Playing from the tips means teeing off from the tee markers farthest from the green on each hole, which gives you the longest version of the course. [1] Put another way, it is the most rearward tee box on every hole. [2] You may also find this useful: Golf Tee Box Colors and What They Mean.
That matters if you play on weekends, because the distance you tee off from changes your whole round: the clubs you hit into greens, how long you spend looking for balls, and how much fun you have. A course that feels fair from forward tees can feel like a different animal from the very back. Related reading: What Tees Should I Play From?
Below, you’ll see why courses offer tees this far back, what it does to your game, and how to pick a set that suits you.
Key takeaways
The tips are the longest set of tees on the course. [3]
You use the tees most distant from the green on every hole. [1]
Most weekend golfers have a better time somewhere else.
The tips are just another name for the back tees
“The tips” is simply golf slang for the back tees, and if you hear someone say it on the first tee, that is all they mean.
Tips is a synonym for the back tees. The two terms name the same thing, so “playing from the tips” and “playing the back tees” are the same plan. [1]
It is the longest set of tee markers on the course. Tips refers to playing a course from its longest set of markers. [3]
It is measured hole by hole. On each hole, the tips are the tees most distant from the green. [1]
Don’t rely on a color
Tee marker colors and names vary by course, so there is no single color that means “the tips.” One course might use black for its back tees, while another uses blue or gold, and some courses skip colors and use names or numbers instead. Treat any color you have heard as a guess until you see how that particular course labels things.
The reliable way to spot the tips is by position. Look for the markers sitting farthest back on the tee box, and check the scorecard to see which set has the longest yardage listed.
Who this entry suits
Knowing the term helps every golfer, because you will hear it from playing partners, in the pro shop and on broadcasts. It is worth knowing even if you never plan to play from there. Actually playing from the tips is a separate choice: expect to accept a higher score, since the tips are for elite players. [4]
Why do courses have tees this far back?
Courses build tees this far back for one reason: the tips are meant for elite players. [4] Think of them as the course’s full-strength setting, built for people who hit it far and score well.
What it is: the longest version of the hole, set up as a test for top players rather than for the average weekend golfer. [4]
Why it’s on the list: the extra yardage changes how a hole plays. A par 4 that a strong player attacks with a short iron can ask you for a long second shot. For a typical golfer, that can mean taking three shots to reach the green on par 4s. [4]
What it does to approach shots: longer holes mean more demanding approaches. You hit longer clubs into greens, and you will miss more of them. [4]
Who it suits: elite players, and anyone who goes in ready to accept a higher score. [4]
Other tees keep the game fair
The tips are only one option on the property. Courses also set up shorter tee boxes so different players can face a challenge that fits how far they hit the ball.
A friend who drives it 200 yards and a college player who drives it 300 shouldn’t have to play the same hole. Moving the starting point up lets each of them reach greens with a similar kind of club. The back tee isn’t the “real” course and the forward tees aren’t a lesser version. They are different settings of the same course.
So if you’ve ever looked at the farthest markers and wondered why anyone would build them, they exist for the players who want, and can handle, the longest test the course offers.
What happens to your game from the tips?
Playing from the tips usually costs you strokes, and the cost shows up in a few predictable ways. Here is what to expect on the scorecard.
A higher score. Go in ready to accept it. The tips are built for elite players, so a weekend golfer who plays them should plan on posting more strokes than usual. [4]
Par 4s that take three shots to reach. Holes that you normally reach with a drive and a mid-iron can turn into drive, fairway wood or long iron, then a wedge or short iron. Be prepared to take three shots to hit par 4s. [4]
More missed greens. Longer approaches mean you are hitting longer clubs into the green, and those are the hardest to hold the putting surface with. Expect to miss more greens. [4]
A slower round for you and your group. This one follows from the others: more shots per hole, more searching and more recovery play add up. It is a practical expectation rather than a sourced figure, so treat it as common sense.
Why this belongs on the list
These are the trade-offs that decide whether the tips are worth trying. None of them is a reason to feel bad about your game, because the distance is simply set for a different level of player.
Who it suits
The tips suit golfers who hit the ball far and want the full test. They can also suit anyone who treats one round as a challenge and does not care about the number at the end. If you are trying to post a good score or keep a friendly group moving, the tips probably will not help.
A simple example: you normally par a 400-yard hole with a drive and an 8-iron. From the tips it might play far longer, so you hit a hybrid into the green, miss it, chip on and two-putt for a six. That is not a bad swing, just a mismatch.
Should a typical weekend golfer ever play from the tips?
Most weekend golfers will have more fun from a forward set of tees, not the tips. The tips are meant for elite players, so a typical recreational golfer is usually playing a course built for someone else’s game. [4]
This is a judgment call rather than a rule, and plenty of players still try the back tees now and then. Here is how to think about it.
Who it suits: Players who hit the ball a long way and already score well. For everyone else, forward tees keep approach shots shorter and the round more enjoyable.
Why some golfers try it anyway: A challenge is the big one. Playing the full length of a course can feel like testing yourself against the layout the way its designer intended. Some players also save it for a special round, such as a trip to a favorite course, rather than their weekly game. [5]
What you give up: Some ease and comfort. Expect long approach shots, fewer relaxed pars, and a tougher time overall.
If you do try it, go in prepared
The best mindset is to accept a higher score before you tee off. [4] If you walk up to the back markers expecting your normal number, the day will feel like a failure even when you play fine.
A realistic picture helps. You may need three shots to reach the green on par 4s, and you will probably miss more greens than usual. [4] That is simply what the extra distance does, not proof that your game fell apart.
Treat it as a one-off experiment. Play it for the view, the bragging rights, or the curiosity, skip the pressure of keeping a serious score, and then go back to the tees that suit your game the next time you play.
How do you pick the right tees instead?
Pick your tees by how far you hit the driver, not by your ego or the color of the markers. If you carry the ball a modest distance off the tee, a forward set will give you shorter approach shots and more fun. Specific yardage targets are best taken from your course’s scorecard.
Your driver distance | Tee choice | What you can expect |
|---|---|---|
Long and consistent | Back or middle tees | A real test, with longer approaches |
Average weekend distance | Middle or forward tees | Shorter irons into greens, a more even round |
Shorter hitter or newer player | Forward tees | Reachable par 4s and a faster pace |
The table shows a general pattern. The shorter your drive, the further forward you should look. Matching the tee to your driver keeps your second shots in a range where you can actually hold greens.
Moving up is not a weakness
Moving up is a smart choice, not a confession. Golf is more enjoyable when you hit a 7-iron or 8-iron into a par 4 instead of a hybrid or fairway wood. Plenty of good players choose tees that suit their distance, because a fitting challenge is the point of having several tee boxes.
A useful test is how your last few rounds felt. If you routinely play long approaches from awkward lies and rarely see a green in regulation, try the next set forward and notice how much more of the course you get to use.
Parents can use the same idea for juniors
For a young player, the same logic applies: choose tees that match how far they hit, not their age or how much you want them to look like the grown-ups. A kid who hits the ball 100 yards should not be asked to cover a par 4 built for a 250-yard drive.
Shorter tees let juniors reach greens in a sensible number of shots, finish holes at a good pace, and want to come back next weekend. You can always move them back as their swing and strength grow.
The short version before your next round
Playing from the tips means teeing off from the tees farthest from the green on each hole, and that setup is built for elite players. [1][4]
For most of us, the better move is to pick tees that fit how far we actually hit the ball. Next round, try a set closer to your driver distance and see how many more greens you reach and how much more fun the day feels. Save the tips for a special occasion, and if you go, be ready to accept a higher score. [4]