Which Tee Should My Child Play From? A Guide to Junior Tee Yardages
How to choose an appropriate tee for a young golfer, and why playing a shorter course helps rather than holds a child back.
One of the simplest ways to make golf enjoyable and fair for a junior golfer is choosing an appropriate tee to play from. Most golf courses offer several sets of tees at different distances, and there's nothing lesser about a young golfer playing the shortest or forward tees available - in fact, it's exactly what junior-golf pathways are designed to encourage.
Why tee length matters so much for young golfers
Par assumes a golfer can reach the green in a set number of shots - two shots for a par 4, for example - and that assumption is built around adult hitting distances. A young golfer playing from tees designed for a full-length adult game is often forced into hitting three or four shots just to reach a green that par expects in two, which makes scoring to par almost impossible and can slowly damage a child's confidence and enjoyment of the game.
Matching tee length to hitting distance, not age alone
Age is a reasonable starting guide, but hitting distance is the better measure. A simple practical approach is to look at how far a child hits a typical drive or normal full shot, and choose a tee where a similar number of shots reaches the green as an adult would need from further back. Many clubs and junior programs offer clearly marked forward or junior tees for exactly this reason, and some use simplified colour-coded systems to make the choice easy for families.
It's not a step backward to play a shorter tee
Some families worry that playing forward tees will hold a child back or feel like an admission that they aren't a "real" golfer yet. The opposite is usually true: playing a tee where par is a realistic, achievable target builds confidence, keeps rounds a manageable length, and lets a young golfer experience more of the actual game - approach shots, chipping, putting - rather than spending most of the round just trying to reach the green.
Adjusting as a child improves
Tee choice isn't fixed forever. As a junior golfer's distance and skill grow, moving back a tee (or several, over the years) is a natural and encouraging progression, rather than something that needs to happen all at once. Many clubs and coaches simply reassess tee choice periodically, moving a young golfer back once they're consistently reaching greens comfortably and enjoying the extra challenge.
Should a junior ever play from the same tees as adults in the family?
Only once their hitting distance genuinely supports it. It's a fine goal to work toward, but there's no benefit in a shorter-hitting junior playing tees that make every hole feel like an uphill battle. Choosing a tee that lets a young golfer realistically reach greens in a similar number of shots to par keeps the game fun and the scores meaningful.