Why do I slice a 3-wood off the tee but hit a 3-wood off the ground straight ?

[ifej434]

when I hit a 3-wood off the ground, i have no complaints, it is straight as an arrow.  But when I tee it up, and hit the ball with the same 3-wood, it slices very hard right.  I also have the same problem with the driver.  Any club I hit off the tee (with at least a half an inch) it slices right.  Please help.  It is driving (no pun intended) me nuts!!!  Thanks.

[cbrian]

Probably hitting a little more down with the ball on the ground... which means the path is going to be more in to out than when you are hitting more up.

[WUTiger]

Subconsciously, you may be doing this to protect your amateur status so you won't be forced out onto the tour prematurely.

Or, cbrian could be right.

[imtomtomim]

my best guess is how you're setting up.  You said you tee it a 1/2 inch up.  Do you step up to it with the club 1/2 an inch off the ground?  Or are you setting up to it grounded and then trying to get to it during the swing?  Readjustments during the swing can give you unintended results

Also, do you find yourself trying to swing up on the ball when teed up?  A common problem with that is leaving the weight on the back foot and the swing arc is cutting back away from the target line at impact instead of going through it.

Just a couple of possibilities.

[DaSportsGuy]

I would say because the ground is keeping the club from opening up and moving inwards.

[jmanbooyaa]

I recently had the same issue with my new 5 wood. Couldn't hit the damn thing off the tee for the life of me. Out of the rough and fairway it was like a different club. Will have to go back and read this entire thread.

[wrx_junki]

You are most likely hitting the ball fat when its not tee'd up. When you hit a ball slightly fat you tend to turn the club over and that may result in a straighter shot for you. When you tee it up since the ground isn't there to help you turn over the club, your natural over the top swing is causing a slice.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by lefty18

I would probably say the reason the it hooks off the tee and not the ground is because when you hit off the ground the club head bounces off the ground squaring the face therefore resulting in a straighter shot.

I'm almost absolutely certain that's not the case.

[binga7]

Do you play the ball in the same position relative to your stance for both the tee and off the deck?

[ifej434]

I nudge it up a bit and i do the "right shoulder lower than my left shoulder" when I'm hitting off the tee so it looks like I'm leaning back.  Now I'm thinking that because I'm slightly leaning back at address, it is hard to turn my body all the way at followthrough and therefore I have a reverse pivot.  Is the driver swing truly the same as the iron swing except for the ball position?  Now im thinking I need a more horizontal takeaway so that I can "sweep" the ball off the tee.  Also, sometimes I do a strange pop up.  I wish I could go out and practice but it is too cold here in northern va.

[normdamarine]

My answer to this question would be why tee the ball up on the T Box then? If you can hit it off the deck then why not do that on the box?

[The Recreational Golfer]

It might be that in an effort to get the ball high in the air off the tee you're being too active with your lower body, leaving your arms behind, which opens the clubface.

[Deryck Griffith]

It could be in your head which affects your swing when the ball is tee'd up.  You'll be amazed at what doubt can do to a golf swing.

The only other thing I can think of is on the tee, a clean strike would place more spin on the ball vs. a fatter shot off of the turf.  Maybe this is why the ball flies straigher off of the turf?  Do you lose distance when you hit off of the turf vs. when on a tee?

[tws1098]

I would lower your tee height and address the ball the same.  Sounds more pre-shot oriented than anything.