Golf courses feature multiple tees to accommodate players of different skill levels. However, many golfers struggle with knowing which tees best fit their game. While you’re free to choose any set, picking the wrong tees can lead to frustration and negatively impact your round. To help ensure you’re playing from the right spot, avoid the common mistakes amateurs make when selecting tees. Use these checkpoints to guide your decision and set yourself up for the best possible day on the course.
Golf tee selection (Hole by hole)
One of the best ways to analyze which tee box to play is to break the golf course into par-3, par-4 and par-5 holes. Grab the scorecard of your local course and some knowledge of your last 18 holes and work through this problem hole by hole.
Type of Hole | Too Short | Too Long | Just Right |
Par 3 | Less than a gap wedge | More than a fairway wood | 6-iron distance |
Par 4 | Driver + gap wedge | Driver + fairway wood | Driver + 6-iron |
Par 5 | Driver + fairway wood + medium pitch | Driver + fairway wood + 6-iron | Driver + fairway wood + 9-iron |
Par-3 tee selection
A standard golf course has four par-3s. There are usually two around the same distance, then a longer one and a shorter one. Find the two holes about the same distance and determine if this distance is about a 6-or a 7-iron shot for you.
The tee box is too short if you are swinging with a wedge on most par-3s. If it takes a hybrid or a fairway wood to reach the green, you need to move up a tee box or two.
Par-4 tee selection
The length of par-4 holes varies quite a bit so you have to think about averages here. Golf courses are designed to have a variety of holes, with some being shorter opportunities for birdie and others longer challenges for par.

