Tee Shot Thoughts

[TourSpoon]

I wanted to start a discussion about tee strategy. I have analyzed my par4/par5 stats and just got to wondering about how I can hit more fairways (or better spots). In my last 5 rounds I am 62% hit with 18% left and 20% right. In the last 20 it is 58%, 18%, and 23%. I hit driver whenever I can, except when driver brings penalty in play or will run out of the fairway. I can reasonably work a fade or a tiny draw but the stock is a straight ball with some fade spin. When I try to steer with the driver it can bring on the hook/block scenario so I really try to minimally work the ball if at all and pick a better line. I think my biggest issue with missing fairways is that I don't always pick the best lines and trust the swing.

Yesterday, I shot 80 in 15 mph winds (39-41) with 2 balls OB ( both strong left to right wind) in which I then parred in on from the retee for doubles. Both had OB right and I felt like I didn't commit to a solid swing. In previous rounds, I have managed these holes with being mostly left and subsequently easily broke 80 with 76, 77, and 2 78s (one 78 did have an ob "par" as well). I guess the point is that on the retee, I didn't care as much, free wheeled the swing and easily parred in.  Conversely, there is a hole on the front where I used to always push it right away from OB left. Knowing that a snap is usually from me trying to over draw it, I just aim down the right center and let it go.  The last 5 rounds has me 1 over on that par 4 that used to give me fits. 

Anyway, I am just wondering how people manage their tee balls as I don't have the "one way" miss going. I know its about committing to the smallest possible target and swinging the club freely without fear. I have lots of thoughts about my next steps, but wanted to open this for comment from the Trappers. 

[TourSpoon]

I am getting crickets so I am changing this to Jack vs Tiger - Who is better? 

 

[billchao]

On 4/24/2022 at 11:08 AM, TourSpoon said:

Anyway, I am just wondering how people manage their tee balls as I don't have the "one way" miss going. I know its about committing to the smallest possible target and swinging the club freely without fear. I have lots of thoughts about my next steps, but wanted to open this for comment from the Trappers. 

Me, personally? Spray and pray 😉

[Big C]

I struggle with a two-way miss off the tee as well. 

The one commonality that I find in most of my "big" misses is that my tempo gets extremely quick (either on the transition or the downswing). This can be exacerbated when I am playing a hole with OB/Water/Forest/etc. on one side.

If I had a universal fix, I'd probably be playing or teaching golf for a living, so take this for what it's worth. But I notice that when I'm faced with an especially challenging tee shot, feeling a slight pause at the top (a'la Hideki Matsuyama), followed by a smooth downswing and a full follow through creates a much better outcome for me, with a surprisingly minimal loss of distance. 

[TourSpoon]

I really think I would be better off if I played my stock 3 yard fade shot in most situations. I get into trouble when I try to manipulate anything more than just a few yards when under pressure (ie: with penalty or OB in play). When little is at stake I really don't have the issue. I have been looking at the DECADE golf tee mentality of picking a landing area 65 yards wide and finding the mid point. So I mapped out my course and on those 2 holes I am re-adjusting my aim points. Instead of draw it off the bunker or tree line away from the trouble, I will pick the landing spot that is non-shape dependent. As much as I can hit the draw with my irons all day long, it is not my natural shape with the driver. I am better off picking a tree or corner of a bunker on the straight line, committing to the target, and trust my swing.  

I know that at this point the small mental mistakes can add up quickly. I don't usually complain about shooting 80, but when I racked up 3 doubles with 2 OBs to get there it hurts. 

Here is a video I found that really made it simple to map my course.  

 

[Missouri Swede]

On 4/24/2022 at 10:08 AM, TourSpoon said:

Anyway, I am just wondering how people manage their tee balls as I don't have the "one way" miss going.

A helpful video that summarizes what's going through my mind on my downswing:

 

[Double Mocha Man]

Lately, the last 2 months, my tee shots, with driver, have been straight or baby draws.  The one exception is once in 15-20 tee shots I'll push my drive.  I generally aim down the right side of the fairway so when this happens I'm usually in trouble... in the trees.

[GolfLug]

4 hours ago, TourSpoon said:

I am getting crickets so I am changing this to Jack vs Tiger - Who is better? 

 

You might have as well asked for the Holy Grail..  

I think the two way miss is purely a mechanical issue that can turn into an all out identity crisis. Tendencies creep up. You hit one shitty drive and all trust goes floating down the river. Imposter syndrome takes over... but it is mechanical to begin with. You start dropping the club tad bit too inside, or get slightly quick, or the set up ball position drifts or whatever garden variety mini fault that always lurks in background for us weekenders. You can hope you identify and self correct in time.  

Yesterday I hit 6/7 FIR on the front, lost it completely on back nine for 4 straight drives and the corrected again on the last 2 fairways, but the damage was done. 

The good drives were not just acceptable, they were great, and the bad ones were not just bad, they were terrible. Three huge banana slices  and two straight left pulls. 

I felt the same on the bad drives as the good ones setting up. IMO, the strategy is simple. Find what changed and get it back to where it was. Other than that there's always the 19th hole. 

[Double Mocha Man]

1 minute ago, GolfLug said:

"Garden variety mini fault"

You just described the golf swing in 4 words.

 

4 minutes ago, GolfLug said:

There's always the 19th hole"

You just described the remedy in 5 words.

[TourSpoon]

6 minutes ago, GolfLug said:

You might have as well asked for the Holy Grail..  

You start dropping the club tad bit too inside, or get slightly quick, or the set up ball position drifts or whatever garden variety mini fault that always lurks in background for us weekenders.

Ball position creeping forward on the tee shot is one I have to watch.  If I keep it neutral I can start and keep it one line. 

[GolfLug]

34 minutes ago, TourSpoon said:

Ball position creeping forward on the tee shot is one I have to watch.  If I keep it neutral I can start and keep it one line. 

There you go.. that will be $10 please. 😉.

[iacas]

4 hours ago, TourSpoon said:

I really think I would be better off if I played my stock 3 yard fade shot in most situations.

Yes.

[Denny Bang Bang]

1 hour ago, TourSpoon said:

Ball position creeping forward on the tee shot is one I have to watch.  If I keep it neutral I can start and keep it one line. 

There is a driver video I first watched years ago and keep going back to everyone once in a while as a reminder.  Happy to share if anyone wants to see it (my takeaway from it has always been ball position).

Other than that, I don’t have much to share that will be helpful.  My miss is generally a hook, but a fade creeps in sometimes as well.  If my tempo or sequence get off a bit, any miss is possible.  Luckily most courses I play have a safe side to miss, so I’ll target that side of the fairway.  But when there is equal trouble on both sides and my tee shot has been inconsistent, I aim down the middle and hope for the best.

[TourSpoon]

12 minutes ago, iacas said:

Yes.

Exactly! 

[mohearn]

6 hours ago, TourSpoon said:

I really think I would be better off if I played my stock 3 yard fade shot in most situations. I get into trouble when I try to manipulate anything more than just a few yards 

If you have a stock 3 yard fade you can summon up, why ever play anything else!?  

[TourSpoon]

10 hours ago, mohearn said:

If you have a stock 3 yard fade you can summon up, why ever play anything else!?  

That is definitely the answer. Hitting the stock shot with a committed swing and correct line statistically is the best course of action. We have dispelled the 1 way miss theory on this forum, so I know better. We all miss, but when you start it up the right tree line counting on a draw, it better be your natural ball flight.  

Keep it simple! 

[mohearn]

3 hours ago, TourSpoon said:

Keep it simple! 

Amen to that.  Once I stopped fighting the power-fade (aka slice) and started to work with just a baby fade, made lots of difference.  Alignment slight left. path slight in-to-out, face barely open to path. I still practice hitting draws, but on the course basically never draw my driver on purpose.  I use my 3-wood (@13.5 degrees) if I want to hit a bit of a draw and driver won't fit for whatever reason (maybe distance, overhanging trees, etc.) Don't want to jinx it, but that's really made me solid off the tee.  Approaches though.... another story. Might need a thread on "approach shot thoughts."

[DaveP043]

21 hours ago, TourSpoon said:

I really think I would be better off if I played my stock 3 yard fade shot in most situations. I get into trouble when I try to manipulate anything more than just a few yards when under pressure

Yup, I know I'm not good enough to reliably curve the ball in either direction.  Play the shot shape that gives you the most consistently tight dispersion, select your aiming point to minimize "bad results".  Some bad results (like OB or Lost Ball) are worse than other bad results (like Red Penalty Areas).  Buy Lowest Score Wins to get a good method of club, shot,  and target selection.  Its different from Decade, but I believe its based on many of the same principles.