The PGA of America and the USGA published one simple sheet for picking tees, called Tee It Forward. It pairs your average driver distance with a total course length for 18 holes.
Find your distance in the left column, read across, and compare that yardage with the tee sets on your scorecard. One thing the sheet does not say is whether its driver distance means carry or total, and that matters, so there is a section on it below.
The ChartDriver distance to recommended course length
| Average driver distance (yards) | Recommended 18-hole yardage |
|---|---|
| 275 | 6,700-6,900 |
| 250 | 6,200-6,400 |
| 225 | 5,800-6,000 |
| 200 | 5,200-5,400 |
| 175 | 4,400-4,600 |
| 150 | 3,500-3,700 |
| 125 | 2,800-3,000 |
| 100 | 2,100-2,300 |
Source: PGA of America and USGA, Tee It Forward, "Guidelines for Selecting Tees" (copy hosted by Mass Golf).
The sheet calls itself a guideline, meant to help golfers "potentially align" their average driving distance with a course length that suits their abilities. Treat it as a starting point, not a verdict.
If you hit it farther than 275, Golf Digest's report on the original announcement printed two extra rows:
| Driver distance | Recommended 18-hole yardage |
|---|---|
| 300 yards | 7,150-7,400 |
| PGA Tour professional | 7,600-7,900 |
Source: Golf Digest, "USGA, PGA: Golfers are playing wrong tees," Mike Stachura.
Carry or TotalWhat "driver distance" means here
The sheet says "driver distance" and the note beneath it says "average driving distance." Neither one says carry (where the ball lands) or total (where it stops). That is a real gap, because total includes the roll after the ball lands.
So pick one and be consistent. If you only know your range numbers or a launch monitor carry, you will land on a lower row than someone who uses total. If you use what the ball actually does on your home course, use that number for every course you compare.
Not sure what your number is? Our golf club distance chart lists typical driver distances by handicap and explains how the sources handle carry and total.
How to Use ItThree steps
1. Get an honest average. Use the drives you hit most often, not your best one. The sheet asks for your average.
2. Look up the tee sets. Every scorecard lists the total yardage for each set of tees. Write those numbers down.
3. Match them. Choose the set whose total falls inside your row. If none does, take the closest one. If your distance sits between two rows, the sets that land between the two ranges are the ones to try.
The yardage is the whole course, not one hole. The right-hand column is the length of all 18 holes added up, which is the figure printed on the scorecard for each set of tees.
Common MistakesWhere people go wrong with it
Using the longest drive. The chart asks for an average. One great drive pushes you to a row you will not reach most days.
Mixing carry and total. Comparing a carry number on one day and a total number on another gives you two different answers from the same player.
Going by tee color. Names and colors change from course to course. The yardage on the card is what the chart compares against.
Expecting handicap or age columns. They are not on the sheet. It uses driver distance and nothing else.
BackgroundWhere the chart came from
The idea came from equipment designer Barney Adams, who pointed out that many amateurs were not playing the same relative course as tour players. He suggested that an average golfer playing a 6,700-yard course was in about the same spot as a tour player on an 8,100-yard course. The PGA of America and USGA announced Tee It Forward in 2011, so more golfers could pick tees that suit their game and have more fun.
Source: Golf Digest, "USGA, PGA: Golfers are playing wrong tees," Mike Stachura.
FAQQuick answers
Which tees should I play based on my driver distance?
Find your average driver distance on the chart and look at the 18-hole yardage next to it. For 200 yards that is 5,200-5,400. For 250 it is 6,200-6,400. Then pick the tee set on your course whose total yardage falls in that range.
Is the driver distance on the chart carry or total?
The sheet does not say. It uses the words driver distance, and the note under the table says average driving distance. Use whichever you know best, and use the same kind every time you compare. The distance chart shows how the sources split on this.
What if my driver distance falls between two rows?
The rows are 25 yards apart and the sheet gives nothing in between. If you hit it 210, you sit between the 200 row (5,200-5,400) and the 225 row (5,800-6,000). Look at the tee sets on the card that land between those two ranges and try the closest one.
Does the chart change for handicap, age or gender?
No. The sheet has two columns, driver distance and recommended 18-hole yardage. It has no handicap, age or gender columns.
What if I hit it farther than 275 yards?
The sheet in the first chart stops at 275. Golf Digest's report of the same announcement printed two more rows: 300 yards for 7,150-7,400, and a PGA Tour professional row at 7,600-7,900.
Do tee colors tell me which set to play?
Not reliably. Colors and names change from course to course, so go by the total yardage printed on the scorecard for each set and compare that with your row.