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Use this simple formula to determine which tees you should play from

March 16, 2020

Selecting which tees to play from can be a dubious task. Some people feel pressured to play longer tees in an attempt to boost their ego. Some people can’t get over the stigma of playing forward tees even if they have no business teeing it back. And some people just don’t have enough information to make an informed decision on which tees are best for them.

Athletic Motion Golf — a popular golf fitness social media account — came up with a solution to solve all of these problems. It involves a small bit of math, but worry not, even a sportswriter like me can understand it.

The formula is simple. Take the distance you hit your 5-iron, for me it’s around 185 yards, and multiply it by 36. In my case, I get 6,660 yards. This is good to hear as I usually tee it up anywhere in the 6,500-7,000 range, so it’s nice to get some validation for this 7-handicap.

It’s important to note that all golfers are different in their abilities, so this formula isn’t foolproof. Distance is far from everything in the sport and a player can be long and wild with a higher handicap than someone who is short and straight. However, this calculation can be a good starting point for less-experienced players.

Here’s a handy chart to help you out:

Take your 5-iron distance and multiply by 36.
Take your 5-iron distance and multiply by 36.

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