Placing forward tees in the field

While starting with plans, because some basic things like yardage, are best figured on plan, other things are better just “felt” or “seen” and not measured. The best final results come after field review.

At some courses, I have actually started by walking the course with the committee, looking at individual holes. On an individual hole, a committee member might comment that the “carry is OK for me, but, ahem … too far for one of my friends” before agreeing on the merits of a shorter hole. Typically, after all the individual tee locations are plotted to their satisfaction, we often find that a total distance near the target of 4,300 yards (or 5,600 yards for white tees) just happened naturally.

If you are at a club, the committee will probably be larger and more inclusive. If not, remember that you are trying to design the course for how the game is played by others, to eliminate the “good enough for lesser players” mentality present at most courses.

At The Wilderness at Fortune Bay in Tower, Minn., we took our preliminary maps out in the field, first noting the recommended distance, and then considering all the factors that go into determining the best possible location for each tee. The superintendent helped determine the easiest locations from a construction and maintenance perspective. There are often compromises as you look at various locations considering all these issues:

• Safety: Avoid locations that are hazardous from adjacent fairways.
• Topography affects shots:
  • Uphill shots affect short hitters far more, because of the low shot height, angle and velocity. We further shorten uphill holes by at least 10 percent.
  • Nothing is wrong in letting forward-tee players get the occasional long drive and short approach, so we rarely lengthen a hole because it’s downhill.
     
• View from tee: They should be as clear and pleasant as from back tees.
• Play angles: Make sure forward-tee players have a good angle to the fairway with no visual obstructions. Too many forward tees placed off to the side, only to end up right behind a tree.
• Reduced fear factor: Avoid playing right over bunkers or under/around trees.
• Reduced doglegs: Reduce the angles of sharp doglegs to make getting around the corner easier for both shorter hitters and muffed shots.
• Avoid forced layups: Keep crossing hazards over 155-160 yards from tee to allow full drive.
• Forced carry tee shots: Avoid them or limit to 50 to 60 percent of tee shot distance or 75–90 yards.
• Optional carry on tee shot: Forward tees should offer the same options/challenge as longer tees on any optional forced carry.
• Forced carry on approach shot: Where a forced carry is required on approach shots, we prefer that a full drive land just short of the hazard to reduce the subsequent forced carry as much as possible.
• Access to cart path: Proximity to the path pays dividends in convenience and pace of play.
• Construction ease: Elevated, reasonably flat areas can easily be turned into a tee with minor tractor leveling/grading and adding some mix. Be sure to avoid irrigation, drain lines and buried utilities, but locate tees where existing sprinklers or a simple addition provides good coverage.
• Size: Forward-tee players are sensitive to tees that look like afterthoughts, having seen too many of them. Tees that are too small make bad impressions, even if meeting all criteria above. Square tees should be at least 20 feet by 20 feet. Circular tees should be from 26 feet (about the minimum required turning diameter) to 32 feet, which provides left to right tee placement options for variety.
• Construction: If your back tees have mix and are level, your front tees should have them, too.
• Consider the fairway cut: Sometimes, these newly shortened set of forward tees are actually in the fairway. Most forward-tee players appreciate the look of an actual tee over a level area of fairway. However, in retrofitting an existing course with differing grasses between rough and fairways, it is often the best solution, using flexible markers like the plastic, press down 150-yard plates to avoid construction.
   

Consider making forward tees clearly visible on early holes to make players aware of the forward-tee system. On later holes, you can conceal them by clever location or simple construction of building a small ridge behind them.

With those parameters (and handicaps, enjoyment, image, etc.) on the line, the only thing I can guarantee is that the discussions will be interesting. No matter what compromises you may make in your individual situation, in reality, you have made the course better for forward-tee players.

Jeffrey D. Brauer is a veteran golf course architect responsible for more than 50 new courses and more than 100 renovations.  A member and past president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, he is president of Jeffrey D. Brauer/GolfScapes in Arlington, Texas. Reach him at jeff@jeffreydbrauer.com.