There is an interesting ongoing debate on here about playability. I'd like to specifically address the notion that many courses become "playable" for the high or even mid handicapper simply by playing the appropriate tees.
I personally believe that this is a very one-dimensional look at a multi-dimensional problem. It seems as though the only concern for people espousing this belief is that by stepping up - or waaaaaaaay up
- the "appropriate" tee removes the dreaded forced carry off the tee. In my experience - both playing and observing others - the tee shot is far from the most challenging aspect for HHers and MHers (mid-handicappers), at least in the sense of playability. Length is not an issue for many or even most of us, it is simply consistency from shot to shot. I can follow up a 270 yard dead down the middle drive with a frighteningly bad wedge shot with alarming regularity, and judging from what I've observed from other golfers - even solid 10 handicappers! - I'm not alone in this regard.
In many ways, playing from shorter tees doesn't help me at all. For example, I played Tobacco Road many years ago (it's what drove me to this site, actually), and they had recommended tees for your handicap level. My recommended level was the second set, and my wife was with me - her first and only golf experience was playing TR, if you can believe that - so I decided to start off playing the forward most set of tees with her. The result was I couldn't tee off with more than an 8 iron or I was hitting into hazards. I ended up moving back throughout the round till I was playing the tips by the 18th (though that was really just for fun to try to make the carry on the 18th - took two whacks to do it).
Lastly, while I don't wish to turn this into a mudslinging battle on specific courses, I will simply say that it's hard for me to consider a course great or even enjoyably playable for HHers if you have to recommend they play the course from 5500 yards. As Garland said, "5192 is ludicrous!" (obviously not meaning for those who gender or age precludes hitting the ball more than 75 yards in the air).
My own belief is that the notion of "let's just throw in a few shorter tees for the lesser golfers" is simplistic at best, misguided in practice, and downright misleading and fraudulent at worst!
Have at it...