Scoring impact of natural tees?

[jeverett]

Ok, I'm really, really hoping that someone will be able to answer this one.. but can anyone take an educated guess as to, on average, the impact on average score of natural (close-cut grass) vs cement tee pads? i.e. with the better footing of a real (leveled) tee pad, about how much better can I generally expect players to perform? If it helps, my target group is blue-level players. Thanks!

 

[donnyv]

Close cut grass I'd say 1-3 strokes but a lot depends on hole length and foilage. All my blue tees are natural, woodchips or carpet remnants. Most of my blues are moderatly wooded in the 325-450' range

 

[rickles]

Honestly there should be zero difference IMO. What about all of the other shots on the course where terrain is tricky to get good footing even in the fairway? To me its just a mind game tho, I learned to play on natural teepads. Actually, depending on where you play concrete tees can be dangerous or way too short...but depends on the course

 

[biscoe]

if the natural tees are reasonably flat i would say no difference.

 

[Horsman]

For me its a few strokes. I dont trust rubber/natural/carpet tees so I have to change up my form to throw off of them. I use pretty much all arms instead of a lot of legs, so I do tend to shoot a few strokes worse off of those kinds of tees.

 

[billtvshow]

When my local course switched from natural to concrete, I probably saw a 2-3 shot per round improvement. The problem is, I was improving ever so slightly as the time, so it's hard to tell how much that factored in as well.

 

[Discette]

Ok, I'm really, really hoping that someone will be able to answer this one.. but can anyone take an educated guess as to, on average, the impact on average score of natural (close-cut grass) vs cement tee pads? i.e. with the better footing of a real (leveled) tee pad, about how much better can I generally expect players to perform? If it helps, my target group is blue-level players. Thanks!

Once upon a time, at the turn of the century, McNaughton park in Pekin, IL had natural tees. The natural dirt tees certainly added to the challenge of playing as they were not level and often deeply rutted and muddy. Concrete tees definitely made that course funner and easier to play as now all you have to worry about is your shot and not whether you will trip or slip on the run up.

 

[dobbins66]

IMO it depends on weather. In good weather I don't think there would be much if any difference. Close cut grass is fine but a slight rain can make it slick cutting distance off the tee and possibly leaving some longer Putts/approaches. Also more likely to slip and have an errant throw. Harder rain can turn grass to mud by the end of a round and have an even greater effect.

 

[DavidSauls]

Natural tees, with any significant volume of play, tend to become uneven, sometimes remarkably so. Grass tees,with rain or even dew, can be slick.

Then again, I've played some concrete tees that were too short, too high off the ground (especially in back), or worn or painted to the point that they were slick when wet, too.

Natural tees, in good condition and dry, probably have minimal effect on scoring compared to good concrete tees.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

Natural tees, with any significant volume of play, tend to become uneven, sometimes remarkably so. Grass tees,with rain or even dew, can be slick.

Then again, I've played some concrete tees that were too short, too high off the ground (especially in back), or worn or painted to the point that they were slick when wet, too.

Natural tees, in good condition and dry, probably have minimal effect on scoring compared to good concrete tees.

Sounds right to me. A bad tee is just a bad tee regardless of what it is made of. Poor throwing conditions are a variable which impacts all tee types.

 

[JC17393]

Natural tees, with any significant volume of play, tend to become uneven, sometimes remarkably so. Grass tees,with rain or even dew, can be slick.

Then again, I've played some concrete tees that were too short, too high off the ground (especially in back), or worn or painted to the point that they were slick when wet, too.

Natural tees, in good condition and dry, probably have minimal effect on scoring compared to good concrete tees.

This is essentially what I was going to post. Fresh level natural pads probably won't yield a noticeable scoring difference compared to well made concrete pads. But after a year or two of moderate use, the natural pads are going to become rutted and uneven whereas the concrete will remain more or less the same. That's where you're likely to see significant scoring differences between the two.

 

[Dave242]

Natural tees, in good condition and dry, probably have minimal effect on scoring compared to good concrete tees.

Agreed, but the OP didn't ask about concrete tees. Cement tees would be very slippery and not durable at all....maybe worse than natural after they crumbled up.

Signed,
mister literalist

 

[DavidSauls]

Sounds right to me. A bad tee is just a bad tee regardless of what it is made of. Poor throwing conditions are a variable which impacts all tee types.

Of course, the distinction is that a good concrete tee stays good on its own. A good natural tee degrades, or someone has to do work to maintain it in top condition.

Well, that and the fact that the natural tee is a heck of a lot easier and cheaper at the start.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

Natural tees, in good condition and dry, probably have minimal effect on scoring compared to good concrete tees.

Agree 100%.

Problem: Natural tees don't stay in good condition for long if the course sees any significant traffic. Decent concrete tees age pretty well, and provide sure and consistent footing across a variety of conditions for years to come. Well worth the investment on a high traffic course. Less likely to be worth it on a private course with limited and controlled traffic.


FWIW one thing I haven't seen here was how concrete may improve scores if the condition of the fairway is bad to fair. Belle Isle has many lumpy, rather uneven fairways where footing is often an issue. I believe less distance off the tee increases the liklihood of a janky fairway becoming a factor on that 2nd shot. With nice concrete tees, I think you could see another 20+ ft on tee shots (maybe more?). That extra distance could make a stand and deliver 2nd shot more feasible, instead of having to take a few steps into it on a lumpy uneven fairway.

just my $0.02

 

[BrotherDave]

All I can tell you is that I shoot way better on courses with concrete tees than ones without. These perfectly level, natural tees sound like a myth, I'd love to see one. :|

 

[Steve West]

All I can tell you is that I shoot way better on courses with concrete tees than ones without. These perfectly level, natural tees sound like a myth, I'd love to see one. :|

Go to a course on a ball golf course.

 

[JNichols]

Since doing a couple "Almost" back flips on Natural tee pads on a course in Washington state, and hurting myself, I am MUCH more prone to Subconsciously throw much more timidly, from Non Concrete pads. I know for Fact I throw better scores on courses with Concrete pads. If I am on a Natural Surface, it is Always in the back of my head to NOT flip and fall again.

 

[Billy K2]

I would say 1 or 2...

 

[grotto]

I don't necessarily shoot better scores from cement pads, but I do drive better from them. After that it would be natural tee pads.

The worst for me are those nasty rubber or outdoor carpet pads just lain on the ground, great way to twist an ankle. I drive all of those from a cautious standstill.

 

[jeremyhilss]

The only issue I have with natural tees, at least at my home course, us when it is wet out. We do have a few weird angle tees, but they are all two step or stand and deliver anyways.