Shorter distance when using a tee, why is that?

[Zeph]

Firstly, I'd like to point out that I've been coming over the top and pre-releasing for some time, so earlier, I couldn't even hit the ball if it wasn't tee'd up. A result of trying to lift the ball into the air. This has improved, but I think I still do something different when the ball is on a tee.

Anyways, I want to adress the distance you get when using a tee and when not using one. On my local course I know all the distances and what club to use. On par 3's I might use a 6 iron on one hole and a 5 iron on the next. I also know that I can reach the green with a 6 iron off the deck or a 5 iron tee'd up. Or a 5 iron off the deck or a 4 iron tee'd up.

How much difference, if any, should there be in distance when you tee it up and when you don't, using the same club? Does the height of the tee matter? I usually tee it with only the top of the tee above ground for short irons and a bit higher for the longer ones.

I play with someone at hcp 10 which hit the ball much more solid than me, and they agree that the ball will fly further if it's hit off the deck.

If the ball fly shorter, why is that? I've read about the ball being pinched between the ground and the club, but from what I've seen of swing vision at Youtube, the ball always roll up the clubface and take off into the air. It is never pinched on the ground and popped out. It may feel like this happens, but it does not look that way. I've seen SV of anything from a 2 iron to a wedge, the ball are never pinched. Anyone agree with this? How could a ball then fly a shorter distance if the club hits it exactly the same way and the ball never have contact with anything except the club?

[jlin453]

Just an idea, but are you teeing it a little bit too high? Doing so would result in ball contact higher up on the club face and loss of distance.

[pittpanther]

Lets assume that your swing is completely identical when the ball is on the turf or on a tee...

When your ball is struck by a club, there are two forces at work - one moving in a forward (toward the green) direction, the other in an upward (toward the sky) direction. My guess would be that when hitting off a tee, there is a very slight increase in friction between the ball and the tee, as opposed to the ball and grass. That very small increase in friction works against the force in the forward direction, and translates into the loss of distance.

This is the reason you see those "zero-friction" tees for sale...

If however your swings are different, then of course that will make a larger difference than tee friction.

[David in FL]

Lets assume that your swing is completely identical when the ball is on the turf or on a tee...

Please tell me that you're kidding and are just messin' with the poor guy!

[jorruss]

Even when you tee it up with an iron, you don't want much daylight showing under the ball. You just want to tee it high enough to promote solid contact without getting any grass from the tee box in the way. Irons are meant to be struck with a slightly descending blow. If you tee it up too much you'll have to make a different swing to hit up at it, leading to inconsistent contact.

Having said that, in most cases a teed up iron will fly higher and slightly further than one struck off the ground. For this reason, I seldom tee up my shots on Par 3s, unless I need a few more yards or a higher ball flight.

[mruseless]

When hitting an iron off the tee, I set the tee height at the top of the grass (which isn't very high) or maybe a couple millimeters higher. I get about 5 extra yards when hitting off a tee.

[pittpanther]

Please tell me that you're kidding and are just messin' with the poor guy!

You have to admit, I really made it sound convincing, didn't I?

[right handed phil mickelson]

You have to admit, I really made it sound convincing, didn't I?

Yes but the point of The Sand Trap is for people to get help and true advice. Keep that up and people won't know what to believe.

[Leftygolfer]

There is no reason it would fly shorter that is for sure. Something else must cause the difference. Maybe you tee it up too high but I know that I hit is a bit further off of a tee.

[klaymon]

Teeing up may be making you subconciously want to hit up. If you happen to hit up on the ball when it's on a tee, you are effectively adding loft to the club. As you already know, higher-lofted clubs go shorter distances.

[mikelaw]

Just an idea, but are you teeing it a little bit too high? Doing so would result in ball contact higher up on the club face and loss of distance.

bingo

+1 teeing it up AT ALL will result in contact higher on the face then normal.

[Zeph]

That sounds reasonable, but like mruseless wrote, he even hit's is a bit further. In that case, I conclude with this: You won't hit it shorter if the tee is low enough and you make the same descending stroke on the ball. The most common reason for the ball going shorter would be that you subconsiously are trying to help it into the air and add loft.

Why does a hit higher up on the clubface equal a shorter shot? The loft is the same, only difference I see is the sweet spot. This is normally on the centre of the clubs, which would be easier to find with the ball tee'd up a bit.