One of the preliminary findings in the USGA’s Distance Insights project is the realization that only about 8% of the golf courses are well-suited for golfers who hit tee shots 150 yards including carry and roll. That is an eye-opening statistic and an indication that there is a great opportunity for golf courses all over the country.

What happens when a facility steps up and builds a new set of tees to address this opportunity? A USGA colleague and I had the chance to visit Five Island Lake Golf Course in Emmetsburg, Iowa, a nine-hole course that installed front tees almost six years ago. We organized a focus group of golfers who play primarily from the new front tees and here are a few things we learned from them:

Who plays the forward tee? It’s simple - players with slower swing speeds. During my time at Five Island Lake, I played with an 86-year-old lifelong golfer and his wife. I also played a round with my 12-year-old cousin and his mother. Whether male or female, younger or older, everyone was welcome to play the front tees.

What do the golfers like about the new front tees? There is much to say, but the following quote from my 86-year-old friend Bill summed it up best, “These tees keep me in the game. It’s so much fun to play from a shorter distance and continue to shoot good scores.” And in case you are wondering, Bill shot 38 for the nine holes we played together!