Saw on Golf Digest Stix (whatever that is, just got an email) that in a field test of 170,000 golfers (or rounds, not sure which), those who shot 75-80 only averaged 235 yards off the tee, and those who shot 85-90 averaged only 196 yards. And the 80 max shooters only hit the green 48% of the time, the 90 shooters 27%. And, I recently learned that the typical (if there is such a thing) woman hits it 150 yards max, but then only 40% of the time.
To be honest, I would associate most 75 shooters with 260 yards, and most 90 shooters with 235. I guess Tee It Forward has the right idea. But those stats show the real distance problem in golf - the guys who pay the bills sure need more of it to cope with today's course length, which is far too influenced by discussions like this one.
I agree with Pat that too many golfers want to play too far back, and that may be even more true when they play a famous course, although I have never been tempted to tackle all 7000+ yards of any course. To me, the back tees are merely a rumor.....
I have always felt that the only issue is to come up with some new term above "championship course" for true tournament courses, and then forget 7000+ tees on all but those 50-200 courses. I say new term, because I don't think existing courses want to get downgraded in terminology to "recreational course" or some such. Maybe we only need to call true championship courses, i.e., one that actually hold a tournament, to Platinum Level Championship Courses, and anything up to 6800 can be called Gold, or some such. That still denotes a proper and good level of challenge.
In any case, its amazing just how much form doesn't follow function in golf course design.