Thanks to the USGA for the following:

Rethinking Forward Tees

There has been an increase in attention given to forward tees throughout the past several years, and for good reason. Many facilities are rethinking the placement of forward tees and are promoting their use to provide an appropriate yardage for golfers with slower swing speeds. That’s right, forward tees are not just for women. Forward tees can be used by any golfer and should be used by golfers with slower swing speeds who are looking for an appropriate challenge – whether they are male or female.

The placement of forward tees is not the only battle facilities face when promoting their use. Certainly, placement is critical to providing a yardage that allows golfers with slow swing speeds the opportunity to reach greens in regulation, but there’s more to promoting the use of these tees than simply their location.

Historically, many facilities chose the colour red to indicate forward tees. As a result, many golfers have adopted the idea that “red tees are the lady’s tees.” This is not accurate. Tee location, colour or design does not dictate whether they are for men or women. The appropriate set of tees for an individual golfer should be based on swing speed and skill level, not gender.