Tees to Please – Almost Everyone…. Attract and Keep Women in Golf
Small Scale Projects to Evolve the Golf Course for a Changing Clientele
Jan Bel Jan, ASGCA
Tees to Please – Almost Everyone…. Attract & Keep Women in Golf The Playing Field and Amenities Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf The Playing Field
Do women play a course too long for their skill set?
Do men? Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf The Playing Field
Research courtesy of 9000 Arthur Little & Jann Leeming 8400
8000 7800
7200 7200 7000 7000 Fair Length 6300 6300 6300 Based on 30x 6000 5300 Average Drive 5000
4200 4000 Actual Length of 3000 Course Usually 2000 Played
1000
Yards 0 Average Average LPGA Scratch Matt Woman Man Player Male Kuchar Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf The Playing Field
“We women play our golf on courses laid out for men. Our games are thus under the decided handicap of being misfits.”
Margaret Curtis 3 -time Women’s Amateur Championship & co-donor of Curtis Cup Harriot & Margaret Curtis c.1910 USGA Journal Winter 1949, Vol. 1 #7 pp 10-11 Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf The Playing Field Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf The Playing Field Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf The Playing Field
Late 90’s – NGF Study
- Low handicap female golfers hit 85% of the distance of low handicap male golfers.
- Average female golfers hit 75% the distance of average handicap male golfers.
- What does this really mean? Is it different today? Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf The Playing Field
In 2015, the proportion of women golfers is about the same as in the1980’s, but only 17 – 20 % of rounds are from women. Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf The Playing Field
NCGOA – 2006
Two thirds of new players were women….
Why were they not staying in the game? Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf The Playing Field
- Courses are too long – over 5200 yards
- Too many carries from tees
- Too many carries in the fairway
- Vegetation in front of tees is too tall
- Carries are too long
- Doglegs are severe and force lay-ups
- Forward tees appear to be afterthoughts
Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf The Playing Field
History of the “teeing ground”
- Concept was developed in late 1880’s
- Multiple tees in 1910’s
- “Ladies’ tees” - 1950’s
- “Fair” tees – 1970’s
- Alice Dye’s “Two-tee system” - 1980’s
- William (Bill) Amick, ASGCA – “The Long and Short of It” - 1996
- Arthur Little & Jann Leeming – “Proportional Tee Positioning for Design Fairness” - 2007
- “Tee It Forward”– PGA of America Initiative – 2011
- “Tee It Forward” – USGA Course Rating & Handicap – 2011
Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf The Playing Field
USGA Handicap & Rating Systems
Scratch Female Golfer drive is 210 yards on level ground, at sea-level, with +/- 30 yards difference for up/down hills.
Drive: 190 + 20 yards roll = 210 yards 2nd Shot : 170 +20 yards roll = 190 yards 400 yards Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf
The Playing Field
USGA Handicap & Rating Systems
Bogey Handicap Index – 21.5 to 26.4 Bogey Female Golfer drive is 150 yards on level ground
Drive: 130 + 20 yards roll = 150 yards 2nd Shot: 110 +20 yards roll = 130 yards 280 yards Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf
The Playing Field Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract And Keep Women in Golf The Playing Field
Create tees that fit the yardage of the customers you have or seek.
There is a greater diversity of women players now, so new tees should not replace existing tees, but be in addition to them. Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf The Playing Field
18 Hole Yardages, Par 72 should range:
4100 – 4300 5000 – 5200 5900 – 6100 6300 – 6500 6800 – 7000 7300 – 7500
http://www.golfwithwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/FinalReport.pdf
Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf The Playing Field
Clubhead speed dictates distance. Handicaps do not.
Use signage to suggest yardage based on average drive so players can choose the proper “course within a course.”
Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf The Playing Field
Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf The Playing Field
How To Add “Scoring” Tees
- Observe golfers.
- Listen to what they say.
- Educate them on the goals.
- Include them in the process.
Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf The Playing Field
How To Add “Scoring” Tees
- Master Plan for balanced effective yardage.
- Align for intended line of play.
- Observe hazards and slopes for new tee locations.
Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women Golfers The Playing Field
How To Add “Scoring” Tees
- Plan size for mowing unit to turn properly.
- Read the land for on-site grading (reduces hauling fill).
- Protect tees from excess sheet flow.
- Be mindful of tee locations relative to cart paths.
Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf The Playing Field
Investment example (in-house)
. Minimum 25’ x 25’ tee surface at least one foot above grade = approx. 50 cy @ $12.00/cy
. 1600 sf sod @ $0.50/sf
. Irrigation + labor +/- $500
. Grow-in (time, materials, labor)
Good intentions, but …. Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf The Playing Field Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf The Playing Field Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf The Playing Field
Proper Tee Locations
- Not branded by gender or age -Reduce the amount of time to play -Create a sense of achievement - Are more FUN
Women return to play because of - Better scoring - Improved pace of play - Greater social interaction (FUN!!)
Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf The Playing Field
Family Friendly Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf The Playing Field
- Improve pace of play by 15-30 minutes per round
- Increase total rounds = improve bottom line
- Golf is more fun and fair for women when strength is de-emphasized and skill and accuracy are encouraged Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women Golfers Amenities
- Clear directional signage
- Tee locations noted
- Multiple tees rated for women
- Trash receptacle, ball washer placed safely at forward tees - Distance markers on tees & in fairways where appropriate
- Clean, pleasant restrooms
- Drop areas for carries
Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf
Your Golf Course Add tees proportionate to clubhead speed
- Spread wear among tees - Improved pace of play by all - Gain new, and retain more, women
- Gain and retain more juniors
- Improved revenue in fees, lessons, golf shop, grill room
- Distinction in the market Tees to Please – Almost Everyone Attract and Keep Women in Golf The Golf Holes
“The ideal hole is one that affords the greatest pleasure to the greatest number, gives fullest advantage for accuracy, stimulates players to improve and never becomes monotonous.”
- Alister MacKenzie -