The difference between 420 yards and 322 could be two strokes and 20 minutes.
But we're helpless. A strange force pulls us back to the Championship Tees which, for the vast majority of us, promise a few hours of torment and hardship with only very fleeting moments of amusement mixed in. Not only do we stagger off the 18th green with a score we'd rather forget, we also spend four and a half hours accumulating that regrettable score.
In an effort to help deluded golfers, who really should know better, avoid this situation, the United States Golf Association (USGA) together with the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) of America today launched 'Tee It Forward', a national initiative to be proposed for golf facilities nationwide from July 5-17 and which will 'encourage all golfers to play the course at a length that is aligned with their average driving distance'.
If you average, say, 240 yards off the tee, you drive it roughly three-quarters as far as the typical PGA Tour player who routinely hits it 320 on a flat hole with no wind (Bubba Watson and JB Holmes can get it out to 350 and beyond, but they're atypical as are the freaks in the World Long Drive Championships - guys like Jamie Sadlowski who might cause wind patterns to change a thousand miles away every time he swings a driver). No one is suggesting you play a course three-quarters as long as a PGA Tour course (75% of 7,500 yards is 5,625 yards which is way too short), but it makes absolutely no sense not to move forward at least a few hundred yards.
According to the USGA's distance chart, the golfer hitting 250 yards with a driver should be playing the course at 6,200 to 6,400 yards. To most 250-yard hitters that will sound awfully short, but instead of the 3-woods and hybrids they're hitting into long Par 4s they will now be hitting mid-irons. They'll hit more greens and consequently score better. And because they're not walking all the way back to the Tiger Tees, missing the fairway because they felt compelled to use a driver, and looking for their wayward drive in the rough, they will lop at least half an hour off their round.
The press release in which the USGA and PGA of America's announcement was made includes words like 'Initiative', 'Concept', 'Exciting new approach', and 'Innovation'. And it makes a very big point of 'Tee It Forward' giving golfers 'a new challenge that better aligns with their abilities'. It all sounds rather grand and highbrow and, frankly, is a bit unnecessary when really all that needs to happen is for us golfers to be slightly less dumb.
At Lake Padden, if you regularly play the Blacks at 6,575 yards, try the Greens at 6,348 or Granites at 6,153.
At North Bellingham, if you regularly play the Blues at 6,816 yards, try the Whites at 6,179.
At Sudden Valley, if you regularly play the Blues at 6,553 yards, try the Whites at 6,143.
At Shuksan, if you regularly play the Blues at 6,742 yards, try the Whites at 6,259.
Congratulations to Denny Evans for winning Saturday's Lake Padden Men's Club Club Chamionship qualifier with a Gross 74. Winston Eken and Jesse Bibee tied for second on 75. Winner of the Net prize was Greg Bring who shot a Net 70.
Scores here.
Money winners after six events here.
The ladders for the Club Championship were set after Saturday's tournament. Gross ladder here. Net ladder here.
Next LPMC event is a Two-Man Scramble on June 4th. Call the pro shop for tee-times.
The North Bellingham Spring Shoot-Out is this coming weekend (Memorial Day Weekend - May 28th - 30th). Entry fee for Non-Members is $200. Closing date for entries is Thusrday 26th. Check out the format and get contact details here.
The High School State Championships, conducted by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA), are currently going on at the Classic Club in Spanaway. Scores from day one are: 2A Boys here, 2A Girls here.
