SILVER TEE PROGRAM
Silver Tee Qualifications
A member shall be permitted, but not required, to play from the Silver Tees if either of the following conditions are met:
1) Member must have a USGA index that would equate to at least a 20 handicap (without rounding up) from the Silver Tees on the 18 holes being played that day.
2) Member is at least 70 years of age and whose age and silver tee handicap are equal to or greater than 80
Players must opt and play from the silver tees (as long as they qualify) throughout the year and in tournaments with the exception of the Gross Club Championship which is to be determined by the Tournament Committee.
The following is the report from the MGC Silver Tee Program Committee voted and approved on 11/4/15
Background: The MGC board formed the committee as an independent group to review the silver tee program and determine if the current criteria meets the needs of our MGC or if changes to the criteria might be warranted. The committee understood, if it came up with any changes or proposals, it or they would be voted on by the membership with an option to also keep the criteria as it now exists.
The Committee: Our committee consisted of eight MGC member volunteers with a broad range of golf, tournament, and men’s club experience. We also had a good mixture of age with half in their 60’s and half in their 70’s and handicap with half in single digits and half from 10 to 20 Plus.
Parameters: The committee applied the following parameters in researching and discussing the Silver tee program.
USGA Guidelines: Some of the more significant guidelines from various USGA websites.
Conclusions: The Silver Tee Program Committee agrees with the USGA that there is an equitable handicap adjustment in the handicap system for playing different sets of tees as well as competing from different sets of tees. While the difference at our course is only for 9 holes, we believe it still works most equitably if the golfer consistently plays from the same set of tees. However, we believe there is an inequitableness in using gross ball formats both with players competing from different sets of tees since no adjustments are made and the wide range of handicaps of our A players compared to the tight ranges of B and C players. Using the parameters of fun, fairness and pace of play, we recommend keeping the 18.9 index for silver tee play. While recognizing that age can affect a golfer’s distance and other abilities, we felt that the ability and handicap level of our membership would allow an adjustment to the age only criteria. We also agree that the Tournament Committee may specify in the conditions of the competition that players must compete from a specific set of tees but feel this is most appropriate for only the Gross Club Championship. Based on the parameters we used and these conclusions, we have come up with the attached alternate proposal to the existing Silver Tee Program.
Respectively Submitted,
Silver Tee Program Committee
In order to fairly implement this proposed program change, the Silver Tee Committee also makes the following recommendations:
A member shall be permitted, but not required, to play from the Silver Tees if either of the following conditions are met:
1) Member must have a USGA index that would equate to at least a 20 handicap (without rounding up) from the Silver Tees on the 18 holes being played that day.
2) Member is at least 70 years of age and whose age and silver tee handicap are equal to or greater than 80
Players must opt and play from the silver tees (as long as they qualify) throughout the year and in tournaments with the exception of the Gross Club Championship which is to be determined by the Tournament Committee.
The following is the report from the MGC Silver Tee Program Committee voted and approved on 11/4/15
Background: The MGC board formed the committee as an independent group to review the silver tee program and determine if the current criteria meets the needs of our MGC or if changes to the criteria might be warranted. The committee understood, if it came up with any changes or proposals, it or they would be voted on by the membership with an option to also keep the criteria as it now exists.
The Committee: Our committee consisted of eight MGC member volunteers with a broad range of golf, tournament, and men’s club experience. We also had a good mixture of age with half in their 60’s and half in their 70’s and handicap with half in single digits and half from 10 to 20 Plus.
Parameters: The committee applied the following parameters in researching and discussing the Silver tee program.
- Be cognizant of USGA guidelines
- Consider the current and future composition of our MGC membership including but not limited to ability, age, and health.
- Keep golf fun for our membership.
- Take away or change as little as possible.
- Make it fair and equitable for all players.
- Promote speed of play.
USGA Guidelines: Some of the more significant guidelines from various USGA websites.
- We (the USGA) do not have rules or policies that require you to play from a certain set of tees based on your age, ability, handicap index, etc.
- The purpose of the USGA handicap system is to make the game of golf more enjoyable by enabling players of different abilities to compete on an equitable basis.
- The handicap index is a portable number that can be converted to a course handicap from any set of tees so the game will be equitable no matter what tees are played.
- From the USGA/PGA Play it forward site. The specific method used to determine the right set of tees is less important than hammering home the point that the multiple tee boxes are there so golfers can choose the one most appropriate to their abilities.
- From the USGA Handicap Manual Section 9.3.c. (i). Different tees Men vs Men: The higher rated course is more difficult and the player playing from the sets of tees with the higher USGA Course Rating receives additional stroke(s) equal to the difference between each USGA Course Rating with the resulting figure rounded off to the nearest whole number (.5 or more is rounded upward).
- Rules of Golf Rule 331: The Committee must establish the conditions under which a competition is to be played.
Conclusions: The Silver Tee Program Committee agrees with the USGA that there is an equitable handicap adjustment in the handicap system for playing different sets of tees as well as competing from different sets of tees. While the difference at our course is only for 9 holes, we believe it still works most equitably if the golfer consistently plays from the same set of tees. However, we believe there is an inequitableness in using gross ball formats both with players competing from different sets of tees since no adjustments are made and the wide range of handicaps of our A players compared to the tight ranges of B and C players. Using the parameters of fun, fairness and pace of play, we recommend keeping the 18.9 index for silver tee play. While recognizing that age can affect a golfer’s distance and other abilities, we felt that the ability and handicap level of our membership would allow an adjustment to the age only criteria. We also agree that the Tournament Committee may specify in the conditions of the competition that players must compete from a specific set of tees but feel this is most appropriate for only the Gross Club Championship. Based on the parameters we used and these conclusions, we have come up with the attached alternate proposal to the existing Silver Tee Program.
Respectively Submitted,
Silver Tee Program Committee
In order to fairly implement this proposed program change, the Silver Tee Committee also makes the following recommendations:
- Most team play day games should be net games. Team games are defined as two or more players playing together
- More games flighted by tee when numbers of players permit.
- When competing from different tees, per the USGA Handicap manual section 9.3.c.(i) players playing from the higher rated tees (combo tees) should be given an additional stroke instead of subtracting a stroke from the silver tee players.