COLORS

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PAGE SENT11:46:24 PMEastern

COLORS

COLLECTION AREA	COMING OUT HOT

COLORS

Colors are used extensively on a golf course to indicate distance.

• • •

In the teeing area, tee markers (or small monuments) are staged at graduated distances from the putting green. Each set or markers is colored differently. While there is no official rule as to what color means what, they generally follow this convention:

RED indicates the front tees... closest to the hole These are usually used by adult women and boys up to age 12 or so.

WHITE are used by "us" ordinary male golfers. We hit our drives anywhere from 160 to 220 yards down the fairway.

BLUE are the most difficult tees used in everyday play. Young guns and your lower handicap males will hit from these tees. Actually, a lot of higher handicap golfers will use these tees even though their game isn't good enough. It's an "ego" thing. And frankly, it does nothing more than inflate their scores and slow up play for everybody else.

BLACK tees are reserved for the Club Chanmpionship or other official events.

GREEN tees are rare, but are used on teaching courses. These are the novice tees.

GOLD or YELLOW tees can have two different meanings. If near the front (closer to the green) they are for seniors who can't drive the ball quite so far. If these tees are back (away from the green) then they are the Championship tees.

SILVER are typically reserved for senior women.

Once again, you may find deviations from these conventions. So don't rely upon them too much.

• • •

Colors are also used on the fairway. Stakes or monuments in the middle of the fairway indicate the distance to the center of the green (regardless of where the hole is cut).

BLUE means "200 yards from the center of the green"

WHITE means "150 yards from the center of the green"

RED means "100 yards from the center of the green"

YELLOW STAKES indicate the boundaries of a water hazard.

WHITE STAKES indicate the boundaries of a lateral water hazard, ground under repair or out of bounds. Sometimes red stakes are used.

• • •

On the green, the color of the flag can indicate to a distant golfer where the hole has been cut that day.

BLUE means that the hole has been cut at the back of the green, furthest away from the golfer who is approaching.

WHITE means that the hole has been cut somewhere in the middle of the green.

RED means that the hole has been cut at the front of the green.

For example: A golfer is in the fairway and his ball is close to the white stake. That means he is roughly 150 yards from the center of the green. Which club should he use for the approach shot assuming calm air?

Well, if the flag is white, then the hole is about 150 yards away, so this golfer will use whatever iron sends his ball 150 yards. Let say it's his seven iron.

But if he sees a red flag, then the hole is perhaps just 140 yards away and the golfer will use the eight iron instead.

If he sees a blue flag, he might use the six iron because the hole is 160 yards away.

• • •

MAROON	5-DEGREES UPRIGHT

SILVER	4-DEGREES UPRIGHT

WHITE	3-DEGREES UPRIGHT

GREEN	2-DEGREES UPRIGHT

BLUE	1-DEGREE UPRIGHT

BLACK	STANDARD LIE

RED	1-DEGREE FLAT

ORANGE	2-DEGREES FLAT

BROWN	3-DEGREES FLAT

GOLD	4-DEGREES FLAT

Clubmakers also use color to indicate characteristics. Ping indicates lie angle with the use of a color dot on the backside of their irons (see table at left). Ping also uses color coded dots to indicate grip thickness.

Callaway colors the digit of their irons to indicate the lie angle.

• • •

We've got more about color in this glossary. You can look up a particular color to see its intended meaning.