Weymouth becomes latest golf club to use ‘gender free’ tees
By Alistair Dunsmuir
Weymouth Golf Club has become the latest golf club to remove its men’s and ladies’ tees to ensure its course is more accessible to more people.
The clubs typically had men’s and ladies’ tees and then changed the criteria for who could play them from their sex to their ability.
Sheringham Golf Club in Norfolk, for example, introduced this in 2013 along with new forward tees and said it has been a success, particularly with senior gentlemen and higher handicap golfers, who had the opportunity to play a shorter course. Some of the best female golfers also welcomed the chance to play a longer course.
Scotscraig Golf Club
Golfers at Weymouth Golf Club can now choose from four tees based on their ability and individual preference.
A club spokesperson said: “Weymouth Golf Club, known for its dedication to inclusivity and progressive values, is thrilled to announce the introduction of gender free tees.
“Golf has long been seen with traditional gender-specific tees dictating the playing experience. However, Weymouth Golf Club recognises that the time for change has come.
“By introducing gender-neutral tees, the club aims to create an inclusive environment where golfers of all genders can enjoy the game on an equal footing.”
Scotscraig Golf Club in Fife also adopted gender free tees recently, saying it has improved the golf experience for players of all skill levels.
By Alistair Dunsmuir
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POLITICAL CRAZINESS. – FFS..what a load of tosh…i bet if you asked most of your members they’d be dead against it.
One tee for all players subject to world handicap system
Forget about gender no extra shots given to ladies no playing categories in clubs one fee for one membership
The World Handicap system copes with different lengths of course so I see no reason why this couldn’t be adopted universally. Club competitions can still have male, female or open completions. Having “Tiger” tees through to high handicap tees should present little effort for most competent and progressive golf clubs. Of course their will dinosaurs complaining anyway, but who cares!!
Courses in Spain have for years provided tees appropriate to players handicap. This has absolutely nothing to do with gender or improving inclusion, but has everything to do with common sense (something the rules of golf often lacks) The Spanish have for years ensured that a round of golf is an enjoyable experience and not a frustrating fight with the course. It’s strange that it is always the short handicappers that want to hang onto the antiquated ‘traditions’ designed to give them an added advantage over golfers of less ability – they had to be dragged kicking and screaming to accept that 75% of handicap was inappropriate given that the handicap system already brought everyone to the tee with an equal chance of winning.
So you want loads of shots and play off easy tees about right for this day and age board prize hunters
Won’t be playing there then absolute joke
Total pampering to the minority do we have a say we never had a vote if white lives matter but how are we shuffled to one side for being white and English I rest my case
Madness, absolute madness. Why oh why is the world now listening and pandering to the minority at the expense of the majority? Yes, cater for those minorities if you can, but don’t push it down the throats of normal people!
Totally agree . I don’t recognise this world anymore,
but one thing for sure I will not give in to these minorities and speak my mind . I don’t like this WHS
if I had to play off 36 I would give up
It works well at our club – don’t knock it until you’ve seen how it works in practice! Play off the forward tees and you have less shots, simple.
Well, with over 100 recognised genders, where you going to put all the tees. Also, in mixed comps, we’re now being told that we are all equal, so why do women get 2 courtesy shots, even when they play from “gender specific” tees?. Is that now going to be abolished…..don’t count on it. The equality brigade will still cherry pick things where it suits. The worlds gone mad I tells yer
New world handicap system …..
arive at club make sums before we play why dont wr just use this system and play off of scratch….
All of us that will sort the bandits horse racing and golf are the only sports that have a cheating system zbout te that is stamped out!
What a load of rubbish now i know the world’s gone crazy
It is a great idea catering for a lot of “minorities” who together make up a majority: provided it does not extend to the mathematical nonsense of pretending men and women can compete against each other in individual competitions or that the slope system is mathematically accurate enough to allow for a single competition that has different competitors off different tees.
The world has been conned at great expense by the USGA. The Slope system has merit but the Handicap system is statistical and mathematical rubbish. Continental Europe led by the Swiss proved last century that the Slope system worked very well with our old handicap system
So many more courses should do this, rather than the whites are comps only. Do they post an advisory handicap range for the different tees?
The problem with golfers playing from appropriate tees is ability related. The question is how would tee allocation be Magee in mixed competitions? Surely the WHC system already takes in to account player abilities regardless of gender. ?