’s Rules: The R&A Rules of Golf

We have a rule book – “The R&A Rules of Golf.” And yes, even thinking about it can make your brain hurt a bit. This hefty tome is our guiding light on the course, covering everything from the first tee shot to the final putt on the 18th hole. It’s there for all golfers – whether you’re a seasoned pro or a club player working on your handicap. That’s what we call fairness in the golfing world.

Fairness in Handicaps: A Closer Look

But let’s face it, handicaps and fairness goes out the window when we dive into club competition handicaps. For example “Hey, Angus is a cheat! and should not be winning this competition because his handicap is 27 and he was allowed 30 strokes on this course but just to make sure he doe’s not win we will cut it further to 22 strokes”. Wait a minute! Angus is no cheat he’s following the R&A’s rules. His handicap truly mirrors his game, and according to the WHS handicapping system, those 30 strokes are a true reflection of his standard of play and he is, according to the WHS handicap rules, abiding by the rules. However he’s being unfairly criticised for having a good day.

Whatever your opinion of the WHS handicap it is there for everyone and is supposed to be fair and equitable for everyone, just like those R&A rules we all know. It seems to Angus the only players allowed to win the competition fairly are those with a low handicap. The stars of the show are often the skilled players, the ones who consistently impress. But let’s pause – where’s the rule that says high handicappers need to play by different rules?

High Handicappers: Misunderstood, Not Menaces

Arguments rage on up and down the land in clubhouses, yet there’s no need. All the rules are right there in black and white, a code we golfers understand like the back of our gloves. So, what’s with slashing handicaps for competitions? Angus, excited to play, finds his 30-stroke allowance whittled down to 22. Eight strokes vanished – where’s the fairness in that?

I am trying to understand why this is the case, is it any of the following?,

1. Angus might be cheating so we need to fix him

2. Does Angus’s cash hold less sway than the low handicapper’s? Are we reserving prizes for the “better” players?

3. Is it “fair” to chop the high handicappers’ allowances?

4. Are the high handicappers just plain rubbish and lousy at the game?

5. Is it truly “fairer” to slash Angus’s handicap for the sake of low handicap golfers to make it fair for them

Equality for All Handicaps: The Ultimate Goal

Let’s talk high handicaps – that’s me. I’ve heard all the arguments and then some. I don’t aspire to be a high handicapper, but here I am. My golf gear doesn’t come at a discount, and my wallet pays just like the next player’s. The same club subscriptions? Yep, I’m on board. But seriously, someone explain why I’m treated like the golfing equivalent of Bigfoot for competition golf.

I would like to hear a compelling argument – why should high handicappers be seen as golfing outcasts? These actions feel like a slap in the face to the very essence of the game. The club competition secretaries should in the spirit of fairness ditch this obsession with leaving us high handicappers out in the cold. This game is about fairness and equality for all. Imagine the uproar if a 5-handicap golfer suddenly heard, “Hey, guess what? You’re losing 8 strokes for this competition.” Let’s keep the game true, diverse, and open to everyone.

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