Golf has long been considered an elitist sport reserved for wealthy men with time on their hands. But it is hoped that a growing drive for gender-neutral tees will overturn that stereotype and attract more women to the greens.
An English club that has become the latest to introduce the teeing system, which it hopes will help to centre the game on “ability” and “enjoyment”.
On Sunday, Hartford Golf Club joined a growing number of clubs in announcing that it would abandon the tradition of men and women teeing off from different positions. Instead, players are invited to select tee boxes based on their distance and ability.
Those who regularly shoot more than 100 are encouraged go off the reds, below 100 off the yellows, 90 off the whites and below 80 off the blues. Proponents of the trend, which began in the US but has quickly gained popularity in Britain, argue that it will help to maintain the pace of play by dividing members purely by preference.
Announcing the change on Twitter, the Hartford club said: “We’ve moved away from gender tees like this Golf Club below & we base it more on ability but most importantly — game enjoyment! What do you think? Is this the way forward for golf?”
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The post divided followers, with some praising the move as forward-thinking and others accusing the club of virtue signalling.
Sheringham Golf Club in Norfolk was among the first to introduce “gender-free” tees and now has three sets for men and women. There is a further set of black tees, which are rated only for men on the advice of the ladies’ county association.
Neal Milton, the club manager, said: “It’s been a great success, particularly with our senior gentlemen and higher handicap ladies, who now have the opportunity to play a shorter course.”
Trentham Park in Staffordshire has also followed suit, introducing a black tee for a 6,390-yard course, blue for 6,188, and green for 5,255. Each of the layouts has been measured and rated for both male and female members, who have been given new scorecards.
The club said the change was made to allow longevity for ageing players who may feel they are losing length. It added that it would also benefit beginners who may have been self-conscious teeing off in front of the clubhouse by giving them the option of using the forward tee about 100 yards away.