• Discover new ways to elevate your game with the updated DGCourseReview app!
    It's entirely free and enhanced with features shaped by user feedback to ensure your best experience on the course. (App Store or Google Play)

When to change tees?

But I'll pass along this personal note: you're probably better than I am, and I frequently enjoy playing big courses, from long tees. More throws.

...and here I thought the point of the game was to finish with the least throws possible. I've been doing it wrong all along! :doh:
 
The only acceptable time to use the short tees are to add additional holes to a course for variety's sake, or if you are physically handicapped, or possibly if you have limited time. All able bodied adults should throw from the long tees under normal circumstances. I am prepared for this opinion to be widely derided.

Do not send me anymore PM's, asking me to stop calling you out. Your obviously looking for attention, don't cry when you get it. Your post above was condescending and demeaning to the OP. Don't dish it out, if you cannot take it.
 
I'm still a rec player, but I've almost always played the long tees. I find that the extra challenge is more interesting and valuable to me than shooting a "good" score--and besides, you can set whatever benchmark you want for score. (I still remember when I first started, my goal was always "bogey-par", i.e. 18 over.) I think playing the longs gives you a better idea of what skills you'll have to master to become a really good player.

However, as has been noted, it totally depends on the course. I played shorts when I went to the IDGC because they had enough challenge without going pro difficulty. Other than that trip, the only time I've played shorts is when I'm getting ready for tournament play, because the shorts force me to practice keeping my stroke count low on putts and approaches.
 
I think at least 98% of the courses I play only have one tee position. Typically only one basket as well. If I'm lucky, every month or two they'll mix up the basket positions to change the course up.

I say if you're happy playing the shorter holes then enjoy yourself.

I do like to play the shorter stuff from time to time as I feel it helps keep my approach game sharp for the longer courses. Plus ace runs are fun and I need those sub 300' holes to really take advantage of them.

Also, if you ever decide to do any tournaments, I would be willing to bet they won't be playing the short positions so you may just want to get used to playing the longer tees.
 
...and here I thought the point of the game was to finish with the least throws possible. I've been doing it wrong all along! :doh:


Any time I do really bad I just remind everyone who finished ahead of me that I had more fun than they did because I got to throw more shots than them.
 
First, play whatever set of tees that allows you to have the most fun.
Second, be careful not to hurt yourself trying to throw farther. Good form is slow and smooth.
Third, if your goal is to improve, you may derive increased benefit by throwing practice throws in a field, as opposed to (only) playing longer tees. Check out the Form Analysis and Critique thread, and this thread for some great form pointers and instruction.
Fourth, read the First point again.
 
Short tees have value, even for the intermediate and advanced players.
They give you practice on short holes.
They reinforce shot shaping and form control.
They give a chance to extend putter play and increase the distance on your putters.
Often the short tee can provide more challenge.
Anyone can learn to throw the disc far, not everyone can learn to shape putter shots.
Short tees can be great for learning a disc as well. Tonight, I am thinking about playing league with only a Sol. A new disc to me and the course I am playing is a very short pitch and putt type. (Same course as Simon/Eagle's last video, hope I get an ace on hole 18....:D)
 
Man, those ideas are so antithetical to how I normally approach things. I like some sort of baseline for comparison, if that makes any sense. Tough if you are just making up your own course.

Disc golf is just ... different. Round peg, meet square hole. :D

Another option- once you throw under par you are ready to more to the next teepads.

Or you can play from the longer tees while trying to match your rating from the short tees.
I took a quick look at scoring and theses are some rough scoring goals based on your 49(-5) being a 914 rated round.
Red= ~60
Gold= ~67
Silver= ~69
 
Usually when I go to a classic course (Milo, Dela, Hornings Meadow, Harmony, Blue Lake, Hobbs) I'll play the longs to get the full effect. At Harmony I threw the longs while the 2 guys who showed me the course played the mids.
Depending on what course and how I feel, on my commonly-played courses it's mids and/or longs.
Don't often throw the shorts, but one league Saturday they had 3 ace pots topped at $200, so we all threw the shorts that day (yet only one ace :eek:).
 
Last edited:
Since so many of the courses out there don't stick to established standards for designing based on skill level; it's hard to give a one size fits all answer to the OP's question. As others have pointed out, short (or rec) tees can vary widely in challenge. Also course pars are also very inconsistent. Someone shooting x under or over par doesn't mean much to me if I'm not familiar with the course.

I'll echo pretty much everyone else in suggesting you try all of the tees (with the exception of any forced water carries that you can't consistently clear). Find a set of tees (or combination) that gives you a level of challenge that feels right.

Regular golf also has different tees for different skill levels. The culture there seems to be a bit different though. The shortest tees would suit many male players' games, but they don't want to play the ladies' tees. I'm glad dg seems to have mostly avoided that.

In my case, if all but one set of tees is natural with no signage, I'm likely to play the set with signs and an improved tee surface. If multiple sets of tees have been improved, I'll play whatever set gives the right challenge for the group that day. If my 5 year old is playing then we're probably not playing a super challenging layout.
 
When I was young and had knees, I played pickup basketball in all sorts of venues around my city. Some had really tough competition, some didn't.

There was no sticking exclusively with one level, then graduating to another level and sticking exclusively there. I only left the lighter competition when it no longer became fun.

Now I play disc golf, on courses with an enormous range of challenge. Far more than the difference between short and long tees on a particular course.

If you approach things as stair-steps, there's nothing wrong with that. But if you're soliciting advice, you won't be happy with the advice from people who don't approach it that way.

But I'll pass along this personal note: you're probably better than I am, and I frequently enjoy playing big courses, from long tees. More throws.

First, if you were somehow getting a sense I was generally unhappy with/ungrateful for the advice being given, that wasn't my intended tone (other than that one thing). I was just once again noticing something I have previously noticed, which is a general cultural tenor in disc golf that's a little more "free form" than what I'm used to. In ball golf, it would be quite rare to shuttle between tees on a particular round (especially if you maintained a handicap, again something that doesn't seem to have a corollary in disc golf, absent playing sanctioned tournaments).

Everything you say about an absence of levels makes sense, but I note that you didn't even attempt to acknowledge the idea that you certainly would be happy to tell me that throwing a 15 speed driver was counterproductive.
To that end, I wonder about the idea of being enticed to throw shot after shot that are beyond my current capability, and then the inevitable retreat to "putter - putter - putter" on every hole, just because I can't hit the line I need to, if that makes sense.

Part of the issue on this particular course might be how different the rec and white tees are. They are really separate courses. 3380 ft / 54 vs. 5421 ft / 62, where there are 8 holes on the white course that the red course doesn't touch any element of, not tee pad, not fairway, not basket.
 
Also, if you ever decide to do any tournaments, I would be willing to bet they won't be playing the short positions so you may just want to get used to playing the longer tees.

Generally speaking, I would hope that entrants into the rec level tournament would get to play rec level tees? I don't know, but it would be another strange seeming thing if that wasn't the case.
 
First, if you were somehow getting a sense I was generally unhappy with/ungrateful for the advice being given, that wasn't my intended tone (other than that one thing). I was just once again noticing something I have previously noticed, which is a general cultural tenor in disc golf that's a little more "free form" than what I'm used to. In ball golf, it would be quite rare to shuttle between tees on a particular round (especially if you maintained a handicap, again something that doesn't seem to have a corollary in disc golf, absent playing sanctioned tournaments).

Everything you say about an absence of levels makes sense, but I note that you didn't even attempt to acknowledge the idea that you certainly would be happy to tell me that throwing a 15 speed driver was counterproductive.
To that end, I wonder about the idea of being enticed to throw shot after shot that are beyond my current capability, and then the inevitable retreat to "putter - putter - putter" on every hole, just because I can't hit the line I need to, if that makes sense.

Part of the issue on this particular course might be how different the rec and white tees are. They are really separate courses. 3380 ft / 54 vs. 5421 ft / 62, where there are 8 holes on the white course that the red course doesn't touch any element of, not tee pad, not fairway, not basket.

This is an important distinction. Often it depends on how the course was put in. Many times a course is put in with one set of pads. If a shorter set is then added, it often just becomes a short version of the original course. Usually if a second longer set is added, you will find more variation than length. This is, of course, not always true.
 
Everything you say about an absence of levels makes sense, but I note that you didn't even attempt to acknowledge the idea that you certainly would be happy to tell me that throwing a 15 speed driver was counterproductive.

Actually, I probably wouldn't. I might say that if you want to develop your form, throw slower discs. But if you enjoy those high-speed discs, feel free---they probably won't fly as advertised, but they may be useful, if a different way. But, bags are big enough to include that overspeed driver and a midrange, and you'll get a chance to throw both. (If you're playing with only one discs, on the other hand.....)

I'm not sure a course that's too big/tough can affect your form. It might discourage you into quitting, but otherwise I don't know that it'll do lasting damage.

I play a 12-holer that's fairly forgiving, with a number of holes under 200'; and a course with almost every test imaginable, including 2 holes over 700'. I'm now an 850-rated player (probably lower, if I played more events), struggling to reach 240' (which is pretty obvious on a 250' water carry), and both courses suit me. The big course doesn't hurt my game; it just means I play the holes differently than the guys who throw 400'.

With no assumption that the same applies to anyone, but myself. To me, it's all fun.
 
This is an important distinction. Often it depends on how the course was put in. Many times a course is put in with one set of pads. If a shorter set is then added, it often just becomes a short version of the original course. Usually if a second longer set is added, you will find more variation than length. This is, of course, not always true.

This particular course had lots of issues with the original design and it has gone through some things. The rec course now is sitting on top of the advanced course, but it doesn't play like it at all, with one advanced course hole frequently split into two rec course holes, but also multiple rec course holes simply being the same as the advanced course, so it is a mixed bag.

I played out there today from the whites and just went with a "scramble" format off the tee, basically throwing until I had something workable. I probably can score around par out there if I hit every tee shot correctly, but ... that's easier said than done. I mostly wasn't able to use my first tee shot. Felt a little wrung out by the end.
 
Man, those ideas are so antithetical to how I normally approach things. I like some sort of baseline for comparison, if that makes any sense. Tough if you are just making up your own course.

Disc golf is just ... different. Round peg, meet square hole. :D

I've never seen a sanctioned disc golf tournament played from short tees. Even Rec divisions typically play a moderately challenging layout which, given you shot -5 within a few months of starting, means those short pads you're throwing from probably won't be used come tourney time. So if you want a baseline of comparison for what to expect once you play sanctioned rounds, then it is time to move back to the intermediate tees.
 
I've never seen a sanctioned disc golf tournament played from short tees. Even Rec divisions typically play a moderately challenging layout which, given you shot -5 within a few months of starting, means those short pads you're throwing from probably won't be used come tourney time. So if you want a baseline of comparison for what to expect once you play sanctioned rounds, then it is time to move back to the intermediate tees.

Well, there is another thing I just find bizarre, if true. Sorry disc golf, fix yo junk. If you refer to some players officially as Rec players and you officially have Rec tees ... call me crazy, those things should have something to do with one another.

But, I'm also not even sure it's true. When I was looking for video of Vally Springs DGC in Durham, they had a lead card with Schultz, Schweberger and Nathan Queen playing from the red tees back in 2015. That wasn't the entire tournament, but it was one day.

 
Top