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This week’s Open Women’s Host Website is based on a data-driven system created to show players in the right Tee.
Jerry Rossi
This week US Women Open THEir Erin HillsAll competitors are playing from the same tees. But when Wisconsin’s central course reopened for the public in early June, a number of options will be reopening. Erin Hills has six cash groups, ranging from 5,061 yards to 7,715 yards. Get your choice.
But please choose wisely. Many players not. In a 2023 study of 700 PGA and LPGA professionals, 92 percent of respondents said it is “extremely common” or “somewhat ordinary” for people to tie it too far. This is not just a matter of thought. Note data show that approximately 75 percent of female players and 50 percent of male players play from distance that transcend their skills.
Spiral consequences from there. Balloon results. The pace of play increases slow. Only Masokists have more fun.
Erin Hills has not accepted this lying. Since 2022, the course has been based on a whole selection system that aims to lead the players in the right markers. Recommendations, which are explained for the signaling in the starter shackles, boil about this: the tees that the lion must be determined from how far you hit your 7-Hakuri. (Spoiler Alert: If you are a typical male golf player, you hit your 138-iron yards and you have to play from 6,100 yards; if you are a typical female golf player, you hit your 7-yard 100 yard and you have to play from about 4,400 yards.)
Erin Hills did not invent this system. It grew from the years of research by Usga and R&A, which drew the analysis of The world handicap system Results and stroke distance data, as well as player preference surveys (on this front, USA had assistance from organizations such as the American Golf Course Architects; Association of Golf Course Supervisors, and PGA and PGA).
From that data, a system was created that could recommend a course length based on a 7-and-reference.
Why a 7-time? Because most players have a very good idea of how far they strike them, so it’s a reasonable initial basis.
The USA first wrapped this system of tee as a test directed in 2022, and Erin Hills was among the early adopters. In the years after that, the course says the system has been paid by helping to improve the pace of the game. Maybe he would pay more if more golf players respect him. But the guidelines are recommendations, not requirements, and, well, we all know the players who insist on playing by Tees they have no business to take over.
As for those recommendations, you can see them in the graph below. Again, the numbers are based on the averages. And because not all players and courses are created equal, USGA recommendations can be personalized for each player on each property.
