Using a tee or hitting off the ground?

Arsenium · 19-05-2013 06:59PM #1

Hello,

Since getting a lesson a few months ago, my ball striking with the irons has improved considerably. High shots drifting to the right have turned into gentle draws with a lower flights.

However, I dont seem to be able to get nearly as good a connection with the irons when I tee it up, on par 3's mainly.

After a bad shot today, into the water, I reloaded without the tee. Struck the ball perfectly onto the middle of the green.

So I'm pretty sure it's not mandatory to use a tee or I guess I could just tee it really low.
Anyone here not bother with a tee? Or has anyone had a similar issue?

The divots on the tee boxes on some par 3's would suggest the ball is teed extremely low or not on a tee at all.

ForeRight · 19-05-2013 07:21PM

If I hit a ball bad and need to reload I always seem to hit a good strike. Probably as you just hit it without thinking too much but I really don't know.

I do like to tee up slightly on a par 3 though.

Arsenium · 19-05-2013 07:42PM

ForeRight wrote: »

If I hit a ball bad and need to reload I always seem to hit a good strike. Probably as you just hit it without thinking too much but I really don't know.

I do like to tee up slightly on a par 3 though.

Yep that always seems to be the way for sure.

I find it annoying that I am hitting it well from the ground on par 4's and 5's, but when it comes to the par 3's, with the ball on a tee, I dont seem to strike it well at all. It's the opposite of what I would have expected :-)

When I see the pro's on TV hitting their tee shots on par 3's, I often wonder if they are using a tee at all, with the divots they take.

Dolph Starbeam · 19-05-2013 07:56PM

I always use a tee, though I tee it very low for the shorter irons. If I am using a 5, 4 or 3 iron I'd tee it a tiny bit higher. You don't want to tee it too high to where the ball is striking the top of the iron.

GreeBo · 19-05-2013 08:03PM

sounds like you have it teed up too high.
you want the ball just sitting above the level of the ground.
also make sure that you are still hitting down on it...

Senna · 19-05-2013 08:06PM

If you are confident with your irons, try scoop up a bit of ground with the club to make a natural tee, much nicer than a tee low into the ground.

Arsenium · 19-05-2013 08:42PM

GreeBo wrote: »

sounds like you have it teed up too high.
you want the ball just sitting above the level of the ground.
also make sure that you are still hitting down on it...

You may be right. I find it hard to tee it so low that the ball is basically just sitting nicely above the ground level. On winter mats, I never bother with a tee and just hit it from the mat and it's fine. It's hard to feel confident about striking down on a ball that is elevated off the ground, or at least it is for me.

DuckSlice · 19-05-2013 09:20PM

I can never understand people not using tees on a par 3, or whenever they hit irons! Your giving yourself a disadvantage, just tee it real low and it's perfect!! You never see a pro not using a tee!

Also course near me that insist on it and has a sign on all the par 3's!!

GreeBo · 19-05-2013 09:21PM

your improved ball striking probably means that you are now hitting down more on the ball.
If you have it teed up you will strike it high on the club face and "nothing" happens to the ball.
You can move the ball back, move it forward and hit up (can be useful on long irons for some people)
But basically I have the ball with the just the crown of the tee above ground, then your divot should start a little after the tee.

Wftablueboy · 20-05-2013 09:07AM

etxp wrote: »

I can never understand people not using tees on a par 3, or whenever they hit irons! Your giving yourself a disadvantage, just tee it real low and it's perfect!! You never see a pro not using a tee!

Also course near me that insist on it and has a sign on all the par 3's!!

I've often seen pro's not using a tee .... Laura Davis was one of the most successful players on the ladies tour and never used a tee ( she'd knock up a mound on the teeing area ) and she bombed the ball a mile.

DuckSlice · 20-05-2013 09:25AM

That's one! I watch golf every weekend and I never see anyone not using a tee!

Wichita Lineman · 20-05-2013 09:47AM

It's mandatory to use a tee in Moate GC anyway and anyone not using one should have a 2 shot penalty applied as it says on the signs on our Par 3 tee boxes. Tee boxes are hard enough to keep in good condition even with tees so the damage done increases if you dont use a tee.

GreeBo · 20-05-2013 09:56AM

Andy Dunne11 wrote: »

It's mandatory to use a tee in Moate GC anyway and anyone not using one should have a 2 shot penalty applied as it says on the signs on our Par 3 tee boxes. Tee boxes are hard enough to keep in good condition even with tees so the damage done increases if you dont use a tee.

I dont see how the damage increases without a tee, I take the same divot either way.

However I will always use one, why would I not take a perfect lie everytime?

Myksyk · 20-05-2013 09:57AM

If you're playing well with your irons you'll be hitting down on the ball and taking some sort of divot regardless of whether you tee up slightly or not. However, I guess that most players hold a high-ish handicap and will hit up on the ball if teeing it up. I suppose such a local rule makes sense in this regard.

Wftablueboy · 20-05-2013 10:09AM

Andy Dunne11 wrote: »

It's mandatory to use a tee in Moate GC anyway and anyone not using one should have a 2 shot penalty applied as it says on the signs on our Par 3 tee boxes. Tee boxes are hard enough to keep in good condition even with tees so the damage done increases if you dont use a tee.

I don't see why Moate GC should be making it mandatory to use a tee peg Andy , it's not mentioned in the R&A rules of golf that you must use one

DuckSlice · 20-05-2013 10:27AM

Wftablueboy wrote: »

I don't see why Moate GC should be making it mandatory to use a tee peg Andy , it's not mentioned in the R&A rules of golf that you must use one

they can just make it a local rule and you have to abide by it!

Wichita Lineman · 20-05-2013 10:53AM

Exactly, it's a local rule and must be observed. It's on signs and on our card - TEEING AREA, Tees must be used on all teeing grounds. penalty for breach of rule: 2shots.

My own opinion is that it must help to use a tee no matter how low it's down so it's a no brainer. I appreciate everyone is entitled to their opinion / preference I was just stating what the postition is in my club.

Wftablueboy · 20-05-2013 11:16AM

Just 2 little points considering most par 3's are normally 160 yards or less , roughly anything from a 7 iron to a sand wedge... When you go to a driving range do u tee your ball up when your practice your 8,9, p/w or s/w ??? I'd say most people practice hitting it off the deck , so why change when your on the course ?
As for the 2 shot penalty for not using a tee in Moate , I wonder what the reaction would be if someone had an awkward putt on the green and opted to chip the ball instead of putt and likely to cause as much damage as you would to the teeing area ??

Creasy_bear · 20-05-2013 11:21AM

Any chance you get to use a tee in golf, you should use it. It's a perfect lie ffs.

Only an idiot wouldn't use a tee.

con___manx1 · 20-05-2013 11:27AM

i use a tee but tee it low as possible

DuckSlice · 20-05-2013 11:39AM

Wftablueboy wrote: »

Just 2 little points considering most par 3's are normally 160 yards or less , roughly anything from a 7 iron to a sand wedge... When you go to a driving range do u tee your ball up when your practice your 8,9, p/w or s/w ??? I'd say most people practice hitting it off the deck , so why change when your on the course ?

thats totally different, for starter the mats in a driving range are just way too forgiving, you could hit an inch behind the ball and still hit it nicely on the range! i just dont see how not teeing the ball up is better than teeing it up so its just touching the ground! when teeing it up, your reducing the risk of hitting ball before ground! surely thats got to be better than not teeing it up

TheDoc · 20-05-2013 11:44AM

I'll always use a tee, and never understand why someone wouldn't.

You'll generate more spin and a better ball strike. Distance might vary a little, but it promotes a better ball strike.

When I tee the ball up on a par 3, I move the ball a little different in my stance, close the club face a little. But have to say wouldn't even attempt to hit off the deck. Tried it for a few years alright "thinking" it was better for me, then realised I was being silly and at the end of the day making an excuse for a swing flaw.

Wftablueboy · 20-05-2013 11:55AM

etxp wrote: »

thats totally different, for starter the mats in a driving range are just way too forgiving, you could hit an inch behind the ball and still hit it nicely on the range! i just dont see how not teeing the ball up is better than teeing it up so its just touching the ground! when teeing it up, your reducing the risk of hitting ball before ground! surely thats got to be better than not teeing it up

I never advocated not teeing it up , I mentioned Laura Davis using a mound of soil , you don't have to use a tee peg ( except in Moate )

DuckSlice · 20-05-2013 12:02PM

you also have to use a tee peg in castlebar, last time i played there they had signs on each par 3 tee box

Wichita Lineman · 20-05-2013 12:13PM

There is no local rule about using wedges on the greens in Moate but I'm sure the amount of times it actually happens is a tiny, tiny, tiny fraction of the time tee boxes are used

Even if you did use wedge on the green are you really likely to take a divot?????

Arsenium · 20-05-2013 12:15PM

Wftablueboy wrote: »

Just 2 little points considering most par 3's are normally 160 yards or less , roughly anything from a 7 iron to a sand wedge... When you go to a driving range do u tee your ball up when your practice your 8,9, p/w or s/w ??? I'd say most people practice hitting it off the deck , so why change when your on the course ?
As for the 2 shot penalty for not using a tee in Moate , I wonder what the reaction would be if someone had an awkward putt on the green and opted to chip the ball instead of putt and likely to cause as much damage as you would to the teeing area ??

This is a very good point. The practice ground at my club is off turf, not mats, and as you say, I would never even consider practicing hitting a mid to high iron off a tee.

I have come to the conclusion that I am obviously teeing the ball too high. I guess I need to tee it so that the tee is not visible under the ball?
So I basically have a perfect lie with the ball just sitting on top of the turf. And then just play as if it was from the fairway.

However, since you can place the ball on the tee box,assuming it is in good condition and you can give yourself a perfect lie, I dont see how it is ridiculous to consider not using a tee. Ok, if the tee box is in poor condition, bare and full of divots etc then it would be stupid to give up your advantage.

GreeBo · 20-05-2013 01:14PM

etxp wrote: »

thats totally different, for starter the mats in a driving range are just way too forgiving, you could hit an inch behind the ball and still hit it nicely on the range! i just dont see how not teeing the ball up is better than teeing it up so its just touching the ground! when teeing it up, your reducing the risk of hitting ball before ground! surely thats got to be better than not teeing it up

+1 on mats, unless you know what to watch out for they can be very misleading.

The bolded section, I assume you mean reducing hitting the ground before the ball?

TheDoc wrote: »

I'll always use a tee, and never understand why someone wouldn't.

You'll generate more spin and a better ball strike. Distance might vary a little, but it promotes a better ball strike.

When I tee the ball up on a par 3, I move the ball a little different in my stance, close the club face a little. But have to say wouldn't even attempt to hit off the deck. Tried it for a few years alright "thinking" it was better for me, then realised I was being silly and at the end of the day making an excuse for a swing flaw.

Why would you close the clubface?

DuckSlice · 20-05-2013 01:22PM

Yes! I wasn't quite awake when I was posting earlier

Wichita Lineman · 20-05-2013 01:53PM

Wftablueboy wrote: »

I never advocated not teeing it up , I mentioned Laura Davis using a mound of soil , you don't have to use a tee peg ( except in Moate )

I can guarantee you that Moate is not the only club to have this local rule.

GreeBo · 20-05-2013 01:57PM

Andy Dunne11 wrote: »

I can guarantee you that Moate is not the only club to have this local rule.

Same rule in my club and several (most) others I have played at.

Wftablueboy · 20-05-2013 02:26PM

Andy Dunne11 wrote: »

I can guarantee you that Moate is not the only club to have this local rule.

First time I've ever come across it Andy , I'm playing golf 25 years and have played most of the top courses and plenty of hen runs , never heard of a 2 shot pen for not using a tee

Using a tee or hitting off the ground?

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