This week’s American women’s open hosting website relies on a data-driven system designed to point the player to the appropriate T-shirt.
Jerry Rosey
All competitors play in the same T-shirt at the U.S. Women’s Open this week at Erin Hills. But when the Central Wisconsin curriculum reopens to the public in early June, many options will also reopen. Erin Hills has six sets of T-shirts, ranging from 5,061 to 7,715. Choose your choice.
But choose wisely. Many golfers don’t. In a 2023 survey of 700 PGA and LPGA professionals, 92% of respondents said it was “very common” or “somewhat common” for people to pin it from too far away. It’s not just a matter of opinion. Score data show that about 75% of female golfers and 50% of male golfers play from distances beyond their ability.
The consequences spiral from there. Score the balloon. The pace of playing becomes dull. Only masochists have more fun.
Erin Hills hasn’t accepted this lie down yet. Since 2022, the course has relied on a TEE selection system designed to guide golfers to the right mark. These suggestions are explained on the sign in the starter’s shed and boil down to it: the T-shirt you play should be determined by the distance you hit the 7 iron. (Spoiler Alert: If you are a typical male golfer, you hit 7 138 yards and you should kick from 6,100 yards; if you are a typical female golfer, you hit 7 iron 100 yards and you should kick from 4,400 yards.)
Erin Hills did not invent this system. It was studied by USGA and R&A for many years, which attracted analysis of world barrier system scores and hit distance data, as well as surveys of golfer preferences (in this regard, USGA provides assistance from organizations such as the American Association of Golf Course Architects; the Association of Golf Course Architects; the United States Golf Course and LPGA and LPGA and PGA).
From this data, a system is designed that can suggest course lengths based on 7 irons as references.
Why do you need 7 irons? Because most golfers have a good idea, this is a pretty solid benchmark.
USGA conducted trials in 2022 to launch the T-shirt system for the first time, while Erin Hills was one of the early adopters. The course says the system pays off by helping to improve the pace of the game. If more golfers comply with it, it may pay off. But the guide is advice, not demand, and we all know that golfers stick to t-shirts without business.
As for these suggestions, you can see them in the chart below. Again, the numbers are based on the average. And, since not all golfers and courses are created equally, USGA recommendations can be customized to any player on any property.
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