You’ve probably heard about the PGA/USGA initiative TEE IT FORWARD. Normally I’m not a big fan of this kind of stuff – usually it’s some gimmick to get people to play golf… gimmicks usually aren’t a great way to get people to do anything.

But, this TEE IT FORWARD is pretty smart. And I mean smart in the sense of Common Sense. Is it really fun to play golf when the course is too long for you? Isn’t it common sense to play at the right length?

A few years ago while at the PGA Show in Orlando, some of us played hooky from the Show and played golf. We’re not Tour players – but we’re still Golf Pros – so we’re decent players, and we played from the white tees. The guys in front of us and behind us played from the black tees… and they were terrible… but, they were going to “play all of the golf course”.

How smart is that? Should they also hit the ball into every hazard to “play all of the golf course”?  I thought the goal of golf was to have fewer strokes, not more strokes. But I guess if you’re shooting 125, you’re too good to play off the white tees.

Obviously if you can’t chip or putt, you’re going shoot a million even if you play a shorter length… but, why not at least give yourself a chance?

Cheers,

Tom Abts
GM and Head Golf Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com