Championship Tees
Championship tees are the set of tee markers positioned farthest from the green on every hole, giving a golf course its longest and most difficult version.
What are championship tees?
Every hole begins from a teeing area, the space most golfers call the tee box, and most courses set out several sets of markers within it, each a different distance from the green. The championship tees are the set placed farthest back. Playing from them stretches the course to its full yardage, which is why they play the hardest.
Courses use them mainly for competition. Club championships, amateur events, and professional tournaments are contested from the back markers, so that longest set became known as the championship tees. Golfers also call them the back tees, tournament tees, or, informally, the tips or the Tiger tees. Every one of those names points to the same thing: the longest, most testing starting points on the course.
Because they set the maximum length, championship tees usually decide the number a course is quoted at. When a layout is described as measuring 7,200 yards, that figure almost always comes from the back markers.
Why they are called championship tees
The name is literal. From the earliest days of tournament golf, events were played from the longest set of tees a course offered, and those markers picked up the “championship” label. The term traces back to the United Kingdom and was already in use by the late 1800s, then spread to the United States and beyond as the game grew. According to Golf Compendium, a 1900 issue of Golf Illustrated praised a golfer for setting a course record in championship competition from the championship tees, which shows the phrase was well established more than a century ago.
What color are championship tees?
No universal color code exists. Each course picks its own scheme, and the only reliable way to know which markers are the championship set is to read the scorecard, where every tee set is listed with its color and yardage. Decades ago, blue was the common choice for the back markers. Golf Compendium notes that many courses now use black, gold, or yellow instead.
This is where confusion creeps in, because the same color means different things at different courses. Blue might be the longest set at one club and a middle option at another. The color is only a label. The yardage printed on the card tells the real story.
Championship tees vs. other tee sets
Most courses offer three to five sets of tees so players of every level can start from a distance that suits them. The championship tees sit farthest back, and the forward tees sit closest to the green. Here is how the common sets typically compare, keeping in mind that exact colors and yardages shift from course to course.
| Tee set | Common color | Typical total yardage | Usually played by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Red (sometimes green or gold) | 4,500 to 5,400 | Beginners, juniors, shorter hitters |
| Middle | White | 5,600 to 6,200 | Most recreational players |
| Back | Blue | 6,300 to 6,800 | Low-handicap and skilled amateurs |
| Championship | Black (or gold) | 6,800 to 7,000+ | Elite amateurs and professionals |
Those yardages are typical figures reported by tee-selection guides such as CaddieHQ and GolfDeft, not fixed standards. Which color counts as the championship set? It depends. On a course with three sets, the blue markers are usually the longest, so they are the championship tees. Add a fifth set behind them, and the black markers take over, pushing blue down a rung. Whatever the color, the championship tees are simply the set farthest back.
Who plays from the championship tees?
Championship tees are built for the small group of players who can handle a course at full stretch, mainly low-handicap amateurs and touring professionals. From the back markers, a course can run past 7,000 yards, which asks for both real distance off the tee and accurate long approaches into greens.
For most golfers, the back tees make the round harder and slower rather than more enjoyable. The USGA does not endorse a single set for everyone; it advises players to choose tees they can comfortably reach par 4s and par 5s from while hitting a realistic mix of clubs into greens. The PGA of America and USGA “Tee It Forward” campaign makes a similar case, nudging golfers toward a yardage that matches how far they actually hit the ball rather than the longest set on the card. For that reason, most players find their best golf well forward of the championship markers.
Related Golf Terms
- Release point — The moment the wrists unhinge and the clubhead is delivered to the ball.
- Tee markers — Colored markers that define the front edges of the teeing area.
- Swing trigger — A small motion used to start the swing smoothly.
- Pronation — Forearm rotation through impact that helps square the face.
- Chicken wing — A fault where the lead arm bends and breaks down through impact.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are championship tees the same as back tees?
Yes. “Back tees” and “championship tees” are interchangeable terms for the set of markers farthest from the green, along with slang names such as the tips or the Tiger tees.
Are championship tees always black?
No. The color depends on the course. Black is common, but blue, gold, or yellow can mark the longest set. The scorecard confirms which color is which.
How long is a course from the championship tees?
It varies, but many courses stretch beyond 6,800 or 7,000 yards from the back markers. Professional tournament venues can play even longer.
Can a beginner play from the championship tees?
There is no rule against it, but the extra length usually makes the round frustrating and slow. Beginners tend to enjoy the game far more from the forward or middle tees.
Sources
- Golf Compendium. “Definition: ‘Championship Tees’ on the Golf Course.” Accessed July 2026.
https://www.golfcompendium.com/2022/07/championship-tees.html - Brent Kelley, LiveAbout. “Definition of ‘Championship Tees’ or ‘Back Tees’ on a Golf Course.” Accessed July 2026.
https://www.liveabout.com/definition-of-back-tees-golf-course-1564003 - United States Golf Association (USGA). “FAQs – Playing from Forward Tees.” Accessed July 2026.
https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/handicapping/world-handicap-system/world-handicap-system-usga-golf-faqs/faqs—playing-from-forward-tees.html - The PGA of America and USGA. “‘Tee It Forward’ To Increase Enjoyment of the Game.” Accessed July 2026.
https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/articles/2011/05/tee-it-forward-to-increase-enjoyment-of-the-game-2147497765.html - CaddieHQ. “What Do the Different Color Golf Tees Mean?” Accessed July 2026.
https://www.caddiehq.com/resources/what-do-the-different-color-golf-tees-mean - GolfDeft. “What Do the Different Color Tee Boxes Mean in Golf?” Accessed July 2026.
https://golfdeft.com/what-do-the-different-color-tee-boxes-mean-in-golf/
