Kent Golf Limited
WHS - New Tees and Winter Tees
Date published: 13 Mar 2025
With the move to WHS there are implications for playing from new tees and forward tees, which many clubs use during the winter months, and which have not previously been rated. These tees now require a separate Slope Rating and Course Rating, and thus may lead to a different course handicap and playing handicap for players when using these set of tees.
As a result, requests are being made to Kent Golf for the ratings of these additional tees - and when we ask about a Measurement Certificate and whether these tees have Permanent Markers and conform to the 4 yards rule, we are often greeted with a stunned silence.
Whilst Measurement Certificates and tees which conform are essential, in the Winter months it is difficult for the course raters to undertake full on course ratings of such tee sets. Our prime consideration is to support clubs as best we can and to find ways to enable them to continue to play their; qualifying competitions, social competitions and winter leagues, etc. during this period.
Thus for un-rated tee sets, a club will need to:
- Produce a current yardage Measurement Certificate for these tees
- Have a supporting scorecard showing the Pars and Stroke Indices
- Have a County Rater inspect the tees and confirm they meet WHS standards
Where these conditions are met, a Provisional Rating can be issued to the club which has a validity end date of 4 years from date of issue of the Provisional Rating. During the following 4 year period, it will be necessary for the county rating team to undertake a full rating of the new tee sets. Depending on circumstances and when the course was last subject to a full course rating, it might just be a paper exercise. However, in some cases, a full course re-rating (10 year review) may be on the horizon and so an all tee full course rating maybe a better option.
If you are in any doubt about this process, please email courseratings@kentgolf.org for further information.
Mark Ward and Alan Austin
Lead Course Assessor
Kent Golf
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