Whaleback introduces gender neutral tees
Posted on: 12 May
Whaleback Golf Course has had its three sets of tees rerated by GolfWA to allow men and women to play from any of its tees.
The new ratings bring us in line with the World Handicap System’s Course and Slope Rating and mean that players can submit scores for handicap purposes from whichever set of tees they elect to play off.
Whereas in the past we used to refer to the Red Tees as Ladies Tees, and the White and Blue Tees as Men’s Tees, the tees have been rated for both men and women – meaning that men and women can play off any of the tees they want to.
The Stroke Index for each hole stayed the same.
The intention behind the global introduction of gender-neutral tees is to encourage golfers to play from the tees that best suit their game. With the Red Tees now rated for men, older players who have lost distance with age can continue to enjoy the game by playing a less difficult golf course. Similarly, men and women can play with and against each other off the same set of tees, rather than split up at the start of each hole.
Under this new rating system, golfers will see their Course Handicap adjusted according to the tees they elect to play off. For example, a man playing off the forward (Red) Tees, will see his Course Handicap reduced, to reflect the easier course he is playing. Similarly, a woman playing from either of Whaleback’s White or Blue Tees, would see her Course Handicap go up by a couple of strokes, as she will be playing a longer, and therefore more difficult, course.
See the Course Handicap Conversion Tables here:
Golf is a challenging sport, and it gets even more difficult as we get older and lose distance on our shots. We encourage older players who have lost some distance, as well as beginner golfers, to invigorate their game by playing off the forward tees. The course is a fair bit shorter and arguably more fun.
A benefit of golfers playing off the forward tees is that it can lead to an improvement in the overall pace of play, with shorter shots and fewer lost balls.
Go on. Play it forward!