The Combo Tee Scorecard Guide

Twenty years ago a scorecard had four rows: Blue, White, Gold, Red. Then the USGA started rating combined tee sets, clubs embraced play-it-forward, and now a course with five sets of markers might carry ten or more rated combinations. Forsyth Country Club in Winston-Salem carries 18. The card has to teach that system before the first tee, because the alternative is every group asking the starter which row they post from.

Here is how we think about the layout after printing cards for combo-tee courses of every shape.

1. Order rows by total yardage, not tradition

The Blue tees do not go first because they have always gone first. A golfer scanning the card is looking for a number in their range. Sort every row, straight sets and combos alike, from longest to shortest, and the card answers "where should I play" at a glance.

2. Every rated set a golfer can post from belongs somewhere

If the USGA rates it and a member can legally post from it, it needs a home: a row on the main grid, a line in a ratings panel, or (last resort) a note pointing to the posting kiosk. A rated combo that appears nowhere is how you get the "my app says 68.9 but the card says 69.4" conversation at the turn.

3. Make combo rows visually distinct

A combo row that looks identical to a straight-set row reads as a mistake. The fixes are simple: a light tint band behind combo rows, split color chips (half blue, half white) in the marker column, or a thin rule separating straight sets from combos. Pick one. Using all three turns the card into a quilt.

4. Do not bury the ratings block

Rating and slope, per gender, for every row. League players and traveling golfers look for this before anything else, and nine-hole leagues need the front and back splits too. If the main grid cannot hold it legibly, move ratings to their own panel rather than shrinking the type until nobody can read it.

5. Name combos the way the shop talks

If the starter says "play Blue-White," the card says Blue/White. Invented marketing names for combo rows (Heritage, Legacy, Champion) add a translation step for everyone, including your own staff. The exception is clubs where named tees are the identity. If the markers on the ground say Killer, Tinker, and Brockway, the card should too.

6. Know when to go to two panels

Past about seven rows, a single grid stops being readable on a standard fold. The clean solution is a main grid carrying the straight sets and the two or three most-played combos, plus a compact ratings panel listing everything else. Golfers get a playable card; posters get every number.

Pre-print checklist

Pull the current rating sheet from the USGA or your state association. Not last year's.
Verify par by gender on every row. Combos are where M/F par splits hide.
Check front-nine and back-nine rating/slope splits if you host nine-hole leagues.
Read the card next to the app. Anywhere they disagree, the card loses.
Have the head professional sign the proof, not just the designer.

Frequently Asked Questions About Combo Tee Scorecards

What is a combo tee in golf?

A combo tee is a rated set of markers that mixes two straight tee sets, playing some holes from, say, the Blue tees and others from the White tees. The USGA rates these combined sets so golfers can post a legitimate score, which is why a course with five sets of markers can carry ten or more rated combinations. Forsyth Country Club in Winston-Salem carries 18.

How should combo tee rows be ordered on a scorecard?

Sort every row, straight sets and combos alike, from longest total yardage to shortest. Golfers scan the card looking for a number in their range, so ordering by yardage answers 'where should I play' at a glance. Do not order rows by tradition (Blue first because it has always been first). Order by the total yardage number.

Should combo tees have their own rating and slope on the card?

Yes. Every rated set a golfer can legally post from needs a home: a row on the main grid, a line in a ratings panel, or a note pointing to the posting kiosk. Print rating and slope per gender for every row, and include front-nine and back-nine splits if you host nine-hole leagues. A rated combo that appears nowhere is how you get the 'my app says 68.9 but the card says 69.4' conversation at the turn.

How do you make combo tee rows easy to read?

Make combo rows visually distinct from straight-set rows so they do not read as a mistake. Use one device: a light tint band behind combo rows, split color chips (half blue, half white) in the marker column, or a thin rule separating straight sets from combos. Pick one. Using all three turns the card into a quilt.

When should a scorecard use two panels for tees?

Past about seven rows, a single grid stops being readable on a standard fold. The clean solution is a main grid carrying the straight sets plus the two or three most-played combos, and a compact ratings panel listing everything else. Golfers get a playable card; posters get every number.

Pars and Paper prints scorecards for golf courses, only golf, since 1984. We lay out combo grids straight off the rating sheet and store the file so reorders are one call. If you want to see what your grid would look like, the pricing calculator takes about a minute.

See What Your Grid Would Look Like